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The Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Series 1 was a twin-engine high-wing light utility transport aircraft for up to sixteen passengers built
by Scottish Aviation Limited at Prestwick Airport, Scotland. The Twin Pioneer was designed as a STOL aircraft for both civil and military
operators as a twin-engined version of the Pioneer light transport. On 25 June 1955, the prototype Twin Pioneer was flown first, on 28 April
1956 followed by the first Series 1 production aircraft. In military service the Twin Pioneer accomodated two crew members and thirteen troops,
eleven paratroops, or nine casualty strettchers and three sitting casualties. Maximum cargo load was 1540 kg. The Series 1 Twin Pioneer was the
initial production model of the basic design with 540 hp Leonides engines. Total of 91 Twin Pioneers were manufactured in 1955-1964, including
fifty military examples. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer is TPIN. |
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On 2 October 1957, Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Series 1 s/n 508 was registered G-APHY with British International Airlines, a B.O.A.C. Associated
Companies subsidiary in Kuwait that operated charter flights and provided maintenance services. Although registered in the UK, Twin Pioneer G-APHX
and it's sistership G-APHX were delivered to Kuwait in 1957, and operated by B.I.A. on behalf of the Kuwait Oil Company and used for survey work and
the transport of mining equipment to inaccessible areas. In April 1959, B.I.A. was taken over by Kuwait Airways. On 30 April 1960, ownership of the
G-APHY was transferred to and on 19 May 1960 registered with B.O.A.C. Associated Companies. As before, the G-APHY was operated by Kuwait Airways on
behalf of the Kuwait Oil Company. On 1 November 1962, registration G-APHY was cancelled and the Twin Pioneer was registered 9K-ACC with Kuwait
Airways. In 1969, the Twin Pioneer returned to the UK and took up their original G- registration. On 5 May 1969, the aircraft was registered
G-APHY as chartered to Kenneth Brian Neely t/a Western Fisheries. On 14 November 1969, Shackleton Aviation
was registered as owner of the G-APHY. In January 1971, Jersey Ferry Airlines was founded to continue the discontinued scheduled
services by Channel Airways between Portsmouth and Jersey and Guernsey. On 29 March 1971, the G-APHY was registered with JF Airlines,
and the same month Jersey Ferry Airlines resumed the regular services using two Twin Pioneers. These Twin Pioneers were next to the
G-APHY the G-APHX, the couple who had gone to Kuwait in 1957. In October 1972 the Twin Pioneers were replaced by a more modern fleet
of BN-2 Islander and BN-2-3 Trislanders with the Twin Pioneers transferred to Flight One. On 23 March 1973, the G-AHPY was registered
as charted to Flight One. In July 1974, Twin Pioneer G-APHY was, after a thorough overhaul, sold to Territorial Airways in Canada and
registered C-GSTX. The Twin Pioneer was flown across the Ocean to Ross River Airport in Yukon, Canada, the home of Territorial Airways.
On 16 August 1974, registration G-APHY was cancelled as exported to Canada. In Canada, the Twin Pin C-GSTX, replacedm Twin Pioneer C-FSTX,
that was crashed at the old Sheldon airstrip between Ross River and Mac Pass. Twin Pioneer C-GSTX was operated by Terr-Air (Territorial Airways)
with registration CG-STX on the plane. In 1979, Terr-Air (Territorial Airways) ended it's activities; Twin Pioneer C-GSTX was withdrawn from use before.
The last time that Twin Pioneer C-GTSX was reported the aircraft was seen sitting behind the dyke in Ross River in forlorn condition. |
