EI-ANO EI 707-300

McWotever

Raised this on another thread, which brought the thread off topic, so just want to raise this question.

Was looking at picture of an EI 707-300, EI-ANO. There are a number of pictures uploaded to Airliners.net.

This picture is of interest, taken in 1973, apparently just back from lease to Nigerian http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aer-Lingus--/Boeing-707-348C/0578408/&sid=df56c14cd23eee96c1d93da2fd95a876
Notice the emergency door just aft of the wing.

Now this is the same aircraft in 1966, no door just aft of the wing http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aer-Lingus--/Boeing-707-348C/0193164/L/&sid=df56c14cd23eee96c1d93da2fd95a876

In 1978, again no door http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aer-Lingus/Boeing-707-348C/1097004/L/&sid=df56c14cd23eee96c1d93da2fd95a876

Now I can conceed that the photo from 1966, MAY have a door there, its just hard to see due to the resolution of the photo scan and the door seals COULD be painted the same colour (note the apparent lack of overwing exits), but the door is definatly not there in 1978.

Anybody now why this is. Is it to do with regulation re pax numbers in relation to number of doors? Is it that easy to put in and remove a cabin door? Or, and this is my opinion, the door was simply painted on by Nigerian to fool the authorities!

Can anybody shed any light on this?

Other photos to EI-ANO here http://www.airliners.net/search/phot...nct_entry=true

EchoIndia

Those doors were nicknamed "hat-rack" doors and were required in aircraft which operated in combi configuration. If cargo was being carried up front, the front exits were blocked off, so the passengers in the rear needed sufficient exits. I imagine their use was discontinued when not required, so that more seating could be fitted.

McWotever

I see. I looked a bit closer at some pictures, and even a picture of it in it's stored state from 2003, and the door is there again. I wonder is it a case that the door could be replaced by a "plug" when not required?

Obviously EI used 707 as a combo then back in the day? There is no upper cargo door, so I assume every thing was man handled in?

Kumsheen

There is a main deck cargo door on this aircraft, it's clearly visible in all these pics.

Convertable aircraft were quite common in those days and could be able to operate as full freighters, full Passenger or Combi (Mix Cargo and Pax on main deck) mode.

EI also had a number of Combi 737's. These were QC "Quick change" variants allowing them to fly passenger flights during the day and then cargo during the night.

RadioRetro

It was used as a combi by Nigeria (not Nigerian) Airways. Sabena also used combis on their Brussels/Kano/Lagos route in the seventies. I can vouch for that, I was slf on both.

ohigg84

Where is EI-ANO now, is she in Cairo, thats where two ex-EI 707s are, in bad shape.

Kumsheen

I saw both of these derelict in Cairo in 2006, but reading some photo comments recently they have since been scrapped.

ohigg84

Such a pity. EI sold them ( the two 707s to Libyan Arab Airlines), but where did the other 707s go.
I know that one leased 707, which operated the last commercial EI 707 flight back in Oct '86, crashed on landing in Brazil, in '89, but this was an ex- Flying Tigers machine!

Shame that they couldn't fly again, and be brought to a museum here, just like what Qantas did to the B707-100B, VH-VXA.

McWotever

I notice too that all the doors on the port side are smaller than on the port. So obviously they only used the port side to board pax. Also the starboard doors seem to be offset either forward or aft of their "opposing" port doors.

Was there a reason for this? Or was the opposing doors concept not conceived at that time? (eg 737, 757, 320, well generally any "modern" plane)

Kumsheen

ohigg84 wrote: »

Such a pity. EI sold them ( the two 707s to Libyan Arab Airlines), but where did the other 707s go.
I know that one leased 707, which operated the last commercial EI 707 flight back in Oct '86, crashed on landing in Brazil, in '89, but this was an ex- Flying Tigers machine!

Shame that they couldn't fly again, and be brought to a museum here, just like what Qantas did to the B707-100B, VH-VXA.

Yeah it's a disgrace that for a country that had such a historic role in Aviation history relative to the small size of the country, there is not a National Aeronautical museum. All we have are bit's and pieces here and there.

Regarding what happened to the other 707's
EI-ASO crashed in Brasil 1989.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890321-0

http://www.airliners.net/photo/TransBrasil/Boeing-707-349C/0961392/&sid=51678e96ece9093d27b0080d5f9734f6

EI-APG crashed in Sudan 1982.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19820910-0

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sudan-Airways/Boeing-707-348C/0564365/&sid=0959aeecf6b7567f6594714cc754d2a8

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sudan-Airways/Boeing-707-348C/0564366/&sid=0959aeecf6b7567f6594714cc754d2a8

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sudan-Airways/Boeing-707-348C/1240858/&sid=0959aeecf6b7567f6594714cc754d2a8

Kumsheen

I forgot EI-AMW which had an interesting ending.

Whilst operating with Alyemda it was attacked by an Iraqi fighter and had to make an emergency landing in Damascus, where it was damaged beyond repair.
It was carrying military supplies from Libya at the time.

It then became a restaurant as per the photo below but the photo comments indicate it is no longer there.

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19820126-0

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Boeing-707-348C/1029564/&sid=30a5d4781a8c72f9ba0977a6a85b40c1