Prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, British Airways' Boeing 747-400s were an iconic sight on the UK flag carrier's long-haul routes all over the world. Unfortunately, the impacts of the global health crisis forced the airline's jumbo jets into an early retirement. However, one of their cockpits is being preserved as a tourist attraction, and it will hit the road for its new lease of life tomorrow!
A lengthy journey
The aircraft in question bore the registration G-BYGA during its flying days, and its currently in storage at Cotswold Airport, Kemble (GBA) for scrapping. However, thanks to an initiative by aviation memorabilia company Doors2Manual, the aircraft's cockpit won't be scrapped. Instead, it will be preserved as a tourist exhibit.
The planned location for the attraction, known as 'The Deck,' is Barton City Airport near Salford, Greater Manchester. However, with this being located approximately 150 miles (241.4 km) to the north, the 747's cockpit will be the subject of a curious road-based journey tomorrow, taking it along the M5 and M6 motorways.
The cockpit hits the road tomorrow, and will make for a spectacular sight. For those unable to see it in person, Doors2Manual is working with aviation influencer Noel Philips to document its journey on social media. Transporting aircraft by road can be an interesting challenge, as we learned in an interview with Johnny Palmer, who was behind the move of a 727 fuselage from Kemble to Bristol in 2021.
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An exciting attraction
When in place at Barton City Airport, the cockpit will become part of a unique flight simulator experience. Specifically, Doors2Manual notes that 'The Deck' will be "the UK's only 747 flight sim using a real aircraft flight deck." The company also plans to preserve the cabin of the 747's upper deck, making it a fun and quirky event space. Karen Kearns, the company's Operations Manager, stated that:
"The journey to Manchester’s original airport is just the start of a second life for the old girl, and we’re so privileged to be able to give her a bright future. More than that, we know The Deck is going to provide the perfect backdrop to so many special days for flight fans, and we can’t wait to see people come back through the doors for tours and events, and to get behind the yoke and fly her."
Tracy Williams, Barton City Airport's Business Development Manager, added:
"This will be a glorious sight to see, and a fantastic addition to the airport’s offering, saving one of the best known and well-loved, iconic aircraft there is, and providing a unique opportunity for visitors to enter a real 747 cockpit."
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The aircraft in question
As far as the exact aircraft involved is concerned, data from ch-aviation.com shows that G-BYGA entered service with British Airways in December 1998 as a brand-new aircraft. It served the UK flag carrier until its premature withdrawal in March 2020, during which time it amassed 89,594 hours across 10,891 flight cycles.
A quick look at FlightRadar24.com tells us that, rather aptly, its last revenue-earning flight for BA was on the flagship New York JFK-London Heathrow route. This occurred on March 21st, 2020, just two days before the UK entered its first full-scale coronavirus lockdown. After initially being stored in Cardiff, it flew to Kemble on September 8th, 2020, and it has been sitting there in a dormant state ever since.