ROVOS AIR ARTICLES & HISTORY

African Pilot Magazine Article
Date: June/July 2002 Volume 1 No 5
Editor: Athol Franz
Photographs: Athol Franz

CONVAIR MAGAZINE ARTICLE
ROVOS AIR'S CONVAIR 440 ZS-ARV
One of the most successful families of American Civil aircraft, the Convair-Liner, was an attempt to produce an aircraft to replace the Douglas DC-3 and the type was to remain in production for many years. American Airlines issued a specification for a new twin-engined airliner, as a post-war replacement for it’s fleet of aging DC-3’s in 1945.

EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONVAIR
Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Inc. began work on the first prototype known as the Convair Model 110, which featured an un-pressurized 30-seat passenger cabin, low wings and two 2100hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-SC13G Double Wasp radial engines. The engines were mounted in nacelles incorporating twin over wing “augmenter“ exhaust stacks in which cooling air and exhaust gases were mixed and discharged through a venturi to provide “aspirated cooling “ and a small measure of additional thrust. This remained a common feature in all subsequent piston engined Convair twins, and gave them a distinctive rasping note. The sole prototype Model NX90653 made its first flight from Convair’s plant at San Diego on 8 July 1946, flown by the company test pilots Russ Rogers and Art Bussy.

CONVAIR MODEL 240 IN SERVICE
However, even before this maiden flight, market studies had shown that airlines wanted a larger aircraft and design was already underway for a 40-seat pressurised version designated Model 240 (two engines - 40 passengers). American Airlines placed a launch order for 100 aircraft at an initial price of US$316 000 each. Other early customers for the Model 240 included Pan American, United, Western Airlines, Ethiopian, Garuda Indonesian, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Trans-Australia Airlines. There was no Model 240 prototype as such. The first aircraft, N90849, was built on production jigs and tooling and made it’s first flight on 16 March 1947 in the hands of Sam Shannon and Russ Rodgers, Following a sixteen-week test programme the aircraft was approved for operation at a maximum take-off weight of 18900kg. The first customer delivery was made on 23 February 1948 to American Airlines and entered service on 1 June. Production was brisk with the 100th Convair being delivered to KLM in January 1949. One hundred and seventy six commercial 240s were built, five of which were retained for testing or sold to private operators, whilst the remainder entered airline service.

CONVAIR MODEL 340 REDESIGNED
Toward the end of the 240 production run, Convair considered terminating the project, since sales were slow. However, the success of the rival Martin 4-0-4 prompted redesign of the aircraft. Announced in November 1950, the launch customer was United Airlines, which ordered 30 units. The new aircraft had a 1.37m increase in fuselage length to allow an extra row of four seats and the wingspan was increased to 32.1m to improve high-altitude performance. Flaps were redesigned in two sections, more powerful 2500hp P&W R2800 CB16/17 engines installed in nacelles that were 18cm longer than those of the model 240 and driving larger Hamilton Standard Hydromatic propellers that were interchangeable with those used by United’s four-engined Douglas DC-6’s. Other improvements were to the undercarriage, pressurization system, the standardisation of all passenger doors and the integral air stairs on the port side of the aircraft to ensure compatibility with airport docking facilities, the prototype Convair 340 made its first flight on 5 October 1951, again in flown by Sam Shannon. Certification was granted in March 1953, with its first delivery to United Airlines four days later. A total of 209 civilian Model 340s were built, including 12 sold to corporate operators as executive transporters.

MODEL 440 METROPOLITAN
In 1954 Convair announced the development of the Model 440, intended to be a competitor to the Vickers Viscount. It featured nose mounted weather radar with a 150-mile range that increased the overall length by 71cm and was pressurized to 23 000ft.Other improvements included better cabin soundproofing, more streamlined engine nacelles and a new thrust augmentation system in which the twin exhaust pipes of earlier models were replaced by a single rectangular outlet at the rear of the wing trailing edge. Maximum take-off weight was to 22 270kg.The first production Convair 440 flew on 15 December 1955 and certification was quickly obtained in January 1956 when the first delivery took place to Swiflite Corporation (Cities Services Oil) for use as corporate transport. Continental Airlines inaugurated airline services with the Model 440 on 8 March 1956. Almost half of the 153 Model 440s built for airlines went to Europe, while military deliveries and aircraft bought for private use brought the Model 440 production to 199 aircraft. Convair offered upgrade kits to bring earlier Model 340s up to 440 standard, and some 100 aircraft were converted this way.

