The replacement aircraft (2/2)

The BAC project turned out to be more complicated than we thought. The aircrafts ownership was changed since the accident 1997 when they made a hard landing, ran off the runway and broke the nosewheel. In 1999 Tarom sold the hulk to Nationwide Airlines in South Africa. Their intention was to repair and fly the aircraft back to Johannesburg. They would soon learn that hangarspace at Arlanda were not cheap enough and the intentions then changed to our advantage. The airport management were also keen to get rid of the hulk. We presented a plan how to help them if we in exchange could buy the airframe. As parking fees increased Nationwide realised the best thing was to give up the airframe after removing all useful parts such as engines and avionics. Aircraft was finally traded in by the airport and sold to the club.

28th October 1999 airport firefighters helped us to cut the fin and wings. 3rd November the BAC was loaded on two supertrailers and the 600km roadtrip started. First step of the rescueplan completed, the club extremly poor and still lots of trouble and huge expenses ahead. After several delays of the SAAB project, the prototype Nr 3 was set to our disposition and dismantling began. 19 March 2001 the SAAB was loaded on a trailer. During the year we restored the airliner together with SAAB technicians and 13th December the acceptance of the clubs work came. All parties were now satisfied regarding the replacementaircraft and "852" were saved!