Finding out a plane registration from a historic flight

[tannhauser]

Bit of a long shot here, but I’ve seen videos on YouTube of the sad demise of the Boeing 747 and specifically the BA fleet. So wasteful when they arguably had so much more to give and many had had recent refits. Such an iconic aircraft.

Anyway, I’ve only flown on a 747 twice, from LHR to NYC and back with my son back in 2012 with BA. In fact I chose those flights specifically to fly on a 747, as I’d not done so before and I thought it very possible they were on their way to unfortunate obsolescence. I’ve always been curious as to which actual aircraft we flew on, i.e. the registration numbers. I wish I’d had the presence of mind to check at the time, but such is life. Is there any way of finding this out historically? Thanks in advance.

[MattyD803]

I would have thought that a google search along the lines of:

"xx/xx/2012 LHR JFK BA Flight"

Might be good starting place. obviously filling in the dates and correct airport codes.

Failing that, can you scour your emails to find the ticket and hence the flight number / time? Failing that, any photos you may have taken of the plane before boarding that might show the Plane Reg?

[tannhauser]

MattyD803 said:

I would have thought that a google search along the lines of:

"xx/xx/2012 LHR JFK BA Flight"

Might be good starting place. obviously filling in the dates and correct airport codes.

Failing that, can you scour your emails to find the ticket and hence the flight number / time? Failing that, any photos you may have taken of the plane before boarding that might show the Plane Reg?

I’ve tried searching, but will try that specific search you suggested thanks.

Don’t have any pictures but still have the email confirmation for the flights etc, and actually still remember the dates and approximate times believe it or not!

[Trevatanus]

Are you on Facebook?

There are a multitude of groups, there is a good chance that a spotter may have that information in their logs?

[MattyD803]

Trevatanus said:

Are you on Facebook?

There are a multitude of groups, there is a good chance that a spotter may have that information in their logs?

Great shout, didn't think of that. I am not a FB user, but I expect there will be a historical log of flights into and out of most airports online somewhere, which will likely link to the plane reg.

My "search suggestion" was nothing more than a bit of a guess, sorry to get your hopes up, it was not intended as a tried and tested search format, but fingers crossed it might well get you somewhere.

[andyA700]

Here is a night takeoff from JFK bound for England in August 2012. It was a 747-400. As others have said, you can probably look up the exact flight details. I managed to find pictures of the exact plane for my first flight to Iran in 1996, in a 747 - SP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e01zLH0GNHU

https://www.airhistory.net/photo/387296/EP-IAB

[hidetheelephants]

Info like aircraft registration etc is available from the likes of these, these and these subscription services, although in the first instance an email to BA may get what you want gratis.

[essayer]

If you have the exact time and date you flew it will be in here somewhere:

http://www.lhr-lgw.co.uk/archive-main-munu.html

There’ll probably be a few NY-LHR movements each day so the time or call sign will be important

[tannhauser]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Those archives are probably the best bet, though difficult to navigate - any tips?

Here are the flight details anyway:

[essayer]

tannhauser said:

Thanks for the replies everyone. Those archives are probably the best bet, though difficult to navigate - any tips?

Here are the flight details anyway:

BA1489 was G-BZHC (Boeing 767-300)
BA0179 was G-BYGC (747-400)
BA0178 was G-BNLO (747-400)
BA1478 was G-EUPJ (Airbus A319)

You can go see BYGC again

Edited by essayer on Wednesday 22 December 21:10

[tannhauser]

essayer said:

tannhauser said:

Thanks for the replies everyone. Those archives are probably the best bet, though difficult to navigate - any tips?

Here are the flight details anyway:

BA1489 was B-GZHC (Boeing 767-300)
BA0179 was G-BYGC (747-400)
BA0178 was G-BNLO (747-400)
BA1478 was G-EUPJ (Airbus A319)

You can go see BYGC again

Thank you so much!! How did you find this out please?

So is BYGC being preserved or something?

I don't remember the flight from Glasgow to LHR being wide-body by the way, I'm pretty sure it was a 3/3 configuration. Is it possible this is incorrect? I may be wrong though - I remember thinking both domestic flights were pretty empty and inefficient!

[essayer]

Just from the lhr-lgw site.
I know BA did quite frequently run a short haul 767, according to a random pic it would have been like this:
https://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/Bo...

So 2-3-2 instead of 3-3 maybe?

[djc206]

tannhauser said:

Thank you so much!! How did you find this out please?

So is BYGC being preserved or something?

I don't remember the flight from Glasgow to LHR being wide-body by the way, I'm pretty sure it was a 3/3 configuration. Is it possible this is incorrect? I may be wrong though - I remember thinking both domestic flights were pretty empty and inefficient!

Here is a (st) photo I took of G-BYGC taking off in the livery she retired with.

As you can see we’d just parked up and were about to jump in the pod to T5 when she started roaring past. Bloody fantastic things.

She’s at St Athan I think

[tannhauser]

essayer said:

Just from the lhr-lgw site.
I know BA did quite frequently run a short haul 767, according to a random pic it would have been like this:
https://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/Bo...

So 2-3-2 instead of 3-3 maybe?

Actually that does ring a bell, as my son and I were on the LH side and I don't remember having to share with a 3rd passenger. Nice and spacious layout!

[tannhauser]

djc206 said:

tannhauser said:

Thank you so much!! How did you find this out please?

So is BYGC being preserved or something?

I don't remember the flight from Glasgow to LHR being wide-body by the way, I'm pretty sure it was a 3/3 configuration. Is it possible this is incorrect? I may be wrong though - I remember thinking both domestic flights were pretty empty and inefficient!

Here is a (st) photo I took of G-BYGC taking off in the livery she retired with.

As you can see we’d just parked up and were about to jump in the pod to T5 when she started roaring past. Bloody fantastic things.

She’s at St Athan I think

Good to know.

Although I liked the re-introduction of the historic liveries, I'm not that great a fan of the BOAC one - it's a bit plain and it's shame it isn't Landor which I think is my favourite.

That said I always liked the most contemporary livery as it was modern but in a good way. Also in some ways it seems a little wrong putting old liveries on relatively modern aircraft when I think about it. Maybe I'm overthinking it! But 1960s livery on a 1999 aircraft?

[interstellar]

pistonheads strikes again, brilliant info chaps.

[djc206]

tannhauser said:

Good to know.

Although I liked the re-introduction of the historic liveries, I'm not that great a fan of the BOAC one - it's a bit plain and it's shame it isn't Landor which I think is my favourite.

That said I always liked the most contemporary livery as it was modern but in a good way. Also in some ways it seems a little wrong putting old liveries on relatively modern aircraft when I think about it. Maybe I'm overthinking it! But 1960s livery on a 1999 aircraft?

I dunno I quite liked seeing them, bit of variety if nothing else but I understand your point.

[Eric Mc]

tannhauser said:

Good to know.

Although I liked the re-introduction of the historic liveries, I'm not that great a fan of the BOAC one - it's a bit plain and it's shame it isn't Landor which I think is my favourite.

That said I always liked the most contemporary livery as it was modern but in a good way. Also in some ways it seems a little wrong putting old liveries on relatively modern aircraft when I think about it. Maybe I'm overthinking it! But 1960s livery on a 1999 aircraft?

I thought it looked fine. Even though the livery was originally applied to the 747-136 aircraft operated by BOAC, I thought it still looked good on the 436.





I also like the BEA "Red Square" livery on the A319.