ROVOS AIR'S CONVAIR 440 ZS-ARV
Serial number 54-2820 -228, manufactured by General Dynamics Aircraft Corporation, this aircraft entered into service with the US Air Force and served at various bases until being decommissioned in 1987. The aircraft was mothballed in deep storage at Davis Air Park, Tucson, Arizona and in 1992 was purchased by a US citizen from what was then the US Air force Museum and returned to the US register. Soon thereafter the aircraft was sold to Lineas Aereas Canedo which operated the Convair for nine years in Cochabamba in Bolivia where it operated on charter and regional contract to Aero Lloyd Bolivia LAC.Rohan Vos, the owner of the now famous Rovos Rail, decided that offering an air service would complement his upmarket classic travel programmes, and without further ado purchased the two Convair 440 aircraft which had recently been retired from duty.Rovos Rail has since 1989 offered various train journeys of between one and fourteen days duration linking the major tourist destinations of Southern Africa. The Pretoria to Victoria Falls itinerary was amended in March 2000 as a result of the floods in the Limpopo province as well as service problems being experienced in Zimbabwe, so the 48-hour train experience now ends in Pietersburg followed by a 2-hour flight to Livingstone in Zambia. For the last two years the DC3 and DC4 of Historic Flights has been contracted to fly the well-heeled train passengers to the Victoria Falls.

ROVOS CONVAIR 440's ARRIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Johan Olivier, with a flying experience gained over 22 years and some 13 800 flying hours, is the company’s chief pilot. Accompanied by Mike Mayers, as engineer, they travelled to Bolivia to collect both aircraft and return them to South Africa. In Bolivia Johan was type rated by a Bolivian Instructor and shortly set sail from Cochabamba to Porto Suarez, then to the port city of Natal in Brazil before crossing the south Atlantic with ferry tanks in a time of 10 hrs 40mins to land in Abidjan. The next day they flew to the Ivory Coast, Ondangwa in Namibia finally to land at Pietersburg in the Northern Province of South Africa. The aircraft featured here has taken nine months to rebuild and the second Convair, currently nearing the end of its rebuild, will be ready for a test flight by the time this magazine goes to print. Once both aircraft are complete Rovos Air will probably position one at Lanseria and the other at Pietersburg Gateway International.The main purpose of the two Convair’ s will be to convey Rovos Rail passengers from Pietersburg to Victoria Falls in Zambia on scheduled Pretoria to Victoria Falls journeys, and will also be available for charter anywhere in Southern Africa. Livingstone is now a well-developed international destination capable of handling B-727 and B-737 medium range jet liners with a runway that is more than ample for the Convair Metropolitan Classic Air Liners. The aircraft has ample luggage space with aft capacity of 1 800 pounds, forward belly 1 000 pounds and upper space of a further 1 000 pounds. Fuel capacity is 1 710 US Gallons or 10 000 pounds therefore with a cruise consumption of 200 gallons/hr the aircraft has an 8 hour endurance with reserves. With a block speed of 190 knots the aircraft has a range of nearly 1600 nautical miles. Powered by two Pratt and Whitney R2800 GB16 18 cylinder radial engines delivering 3 000hp each and driving three blade Hamilton Standard propellers the Convair carries 44 passengers and their luggage with ease. Johan remarks that the aircraft is very physical to fly because there is no hydraulic assistance to the flying surfaces. The Convair does have a three-axis autopilot, new avionics; Garmon GNS 530 backed up with a Garmin GNS 430, King KMD 450 Radar and will shortly have T-CAS GPWS and a storm scope. Further equipment includes two transponders, two ADF’s, VOR and two new VHF radios. The cockpit is very quite, quieter than a HS 748 or most turbines for that matter due to the slow turning propellers which spin at 1 000rpm. Several thousand spare engines are readily available in the USA today and Pratt & Whitney have a remarkable support system for their products even though these engines were built 46 years ago.

FLYING THE CONVAIR 440
Doors closed, master on! The Convair can self start without ground power. Using the starter motor, rotate the motor through fourteen blades: they need to be counted. Introduce ignition by selecting magnetos ON and start by selecting electrical booster, which increases electrical current to the magnetos. Now the engine will start and we were reliably informed that the engines start every time, hot or cold. Taxi out to the holding point and the usual engine run-up procedure as required with every piston type is carried out. Line up; take full boost with water and methanol mixture travelling through the carburettor which enhances the take off thrust. The weight of the mixture and the added cooling effect of the water prevents detonation and enhances the power required to rotate the airliner at 105 knots with flap 15 degrees selected. Climb away at 120 knots, clean up and then accelerate to 150 knots at a climb rate of ± 700ft/min. Once at a climb cruise at 150 knots, the rate of climb will settle back to 400ft/min. The landing approach is typically 105 knots to touch down. The aircraft stalls clean at 90 knots and with full flap and gear down at 65 knots; with gentle characteristics such as a slight buffet with no wing drop or pitch; simply mushes and descends.

CHASE PLANE FOR THE PHOTO SORTIE
Tommy van der Woude expertly flew the chase aircraft, a Piper Seneca 3 - ZS MBY, and we could not have wished for finer weather conditions with the lovely cloud effects above the Convair’s home airport in Pietersburg.

The Douglas DC-3

The Douglas DC-3 made its first flight on 17 December 1935, and by 1945, when production of this aircraft ceased, an estimated 10 639 had been built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.

The Dakota - a Proud War Record
" Opus Semper Perfectum " A Task Always Completed
The Dakota, a name given by some of the World War 2 Allies to a military version of the Douglas DC-3, was used extensively during the War. One of its roles was the support of armies by transporting supplies of all kinds, carrying personnel and evacuating casualties. It also participated in airborne invasions by towing gliders containing troops and equipment, dropping paratroops and followed up aerial re-supply of the troops on the ground.

