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Avions Fairey


Taken in 1966, one of their two Bristols freighters in open storage.  (Photo: collection Skystef)

 

Base: Charleroi
IATA: *
ICAO: *
Fleet of commercial airliners: 2x Bristol Freighters (OO-FAG/OO-ABG, OO-FAH), 1x DC-4 / C-54 (OO-FAI)
History: aircraft manufacture Société Anonyme Belge Avions Fairey was formed on September 12 1931, building aircraft at Charleroi-Gosselies like Fairey Feroce, Fairey Fox and Fairey Firefly and building aircraft in license like Gloster Meteor, Hawker Hurricane and Hawker Hunter. After the war, aircraft were only build in license and they were involved in the Lockheed Starfighter program to build 289 airframes of which 100 for the Belgian Air Force and the remaining 189 for the German Air Force. For transportation of the large parts two Bristol Freighters were bought in 1962 and 1963, and a C-54 (military variant of the DC-4) in 1964. When this program was completed by July 1965, one of the Bristol's was sold. Afterwards the manufacture remained for a while active building parts for 200 Starfighters for the Italian Air Force. By October 1966, this program was also completed, the other Bristol and C54 left the fleet ending all commercial transport activities. The manufacture remained in business till May 1 1978 when sold to Société Nationale de Construction Aérospatiale (SONACA).   

 

Belgian Airlines