A Bizarre Coincidence
When Aylesbury resident Graham Ecob
spotted a distinctive Bombardier Dash
8-Q400 with his own name reflected
in its registration – G-ECOB – he was
determined to fly on it. His dream came
true on April 19 when Flybe arranged to
fly him from Heathrow to Edinburgh on
board his namesake aeroplane.
Before the flight Graham said: “I did
a double take when I first spotted the
registration and it made me laugh. So,
I wrote to Flybe with a photo and a
copy of my identification. I was a travel
agent for 42 years and I’m delighted
that this coincidence has led to such an
opportunity.”
Roy Kinnear, Flybe Chief Commercial
Officer, commented: “We’re thrilled
Graham contacted us and we too
thought this a truly bizarre coincidence
- that also makes our aircraft pretty
special. I imagine it’s not every day you
discover you have a plane that has the
same name as yourself!” (Photo Flybe)
End of a Dream
Following last month’s Airliner World
story about the new museum being
built around the first Boeing 787
Dreamliner prototype at Centrair
International Airport, Nagoya, Japan,
contributor Joe Walker informs us the
fifth flight test aircraft ZA005, N787FT
(c/n 40694) is being scrapped. The
aircraft, used in the certification of the
GE Aviation GEnx powered Dreamliner,
is in the process of being broken up at
Paine Field, Everett, where it had been
parked since completing its test flying
in October 2015. Boeing studied the
potential of returning the aircraft to
flying condition, but decided it was
too costly.
Even as it is being dismantled the air-
craft is still providing valuable
information. The Seattle Times news-
paper reports it is being used as a
teaching tool on how to recycle an
aircraft and, particularly, reusing its
carbon fibre components.
The first three prototypes have been
sent to museums, while ZA004
continued to fly as part of the US
manufacturer’s EcoDemonstrator
and Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000 TEN
engine testbed programmes. Its fate
is unknown, and it hasn’t been seen at
Boeing Field for some time. The sixth
and final prototype was refurbished
and continues to fly as a VIP aircraft for
the Mexican Government.
(Words and picture Joe G Walker)
Departure
Gate
84 AIRLINER WORLD JUNE 2018
Events
Enthusiast shows and events worldwide may be listed here
- FREE. Organisers are invited to send correspondence to
the editorial department (email: airlinerworld@keypublish-
ing.com). Alternatively, visit our website at
http://www.airlinerworld.com
Jun 3
RAF Kenley Aerojumble, RAFA Club, Kenley Aerodrome,
Victor Beamish Avenue, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 5FX
Alistair White, 07860 762277,
email: [email protected]
Jun 30-Jul 1
Manchester Aviation and Transport Festival, Manchester
Airport http://www.tasmanchester.co.uk
Jul 9-15
Guild of Aviation Artists – Aviation Paintings of the Year,
The Mall Galleries, London http://www.gava.org.uk
Oct 21
Midland Air Museum (Coventry) Aviation Enthusiasts Fair
Carl McQuaide, 07903 848726,
email: [email protected]
http://www.speedbird707.wixsite.com/midlandaviationfair
Jan 6, 2019
Croydon Airport Aviation Collectors Show
Aerodrome (Hallmark Hotel), A23 Purley Way, Croydon,
Surrey CR9 4LT
Dave Sutton, 07973 885754,
email: [email protected]
Shows/Displays
May 29-31
European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition
(EBACE), Geneva, Switzerland http://www.ebace.aero
May 29-31
ap&m Europe, Olympia, London http://www.apmexpo.com
June 4-6
Aeromart Summit Clark, Philippines
Asean Convention Center, Claro M Recto Highway, Clark
Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines
http://www.philippines.bciaerospace.com
email: Ruiching Portier: [email protected]
Jun 7-8
Aerospace & MRO Summit Bangkok
BOI Thailand Head Office, 555 Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road,
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
email: Ruiching Portier: [email protected]
Jul 16-22
Farnborough International Airshow, Farnborough,
Hampshire, UK http://www.farnborough.com
Jul 23-29
EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, USA
http://www.eaa.org
Sep 5-07
The Aviation Festival, Business Design Centre, London, UK
http://www.terrapinn.com
Sep 15-18
World Routes, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
http://www.routesonline.com
Sep 19-23
Africa Aerospace and Defence, Centurion, City of Tshwane,
South Africa http://www.aadexpo.co.za
Oct 2-4
Kuala Lumpur International Aerospace Business
Convention, Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition
Centre, Jalan Dutamas 2, Kompleks Kerajaan, 50480 Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia http://www.malaysia.bciaerospace.com
email: Ruiching Portier: [email protected]
Oct 9-11
ERA General Assembly, Edinburgh, Scotland
http://www.eraa.org
Oct 16-18
NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Orlando,
USA http://www.nbaa.org
Oct 16-18
MRO Europe, Amsterdam, Netherlands
http://www.mroeurope.aviationweek.com
Nov 6 -11
China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition
(Airshow China), Zhuhai, China http://www.airshowm.com.cn
Nov 14 -16
Bahrain International Airshow, Sakhir Air Base, Kingdom of
Bahrain http://www.bahraininternationalairshow.com
Nov 14 -16
Japan International Aerospace Exhibition, Tokyo
International Exhibition Centre, Japan
http://www.japanaerospace.jp
Events are subject to change without Airliner World’s
knowledge. Please check details prior to travel.