The end of VS LHR 747 services will now be in FEBRUARY 16

Not surprising really the LHR aircraft haven't received the TLC that LGW/MAN aircraft have in the last few years and are feeling their age inside.

G-VFAB Lady Penelope joined the fleet in 1994 and has done 100608 hours as of Dec 2014. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 27/4/16
G-VHOT Tubular Belle joined the fleet in 1994 and has done 94220 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 11/10/15
G-VWOW - Cosmic Girl joined the fleet in 2001 and has done 57998 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 12/12/15
G-VBIG Tinker Belle joined the fleet in 1994 and has done 85167 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 09/06/16
G-VROC Mustang Sally joined the fleet in 2003 and has done 47732 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 21/10/15. She still has some life left in her.

Mind you, some of the BA 747's have way more hours and are from the late 80's.

All data available from CAA GINFO - https://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx? ... 65&appid=1

So I'm guessing those dates are the rough retirement schedule? Or has anything else been announced yet?

Shame that VROC looks like it will be the first to go - the only VS 744 that I've not logged!

I'm new here and I don't profess to know a thing about it - but is airworthiness not just renewed through inspection/maintenance?

It seems odd that a plane built in 2003 (G-VROC), with ~50,000 hours logged would come to the end of it's life in Oct 2015, when a plane build in 1994 (G-VFAB), with over 100,000 hours logged would come to the end of it's life in April 2016.

An aircrafts airworthiness certificate can be extended by maintenance checks being carried out. Pretty much like a cars MOT is updated by a MOT being carried out.

The huge difference with an aircraft is that the major "heavy maintenance" D-checks are very expensive. I am sure many people on here have watched the BBC Documentary on a BA 747-400 having a D-check (it's on YouTube). It took the aircraft out of service for 5 weeks & took over 30,000 man hours of work. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

So if you have older 4 engine aircraft being replaced by new, more efficient, 2 engine aircraft, there comes a time when you cut your losses & stop spending vast sums on keeping the older 747's flying.

That said, like others on here, I will be sad to see the 747's leave the VS fleet. I'm "safe" for a few years yet as most of my trips are MAN-MCO - but you cannot beat the A-zone of the 747 in Upper class for the open cabin / the amount of space.

I'm guessing Lady P is for the chop then :(

So sad to see her go, she was the aircraft that got me into aviation and I never got to fly her. She was supposed to operate my VS10 flight last year, but she had to go in for last minute maintenance.

Sadly, variety is lessening in the skies.

Not surprising really the LHR aircraft haven't received the TLC that LGW/MAN aircraft have in the last few years and are feeling their age inside.

G-VFAB Lady Penelope joined the fleet in 1994 and has done 100608 hours as of Dec 2014. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 27/4/16
G-VHOT Tubular Belle joined the fleet in 1994 and has done 94220 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 11/10/15
G-VWOW - Cosmic Girl joined the fleet in 2001 and has done 57998 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 12/12/15
G-VBIG Tinker Belle joined the fleet in 1994 and has done 85167 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 09/06/16
G-VROC Mustang Sally joined the fleet in 2003 and has done 47732 hours as of Dec 2013. Her Airworthiness is due to expire 21/10/15. She still has some life left in her.

Mind you, some of the BA 747's have way more hours and are from the late 80's.

All data available from CAA GINFO - https://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx? ... 65&appid=1

So will LHR's 747's be retired or be sent to LGW?
I will miss G-VHOT, i flew that back from BGI in 2012 (when it was covering G-VROS, which was being refitted) i have to say though, on that flight, i experienced the worst turbulence, we flew through Hurricane Isaac.
I think they could send G-VWOW and G-VROC to LGW as they are slightly younger than the LGW 747's

So will LHR's 747's be retired or be sent to LGW?
I will miss G-VHOT, i flew that back from BGI in 2012 (when it was covering G-VROS, which was being refitted) i have to say though, on that flight, i experienced the worst turbulence, we flew through Hurricane Isaac.
I think they could send G-VWOW and G-VROC to LGW as they are slightly younger than the LGW 747's

From post #3 on this very thread

G-VBIG is moving down to LGW and being reconfigured in leisure configuration

And the rest being retired from the VS fleet.