About This File
FS2004 Channel Airways DeHavilland Comet 4B (ex BEA) G-AP. Channel Airways bought five Comet 4B aircraft from BEA to operate inclusive tours out of Stansted. This was the only ex BEA machine, the other four had been in service with Olympic Airways. None of the aircraft were painted in Channel colors, remaining in the basic livery of their former operators left G-APMB as the odd one out in the fleet. The first to arrive in January 1970 was one of the former Greek aircraft and the type made it debut on the 25th February with G-APYC flying from Stansted to Palma. The Comet proved a disaster for the airline and a spares shortage and technical difficulties forced it to buy an Mexicana Comet 4 in June 1971 which was immediately broken up to provide spares. The airline as a whole was in serious trouble and with fortunes continuing to decline all jet operations were suspended in January 1972. The airline ceased flying at the end of the following month. Requires the DH 106 Comet 4B model by David Maltby. By Garry Russell.