UTA Caravelles in SYD

Anthony T · #1 17th September 2010, 07:39 PM

Hi there

Just need to settle a little wager with a friend.

Did UTA ever operate Caravelles into SYD in the early 1970's from Noumea?

I say they did, but my friend says only DC8's and then DC10's.

Gratefull for any help, and a photo would be good.

Cheers
Anthony

Stefan I · #2 17th September 2010, 07:51 PM

Yes they did. I have somewhere a poor quality Kodak Instamatic pic of one at the International Terminal. If I can find it over the next few days I'll post it, unless someone else comes up with an image.

Andrew Ewen · #3 17th September 2010, 08:48 PM

I don't know about SYD , but in the photo database on airliners.net there are a couple of shots of a UTA Caravelle at Essendon - they are both of the same aircraft F-BNRA so they may have been two different photos of a one-off visit .

Grahame Hutchison · #4 17th September 2010, 10:53 PM

Anthony, I don't know about UTA, however Air Caledonie sure did. UTA had DC-10 and B747 services through Sydney.

Laurent Sanhard · #5 18th September 2010, 10:48 AM

thanks for the pics ,
I caught the UTA 747-200 ? from Sydney on my first trip to France in 1986 , I think we went via Singapore and Bahrain , then CDG , I was only 8 at the time but you never forget your first flight !

phil.l · #6 18th September 2010, 01:19 PM

Their also had F-BNRB.

Sarah C · #7 18th September 2010, 02:40 PM

Gotta love the green doors

Stefan I · #8 19th September 2010, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan I

Yes they did. I have somewhere a poor quality Kodak Instamatic pic of one at the International Terminal. If I can find it over the next few days I'll post it, unless someone else comes up with an image.

Apologies, but I forgot about Air Caledonie. That would have been the Caravelle operator into Sydney, and not UTA.

Peter Agatsiotis · #9 26th September 2010, 07:04 PM

Just checked my logs and yes UTA did operate Caravelles into SYD as I logged F-BNRA on 24 Aug 74.
I also logged Air Caledonie machines F-GEPC 27 Dec 86 and F-GFBA 6 Aug 88.

Don't think they were regular as I was told the AirCal ones only came here during French school hols (charters).

I have a very poor shot of F-GEPC.

Tony Lynch · #10 15th July 2012, 03:09 PM

Caravelle Best.jpg

When I used to hang around the runway 16 approach lights in the early 70s (and late 60s) the Caravelle was one of my favourites. French accent on the radio and an elegant plane with the distinctive tail and Comet-like nose. It came in very frequently if I remember correctly. Maybe even daily. I took only one slide of the Caravelle and this is F-BNRA moments from touchdown on 16. I wasn't into recording actual dates of shots.