Bizjets in groups!

June 13. 1981

At that time, a rare ramp access opportunity for me! During

that year, Swissair was celebrating its 50th anniversary and

a small display was exhibited on the South-West corner of

the apron, also permitting to shoot the nearby parked bizjets.

From right to left: Lockheed Jetstar 6 N5UD of U. Dantata,

Nigeria, just before being sold, Gulfstream 2s HZ-AFH

of Saudia Special Flight,N700PM of Philip Morris

and N7000G of Ash Air Inc.

September 24. 1983

This shot well shows the size difference between the Cessna

Citation 500 (right) and 550 (left). PH-HET was operated by

Nederlands company Heerema Engineering, The Hague, a faithfull

customer for the 550 model as they are still using one today, the

more recently built "Bravo" model PH-HMA.

Citation 500 HB-VHI was operated by Stauffer Chemical

Europe, which had its head office at Geneva until 1998.

August 21. 1984

Founded in 1977, Gestair is the oldest executive airline in Spain

and still operates today. Begins were modest and the entire

fleet used at that time can be seen on this picture, comprising

Learjet 55 EC-DSI and Learjet 35A EC-DEB "Virgen de Lluch".

December 20. 1985

Already seen on another post on this blog, Geosurvey's Canadair

Challenger 600 N55PG is seen here in company of Fayair's Grumman

Gulfstream 3 G-XMAF. Owner is Harrod's head Mohamed Al-Fayed,

who flew in almost all Gulfstream's models, using G550 M-MOMO

in a similar red livery today.

March 16. 1986

Spotting 3 executive BAC-111s was not so unusual in the

mid-eighties! Most of them were second hand aircraft

outfitted with luxury interiors and knew success with

Arabian Golf customers. From left to right: HZ-MAJ,

HZ-HR1 and N500CS. Note the State of Qatar's

Boeing 707-3P1C A7-AAA in the background.

On the left foreground, the tail of Noranda Mines'

Gulfstream 2B and behind, Noga Hilton's

Gulfstream 2TT N18RN, which was based at Geneva.

March 5. 1986

During the annual Motorshow, the parking positions on

the North General Aviation Center had to be densified

to welcome all the executive visitors! At present days,

this kind of densification is done on the South Apron

only, using large airliners positions whose are divided

in three or five, depending of the bizjets size.

December 7. 1987

Parked in size order! From left to right, Oxford based

Solid State Logic Ltd's Cessna 500 G-BEIZ, Olympic

Maritime's Dassault Falcon 50 VR-BHX, which was

used by Onassis family and Gatair's Falcon 900

HB-IAK, which was home-based here.

Swiss duets!

July 18. 1990

Privatair's flagships of the early 90s. On the left, Boeing 757-23A HB-IEE

was delivered just a few months earlier and is still in service today. It has been

repainted in two different liveries since this photo was taken! On the right,

Boeing 737-2V6 HB-IEH (see below for further details).

September 18. 1989

Two Geneva based competitors! On the left, Air City's Aerospatiale
SE-210 Caravelle 10B3 HB-ICJ, one of two operated by the carrier
(the other was HB-IKD) in their old livery and HB-IUD,
one of four MD87s used by CTA, Compagnie de Transport Aérien.
Air City remainded independent and changed its name to Aero Jet in 1993
and only HB-ICJ was kept in the fleet, until Aero Jet's demise in 1996.
Opposite, CTA was included as a member of Swissair (hence the titles)
and later merged with Balair and became Balaircta.



March 10. 1989

Classic Air's two Douglas DC-3s HB-ISB & ISC were
common visitors, bringing cars fans to the annual Motorshow,
which held during the first and second week of March. 
HB-ISC was fitted with large panoramic windows and is seen
here with colourful Lugano based Sunshine Aviation's
Fokker 27-200 HB-ISH

August 31. 1986

On the left, the first large cabin aircraft in Petrolair's fleet was Boeing 737-2V6

HB-IEH. This private Geneva based company was later renamed

Privatair and is still in operation today. This Boeing 737 is still privately

used in the United States as N787WH. On the right, Mc Donnell Douglas

DC-9-14 HB-IEF, one of two operated by also Geneva based Aeroleasing (later

integrated in the TAG Aviation Group). It was the 15th DC-9 built and rolled-out of

the manufactory in 1966, delivered to Delta Airlines. It ended its carrier 40 years

later with mexican carrier Aerocalifornia.

Regular and irregular props!

May 11. 1990

At that time, small parcels cargo flights were mainly operated

by first generation turboprop cargo aircraft. From front:

WDL Fokker F-27-100 D-BAKO (the 6th of the type built),

flew for TNT, Federal Express F-27-600 HB-ISJ for themselves

and an unidentified European Air Transport Convair 580, flying for DHL.

July 17. 1989

Belgian cargoliners Convair 580 OO-DHF of DHL and

multicoloured Fokker F-27-100 OO-SVM of Servisair...

October 23. 1989

... and the same F-27, this time with European Air Transport

Convair 580 OO-VGH, the sole painted in EAT full livery

and also the only one which kept its passengers windows.

