Today we will know the story of an aviówhat isá in Puembo near Quito, it is a Vickers Viscount 798D that belongs to usó a SAETA.
Thanks for the historical photosórich to the Gudi FamilyñO.
In a cornerón of Puembo, Ecuador, rests a jewel of aviationón commercial: el Vickers Viscount 798D ex SAETA. It is elegant avión, that once furrowedó the skies carrying passengers, Today it is preserved in the Hostería Laguardia, convertedébecoming a living museum that connects us with the history of aviationóEcuadorian civilian.
El Vickers Viscount: An Aviation Iconón Commercial
Before telling you más story details, I share this video from the YouTube channel with an AeroReportaje with many más shots and data of this beautiful aircraft:
The Vickers Viscount was one of the first commercial aircraft to use turbines, revolutionizing the industryéarea in the déeach of 1950. Your designñor elegant and its comfort on board made it a favorite for both the aerolílines and for passengers.
El Vickers Viscount, introduced in 1953, marcó a before and afterés in aviationón commercial by becoming the first airplaneón passenger powered by turboprops. This innovationón revolutionsó the flight experience, offering passengers a better journeyás silent and cóway. El Viscount no solo transformó the aero industryáutica, but alsoén sentó the bases for the development of commercial aircraft mámodern and efficient.
The Viscount was a ésuccess from the beginning. It was praised for its comfort and performance, y rábeggedly convertedó in an optionón popular for aerolídenies. When I finishedó the productionón del Viscount en 1965, see habían built más de 445.
There were several variants of the Viscount. The más común was the Viscount 700, that you haveíat a capacity of 48 passengers. Other variants includeían la Viscount 800, that you haveíat a capacity of 71 passengers, and the Viscount 724, what was designedñsuitable for use in cold climatesíos.
The Viscount was used by many aerolílines from all over the world. Some of the aerosolsílines that operated the Viscount include BEA, British Airways, Air France y Lufthansa. The Viscount alsoén was used by various military forces, such as the Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force.
El Vickers Viscount 798D ex Saeta
Este Vickers Viscount, with núconstruction groupón (c/n) 226, It has a remarkable history that spans several continents and propósites. Throughout his life úto, it's avión changesó hands several times, passing by airíairlines like Continental Airlines, Northeast Airlines y, finally, operating in Ecuador with SAETA.
Hereí I leave you a summary of the history of this aircraftón in particular until his arrival at the país:
Birth in England (1957)
- Built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and Hurn, England.
- Originally intended for Capital Airlines (EE. UU.), but the sale was not completedó.
US sales tour. UU. and período de préwe are (1957-1958)
- Painted in Vickers livery and titled «Vickers Viscount» for a sales tour in the US. UU.
- Loaned to Continental Airlines and Northeast Airlines for crew training.ón.
- Sufrió andñminors while parked in a Continental Airlines hangar.
Return to England and Northeast Airlines (1958-1963)
- Returned to Vickers in England afterés of the foríodo de préwe are.
- Sold to Northeast Airlines and converted to V.798D variant.
- Reposeíby Vickers due to outstanding payments from Northeast Airlines.
Change of hands in EE. UU. (1963-1972)
- Sold at auction and acquired by Essex Wire Corporation Inc.
- Títitle transferred to Essex International Inc. due to a corporate name change.
- Later owned by North American Rockwell, Travis Ward y Westernair of Albuquerque.
Mexican lease and Ecuador (1972-1985)
- Leased to Comisión Federal Electricity (México).
- Sold to Distribute Air Inc. and then to Sociedad AnóEcuadorian Transport Agency Aéprisoners (SAETA) in Ecuador.
- never flewó in SAETA and was used for spare parts.
Private property and preservationón (1985-gift)
- Purchased by Carlos Alfredo Gudiñor in Ecuador.
- Disassembled, transported and reassembled on private land in Puembo, Ecuador.
- Repainted in a fictional livery «Aero Puembo» and with a false registration (HC-CAG).
- Más later repainted in a new non-fictional livery.
Currently this avióIt is located in the Laguardia hacienda in excellent conditions of preservation.ón, surely one of the historic airplanesórich best cared for in the world by Carlos's daughter, Paula GoodyñO, who received usó again to retrace incredible historyíble of this historic aircraftórica.
This Viscount has a luxurious VIP interior, which includes a chair úunique and very important, one that I usedó the Papa John Paul II during a visit to Ecuador in the AñO 1985, claro isá, in that élittle this birdón not transferó under Pointíoffice inside the país, but Carlos Gudiño logró recover for history this seat that was part of the Pope's special flight on the disappeared airlineíEcuadorian SAN line on a Boeing 727-100 HC-BIB especially suitable for this visit.
I personally congratulate Paula Gudiñor for his love of aviationón and desire to continue preserving an important part of the history of our countryís in Laguardia, a place that has become a very special space for those of us who love aviation.ón.
