French Militaries!

August 23. 1987

At several occasions, Geneva Airport has served as a temporary base

for fighters and military transport aircraft, performing flying displays on

neighbouring airfields. Transall C-160 F-RAME is surrounded by the

Patrouille de France's Alphajets and two Mirage 2000s, whose took

part of Bex airshow.

July 25. 1987

One month earlier, the Patrouille de France was there too,

on display at nearby Annemasse. This time, the technical team

came with Transall C-160 F-RAGA (left) and Nord 262

F-RBAP (right). 

September 8. 1987

Police in turmoil on the General Aviation Center!

Normally, this kind of operation occurs on the South side

of the Airport, but in certain cases, the more "incognito"

aspect of the North side was prefered! Edge to edge:

Puma helicopter F-RAFR and Falcon 20 F-RAFM of

the COTAM (Commandement du Transport Aérien

Militaire)

Temporary terminal!

February 20. 1988

During the refurbishment as a charter terminal of the 1949 built old passengers building,

Jet Aviation (now Dnata) used this hangar as a temporary check-in hall

for the skiers returning back to UK or Scandinavia. Even the busses were

allowed on the apron to disembark them! Now, with all the security measures

taken since the September 2001 aftermath, it is sure that this shot belongs to the past...

Note the SAS MD80 taxiing in front of the snow covered Jura mountain.

Big Dougs together!

August 13. 1985

Two executive Mc Donnell Douglas DC-8s parked together have been

worth for a picture! Model 62 VR-BHM is still flying for the same owner

26 years later, having adopted the new Bermudes prefix VP-B and repainted

in a more modern dark blue and white livery. In the background, Model 73

VR-CKA had a short 7 years carrier has an executive aircraft, before loosing 

its VIP cabin for a freighter conversion... Its last operator was Emery Worldwide.

It was retired in 2001 and stored for parts. 

July 24. 1987

UTA (Union de Transports Aériens) and Air Afrique had close

cooperation, the first sometimes flying for the second. But to see two

of their Mc Donnell Douglas DC-10-30s here together was

quiet an unique opportunity! UTA's N54629 enters its stand, while TU-TAL

basks in the sun on a remote position. The first should be a replacement

aircraft for the second!

Qatar Amiri rush!

April 16. 1986

Now mostly an Airbus user, the Qatar Amiri flight's flagships were 2 Boeing 707-300s,

A7-AAA (pictured here) and A7-AAC, plus Boeing 727-200 A7-AAB. At that time,

they had their own very smart livery, with State of Qatar titles.

Magnificent and capricious sky!

December 17. 1987

Beautiful sunset on the control tower and Jura mountain

February 4. 1988

Nice clouds effect minutes before sunrise, with the profil

of based Falcon 900 HB-IAK 

April 6. 1985

Bright sunlight and rainbow following heavy thunderstorm

on the North General Aviation Center

Rare twin-tails!

June 18. 1983

Two rare types together! On the left, one of two Mauritanian Air Force's

Short SC.7 Skyvan 5T-MAM and on the right, "Radial Air Force"'s

Beech C-45G F-BHMM. At that time, the second was based at

nearby Prangins La Côte airfield and was probably here for refuelling, before

leaving for another airshow.

Mauritanian Air Force aircrafts were quiet frequent visitors in the late seventies

until mid-eighties,coming for overhaul by Transair. Except for the Skyvan,

other types included BN-2ADefender and Piper Cheyenne II.

Oldies line-up!

August 7. 1982

Nice line-up on the grass parking, which included from left to right:

Boeing Stearman PT75, 4 Bucker 131 Jungman, Cessna 180,

De Havilland DH-60 Moth Major, DH-89A Dragon Rapid

and DH-82A Tiger Moth.

Long time GVA resident!

December 11 & 27. 1983

Delivered to Aeroleasing in 1968, Dassault Falcon 20C

HB-VBM was sold in Kuwait, before returning to Switzerland

at the end of 1982, operated by GVA based Jetcom, who used it until 1997!

On the first image, it is seen with Gatair's Falcon 50 HB-IEU (also based at GVA) 

and on the second, with less successfully built Aérospatiale SN-601

Corvette F-BTTL, operated by Uni-Air.

Links to the French Alps!

March 17. 1984

Now mainly operated by helicopters, the links to and from the French Alps' ski

resorts were operated by plus or less short living small opertors

like Air Savoie, which operated Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter F-BIEL

and Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander F-GDHD.

Charters duets!

June 14. 1980

Spantax was the main Spanish charter operator in the seventies

and first half of the eighties, operating a large fleet of Convair 990s,

Mc Donnell Douglas DC-8-61s and two DC-9-15s, with EC-CGZ shown

on the three next shots. On the first image, it is seen crossing competitor

TAE (Trabajos Aereos y Enlaces) SE-210 Caravelle 10B EC-CUM.

May 31st 1980

In company with Alisarda DC-9-15 I-SARV from Italy...

June 15. 1980

... and French's Aerotour SE-210 Caravelle VI N F-BYCY.

Works in progress!

April 28. 1984

Aerial view looking westbound, with some works in progress:

on the left, the foundations for the futur railway station and below right,

the enlargement of the wide-bodies' Apron. Note that the parking

positions "60" not yet exists (still grass surfaces on the right), the aircrafts

in front of the main terminal are still parked diagonaly (no push back was

required, except for the Airbus A310, with a Swissair sample here).

Below right of the image is the giant mobile "crane", which served for the

runway and apron slab pavement replacement.

Unusual Evasan!

February 19. 1984

U.S. Army helicopters are not usual visitors at Geneva!

Bell UH-1 70-16248 is seen taking-off after embarking a patient.

At that time,the Helipad was located on the west side of the

North Apron, nearby the Aero-Club's hangar, which can

be seen on the left.

Inaugural day!

December 16. 1983

Inaugural PAN AM flight to Geneva with Boeing 737-296A

N389PA, flying from and to Paris-Orly. It was replaced later by

Boeing 727-200, then Airbus A310. When PAN AM merged

into Delta, the flight continued until the end of 1992's winter season.

Look at the 3 flags, Geneva, Swiss and U.S. on the left. Apparently,

the public terrace didn't attract many visitors or has been closed on that day!

KLM's DC-9-32 PH-DOA complete the shot, waiting for its passenger for

its flight back to Amsterdam.

U.S. charters!

April 22. 1984

In the late seventies and early eighties, U.S. $ change

against the Swiss Franc was very attractive and it

wasn't unusual to see DC-8s or Boeing 707s of U.S.

charter carriers like Transamerica, American Transair

Capitol or World Airways. Here, Transamerica's Mc Donnell

Douglas DC-8-73 N4866T is about ready to taxi for departure, 

while American Trans Air's Boeing 707-123 N7570A is just landed.

Technique d'Avant Garde!

September 24. 1983

TAG International was the main distributor of the Canadair Challenger

600 series in Europe and Middle East and head Akram Ojjeh

was using 600 model HZ-TAG as demonstrator. Dassault Falcon 50 HB-IEA, also

adorning TAG logo, stayed on the Swiss register only for a few weeks

before becoming HZ-AKI.

"G" duet!

September 22. 1983

Geosurvey International's Learjet 35A N101PG

& Challenger 600 N55PG were quiet frequent visitors

in the early eighties, but it was a rare occasion to catch

both on the same picture!

Exotic bizjets!

September 14. 1983 

Kingdom Holding's Lockheed Jetstar 8 HZ-WBT parked beside

Benin Government Dassault Falcon 50 TY-BBM, which appeared

later on the Swiss register as HB-IEB.