Yester Year

• Saab confirmed on December 15 that it will cease manufacture of regional aircraft within 18 months.

• Southwest Airlines became the first airline in the world to take delivery of a Boeing Next Generation 737 when it received a 737-700 on December 17. The airline was the launch customer for the Next Generation 737 in December 1994 with an order for 63 737-700s plus a further 63 options.

• A colourful new livery featuring a prominent lotus flower for Vietnam Airlines was unveiled in Hanoi on December 18 on Boeing 767‑324ER S7‑RGV.

• The last UK operator of the Handley Page Dart- Herald, Channel Express, has announced that it will withdraw its last example, G‑BEYE, from service in late 1998. The airline will replace its Heralds with Fokker F27 freighters.

25 Years Ago

• The Boeing 757 was awarded FAA certification on December 21 with deliveries to Eastern Airlines commencing the following day.

• Four Vulcans were scrambled from RAF Waddington on December 21 to mark disbanding of No 44 Squadron, the last Vulcan bomber squadron. Five Vulcan bomber squadrons have been disbanded during this year and the last Vulcan squadron is No 50 operating the tanker version.

• The first flight of the first prototype Antonov An-124 Condor, SSSR-82002, took place on December 26. It is the largest aircraft in the world.

• The first BAe Jetstream 31 for commercial use was delivered to Contactair of Stuttgart, West Germany on December 15.

• The Shorts 360 commuter entered commercial service with Suburban Airlines of Pennsylvania on December 1.

• Airbus Industrie has commenced final assembly of the first A300-600, with a first flight expected in July 1983.

The aircraft offers increased seating and payload capacity, and incorporates a redesigned A310 rear fuselage and weight reduction measures.

• Cessna has released details of the development and first flight on December 9 of the Caravan, a new utility aircraft powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114 turboprop. Capable of seating up to 14 passengers or a variety of cargo, the Caravan will have a 185kt (344km/h) cruising speed and a gross weight of 3039kg, or 3198kg on floats.

50 Years Ago

• The first production Boeing 707, a 707-120 for Pan Am, made its first flight from Boeing Field, Seattle, on December 20. It has a wider, longer fuselage than the Model 367-80, with more powerful engines.

• The first transatlantic airline service by a turboprop airliner was made by BOAC with Bristol Britannia G-AOVC on December 19 from London to New York.

• The maiden flight of the prototype Lockheed L-188 Electra, N1881, took place on December 6 from the Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank to Palmdale with a crew led by test pilot Herman ‘Fish’ Salmon.

• An official absolute world speed record of 1943. 4 km/h (1207. 6mph) was achieved in the ninth McDonnell F-101A Voodoo, 53-2426, flown by USAF Major Adrian Drew in operation Fire Wall over Edwards AFB, California, on December 12.

• The prototype Tipsy Nipper, OO‑NIP, powered by a modified Volkswagen car engine had its first flight from Charleroi, Belgium, on December 3 flown by Bernard Neefs. It is proposed to sell the aircraft in an economical kit form.

• Two Cessna 310Bs, VH-REK and VH-REL, arrived at Sydney Airport on December 5 after completion of a 16,383km (10,180 miles) delivery flight from Wichita, Kansas. They will be delivered to the CSIRO’s Radiophysics Division for rainmaking experiments after installation of special equipment.