The History of the DC-3July 1942
Ordered for the USA Army Airforce as part of contract number AC-28405 for 2000 C47A-DK's with serial numbers 42-93284-823 and 42-108934-993. Constructor's number 13331 was one of these and received the USAAF serial number 42-93421, and like its sister ships, was built at the Douglas Aircraft Company's Oklahoma City Plant.

17 May 1944
The aircarft completed acceptance tests by the USAAF but did not see USAAF service, being transferred via 45 Group, at Dorval, Montreal, Canada to the British Royal Airforce under the lend-lease programme. In British service it became a Douglas Dakota MK111 and received a new number in line with the Air Ministry system: KG600.

29 May 1944
She was delivered to the United Kingdom and allotted to 105 Transport Operational Training Unit at Bramcote, Lincolnshire.

28 September 1944
The aircraft remained on the RAF inventory, but was transferred to the Royal Canadian Airforce Squadron 437 which was formed at Blakehill Farm, Wiltshire on the 4th September 1944. The Squadron took part in the Arnhem landings, towing gliders from the 17th September, and when the Allies had secured the territory, the Squadron switched to providing a continental shuttle taking mail, passengers and fuel to the Allied forces. The aircraft wore the letters Z2: DC at this stage.

March 1945
The Squadron took part in "Operation Varsity" the airborne crossing of the Rhine, towing 24 Airspeed Horsa gliders as part of the invasion force. After the war, Squadron 437 switched to POW flights, detachments being based in Norway. By November 1945 the Squadron had moved to Odiham in the United Kingdom.

16 June 1946
Squadron 437 disbanded and the next day KG600 was transferred to the Canadian Airforce inventory and returned to Canada. The aircraft served in various units until 1953.

26 August 1953
The aircraft was withdrawn from use and became a ground instructional airframe with a new number A-601B. Budding technicians learnt and practised their trade on her and she was even loaned to Trans Canada Airlines for similar tasks.

19 August 1958
She was retired from the RCAF service for good and sold to the Beldex Corporation in the USA. After an overhaul she was registered in March 1959 as N96U with the Freeport Nickel Company.

27 May 1959
The DC-3 was exported to Cuba where she became CU-P-702 with the Moa Bay Mining Company.

March 1960
The DC-3 was returned to the USA and purchased by the Freeport Sulphur Company and re-registered as N702S.

5 October 1962
The aircraft was purchased by the International Telegraph Corporation of the United Kingdom.

19 November 1962
Upon transfer to the UK she received a new identity G-ASDX and worked under a subsidiary Company Standard Telephones and Cables; this, however, was to change! The British ARB noticed that the constructor's number for G-AJRY was the same as this new aircraft and assuming that G-AJRY had returned to the UK gave it that registration instead of G-ASDX! Now under an assumed identity (the real truth only became known much later) she was purchased by TD Keegan of Keegan AirFrame and was operated by Transmeridian Air Cargo.

16 September 1971
She was transferred back to T D Keegan.

1 April 1974
The aircraft was sold to Sandriver Safaris in South Africa, who allocated her to their subsidiary, United Air Services.

9 April 1974
The directors of the company were " Pieterse, Theron, Bouwer & Partners " and the registration sequence for the company thus all began with the letters PT.

9 July 1974
The aircraft was allotted the registration ZS-PTG and was a sister ship to ZS-UAS. The colour scheme was red and blue stripes on a white top and fin with the rest of the aircraft in polished bare metal.

15 October 1975
During a scheduled flight between Sishen and Johannesburg for United Airlines a baby girl was born on board at 17h55. The baby was called "Delaney" - a name the aircraft sports to this day!

8 February 1980
In 1980 aircraft were needed for the elections in Zimbabwe and as South African aircraft were not, at that stage politically correct, ZS-PTG was deleted from the South African register and exported to Botswana. She was leased to Air Services Botswana, was registered as A2-ACG and used in Zimbabwe.

14 March 1980
She was re-registered as ZS-PTG to Sandrivers Safaris trading as United Air.

January 1987
By January 1980 she was standing engineless and inactive at Rand Airport near Johannesburg. On the 19th December 1988 United Air was taken over by Wonder Air and the aircraft was registered into the names of its subsidiary company Avia Air Charter at Wonderboom Airport near Pretoria.

28 December 1988
The aircraft underwent an overhaul and was repainted in Avia's two tone grey and white scheme.By 1992 she was based at the short-lived airfield at Freeway, north of Pretoria where she operated until the closure of Avia in 1995.

23 December 1995
Avia sold ZS-PTG to Debon Air

January 1996
The aircraft was refurbished and painted in blue/white/natural metal with a large" Delaney" painted on the cabin roof, and went into service with Debon Air.

14 June 2002
Purchased by Rohan Vos of Rovos Rail. The aircraft has undergone an extensive overhaul and refurbishment and sports the green and cream trim of Rovos Air and is now registered as ZS-CRV. The interior of the aircraft has also been extensively refurbished and upgraded to an all business class configuration with 21 very comfortable green leather seats.

© ROVOS RAIL