aviation - the past, present and future of flight

D

an-Air London was one of the

UK’s most respected independent

airlines until its demise and

eventual sale to British Airways in

November 1992. The carrier’s proud history

dated to 1953, when London shipbrokers

Davies and Newman diversi ed and moved

into aviation.

A turning point in the airline’s fortunes came

when the local council in Bristol approached

the carrier to set up a network of feeder

services from the city’s relatively new airport

at Lulsgate to destinations in the UK and

mainland Europe. This sowed the seeds for

what was to become a valuable source of

revenue for the airline.

The Link City service was inaugurated

from Bristol Lulsgate to Cardiff, Liverpool

and Newcastle on April 4, 1960, initially with

two de Havilland Doves. As the popularity

of these routes grew so larger aircraft were

required eventually leading to an aircraft with

the capacity of the HS 748.

Initially the aircraft were powered by

two Rolls-Royce Dart Mk 514 turboprop

engines, seating capacity on the aircraft

was between 36-40 depending on the

operator and the range was 580nm. The

aircraft was developed from the Series 1

DAN-AIR HS 748s

IN SERVICE

Bob O’Brien reviews the career of the HS 748 with a well-known British airline.

36 Aviation News incorporating Jets March 2018

PROPLINER SPECIAL

Skyways’ HS 748s appeared for a brief time with dual titles

on the fuselage after the Dan-Air takeover. A scheduled

service from London Gatwick by G-AZSU is on the ground

at Bern. All photographs, Bob O’Brien collection, unless stated

36-40_prop_dan_airDC.mfDCDC.mf.indd 36 05/02/2018 14:20