March 6. 1990

Despite pictured more than 20 years ago, the sight of an

Antonov 12 at Geneva was quiet more rare than on present

days! LZ-BAF of Balkan Cargo has operated some Red

Cross flights during the 90s and is seen here parked together

with two DHL Convair 580s.

March 13. 1990

Realy more impressive than the C130 or Antonov 12,

the Short Belfast was built for the Royal Air Force's

53rd Transport Squadron and first flew on January 5. 1964.

Only 10 were built and after retirement from the RAF in

1975, five knew civil use with UK cargo operator Trans

Meridian Air Cargo (TAC), becoming Heavylift Cargo

later on. Only three were used (G-BEPS, G-BFYU & G-HLFT),

the two other served as spares. All three have visited Geneva

between 1990 and 1993. In the background, both Classic Air DC-3s

HB-ISB & ISC, during their "Golden Years", bringing visitors to

the annual Motorshow.

February 15. 1991

Rare visit of Romavia's Antonov AN-24V YR-AMR,

seen here with more frequent Saudia Special Flight's

Lockheed C130H Hercules HZ-116.

Air Force One!

October 1st 1985

Being "Air Force One" from 1962 for President John F. Kennedy and

for seven further Presidents, Boeing VC-137C 62-6000 became the back-up

aircraft for sistership 72-7000, which became "Air Force One" in 1972.

On this occasion, it came for advanced preparation for President Reagan's visit

a few weeks later. It was retired in 1998 and is preserved at the Dayton

Museum, Ohio

November 18. 1985

President Ronald Reagan is just arrived on board Boeing VC-137C 72-7000 

for its three days visit to meet his Russian counterpart Mickhail Gorbatshev.

It served the presidential fleet for almost 30 years until retirement on August 29. 2001 

and is now displayed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Museum

at Simi Valley, California.

November 18. 1985

72-7000 (right) together with sistership 62-6000 (left)

November 21. 1985

"Air Force One" leaving gate 44 at the end of Ronald Reagan's visit,

with back-up sistership "SAM 26000" preparing to start. Press people

and security are visible on the left and on the roof of the building.

November 18. 1985

While "SAM2600" started,  Lockheed C-5A Galaxy 70-0467

just landed to pick-up material and presidential limousines.

January 16. 1994

Two Boeing VC-25A replaced the old VC-137C at the end

of 1990 and payed their first visit to Geneva on November 23

of that same year with President Georges W. Bush (father).  His successor

Bill Clinton came on January 16. 1994. 92-9000 is pictured in front

of the 1984 built control tower (left) and its 1949 built predecessor (right).

November 16. 1994

92-9000 with sistership 82-8000. Both are configured with the

same equipments and both can serve as "Air Force One".

November 16. 1994

Rainy night departure of President Clinton, with press and

television filming the event.

May 18. 1998

Second visit of Bill Clinton on a very sunny late afternoon on

board of 82-8000. On that occasion, the back-up aircraft was

VC-137C 72-7000...

...and his third visit on June 16. 1999 on board 92-9000.

Rare & frequent Scandinavian charters!

September 19. 1985

If Maersk Air's Boeing 737-200s were quiet frequent visitors

in winters (OY-MBZ shown here), ScanBee's Convair 580 SE-IEY

has only made a couple of visits at Geneva, with the first one during March 1984. 

Dassault Falcon trijets with only 1 owner!

July 9. 1987

This view depicts well the main differences of cabin size and windows 

between the Dassault Falcon 900 (left) and its predecessor,

the Falcon 50 (right). At that time, Falcon 900 N900FJ (C/N 31) was

the demonstrator aircraft in the U.S.A during 1 year.

Only one common point between these 2 airframes, both have been operated

by only one owner since new. The Falcon 900 was registered N910JW

to S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. in 1988 and Falcon 50 CN-ANO

was delivered to the Morocco Government 31 years ago and both

are still in use today!

Twin Commuters!

July 1st. 1984

Founded in 1975 by Moritz Sutter, Crossair operated a

dozen Swearingen SA227 Metroliners II & III. HB-LLF,

a III model, is seen here begining taxi for another

commuter flight. At that time, Crossair knew some delay

with the delivery of its brand new SAAB 340As and had

to lease Fokker F-27 D-BAKU from german carrier WDL

and Fairchild FH-227 OO-DTA from belgian company

Delta Air Transport, seen here on the left.

In the background, privately owned DC-9-14 HB-IAA

and an EL-AL Boeing 767-258ER.

March 4. 1986

Crossair Swearingen SA-227AT Metro III HB-LLF again, this time

wearing the "new livery" of that time, with freshly delivered SAAB 340A

HB-AHI. The later replaced the first, with a few of  the Metroliners

transferred to small freight company CPS.

May 22. 1987

Operating a short time scheduled flight between Berlin and Geneva,

Berlin Regional was flying a small fleet of 2 UK registered BAe Jetstream 31s

including G-BRGN, seen here together with Crossair SAAB 340A HB-AHF

September 6. 1986

The sole ever Dornier 228 operated in Switzerland was this Sunshine

Aviation sample, based at Lugano. Still registered D-IAHG on this picture,

it appeared a few months later on the swiss register as HB-LPC. In the

background, Transair's CASA 212 Aviocar HB-LMH, one of two

operated by the company.