Dan-Air London’s 727s – Classic Airline Fleets

Founded in May 1953 by London-based shipbroking company Davies & Newman, Dan-Air, over its thirty-nine years of existence, became a leading inclusive tour charter provider, an important scheduled service operator and ultimately one of the UK’s largest, best known and most popular independent airlines. Dan-Air operated a large and varied fleet, usually acquired as cheaper, second-hand aircraft.

Dan-Air and the 727

Boeing 727-46 G-BAFZ was one of the first 727s to be acquired by Dan-Air. (Piergiuliano Chesi, licensed under CC BY 3.0)

Boeing 727-155C G-BIUR was obtained on lease from Ariana Afghan Airlines in May 1981 to be operated from the summer season. It returned again the following year. (Tim Rees, licensed under GFDL 1.2)

In 1972, Dan-Air began to explore the options for the future replacement of its fuel-guzzling de Havilland Comet fleet. Potential aircraft included the Douglas DC-9, BAC One-Eleven and Boeing 737, but in the end a decision was made to purchase the Boeing 727-100. The Boeing 727-100, a narrow-body airliner powered by three rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines below a T-tail, and able to accommodate up to 155 passengers in a single-class seating configuration, was first launched in December 1960 and made its maiden flight in February 1963. It entered into commercial service a year later.

Dan-Air was the first British airline to operate the 727-100, acquiring its first three 727s from Japan Airlines in March/April 1973 (G-BAEF, G-BAJW and G-BAFZ). In advance of their delivery, the aircraft were modified by Boeing during the autumn of 1972, before they could be granted a British Certificate of Airworthiness. The modifications included the fitting of a ‘Stick Pusher’ as part of a full stall prevention system. The aircraft were already fitted with a ‘Stick Shaker’ and a ‘Stick Nudge’, but the Civil Aviation Authority deemed that these two warning devices needed to be supplemented by an active Stick Pusher following the loss of two other T-tailed aircraft, the BAC One-Eleven and Hawker Siddeley Trident, due to deep stalls during test flights. Other modifications included increasing the seating capacity from 131 to 153 seats and the fitting of two extra emergency exits in the rear fuselage due to the high density seating configuration. An additional fuel tank was installed in the fuselage of two of the aircraft to allow them to fly non-stop from Berlin to the Canary Islands with a full load of passengers for the West German tour operator Neckerman and Reisen, as part of a charter contract Dan-Air had gained in 1968.  The Berlin-based aircrafts’ seating configurations remained unchanged at 131 seats in order to meet the requirements of the tour operator for a more comfortable arrangement.

Introduction of the 727

Dan-Air operated 727-46 G-BAEF from March 1973 until October 1990. (Norbert Kröpfl)

The 727 was finally introduced into service by Dan-Air in spring 1973; the first commercial flight took place on 13 April 1973 from Manchester to Alicante. Two more 727-100s were acquired in 1974 and by May 1982, when the final 727-100 joined the fleet, the carrier had operated ten aircraft, although four aircraft had left during 1981-1982, replaced by the Boeing 727-200 (Advanced) and the Boeing 737-200 (Advanced). The last 727-100 to be operated by Dan-Air (G-BCDA) was sold to Aeron Aviation in November 1990, following the carrier’s introduction of the more efficient Boeing 737-400 into service.  One of Dan-Air’s Boeing 727-100s (G-BDAN) was involved in a tragic accident when, on the 25 April 1980, it crashed into a mountain as it began to descend in preparation for a landing at Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife. All 146 on board including 138 passengers and 8 crew lost their lives.

Boeing 727-2J4 (Advanced) G-BHNF was one of the first Series -200 727s to be acquired by Dan-Air when it joined from Sterling Airways in April 1980. (LRS747)

Ex-Singapore Airlines Boeing 727-212 (Advanced) was acquired by Dan-Air in June 1980 and registered G-BHVT. (Pedro Aragão, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0)

In March/April 1980, Dan-Air leased two Boeing 727-200 Advanced aircraft (G-BHNE, G-BHNF) from Sterling Airways as additions to the eight 727-100s already in service. A third 727-200 (G-BHVT) was acquired from Singapore Airlines the following June. The 727-200 Advanced was a stretched version (20ft longer) of the 727-100 which could accommodate up to 189 passengers. A key element of the new variant was the upgraded engine, the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15. The more powerful engines increased the maximum payload range of the aircraft and opened up the opportunity for a greater fuel load. The 727-200 Advanced had a slightly improved fuel capacity in its wing and centre section tanks compared with the 727-100, with the possibility of increasing this further through optional auxiliary tanks located in the forward and rear luggage holds. As a result, the range was improved to between 2,500nm and 3,200nm.

The introduction of the 727-200 (Adv) coincided with Dan-Air’s launch of a new corporate image. The aircraft fleet were gradually painted in a new livery featuring a grey underbelly separated from a white upper fuselage by a red and indigo cheatline which got progressively thicker from the nose of the aircraft to the rear of the fuselage before sweeping upwards and covering most of the vertical stabiliser, the so-called ‘vapour swish’.

Dan-Air continued to build its 727-200 (Adv) fleet with the acquisition of a fourth aircraft from CP Air in April 1982. By March 1989, Dan-Air had ten 727-200 (Adv) in its fleet following further acquisitions in 1983 (1), 1986 (2), 1988 (1) and 1989 (2). Several aircraft were purchased in 1989 due to the lack of availability of suitable 737-400s to replace Dan-Air’s 727-100 fleet. The first two 727-200s leased by Dan-Air in 1980 left the fleet at the end of the 1991 summer season, followed by another aircraft in April 1992.

Dan-Air’s financial position deteriorated in the early 1990s and, on the verge of administration, the airline was sold to British Airways for £1 on 23 October 1992, with BA taking on Dan-Air’s debts of £37 million. Seven 727-200s were still being operated by Dan-Air when it was sold. Two were returned to the lessor and five were acquired by Dawson Trading.

Dan-Air 727 Fleet

Delivered to Dan-Air in January 1988, 727-2D3 (Advanced) G-BPND remained with the carrier until its demise in October 1992. (JetPix, licensed under GFDL 1.2)

Dan-Air acquired 727-46 G-BDAN in August 1974. Sadly this aircraft crashed and was destroyed on approach to landing at Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife in April 1980. (clipperarctic, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

New Book on Dan-Air London 

A new fully illustrated book by Nigel Richardson describing the history of Dan-Air, its aircraft, route network development and operations, from its inception in 1953 to its eventual demise in 1992 is available from Key Publishing as part of their Airlines Series.

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