Just saw a plane I had never seen in real life before

[OBIO]

Was just out with the dog for a potty break and a smoke. Heard a twin turbo prop flying my way, moved into position so I could see it...and there it was. A plane I had never seen in real life before. I could not put a name to it, but I knew that it was one of the planes that PAD had done. The plane had a very distinct fuselage shape, twin upright tail surfaces and those funky landing gear pods for the main gear. What was it? A Shorts 330.

OBIO

[Bjoern]

Ugly things, but quite popular back in the day. :d

[kilo delta]

Not quite as ugly as the Skyvan,though. :d

[jhefner]

Not quite as ugly as the Skyvan,though. :d

Years ago, New Orleans based Royal Airlines used to fly these out of Lafayette. An airshow we were attending was inturrrupted while one of the Royal planes took off. The air show commentator said that Royal's motto was...

"Come fly in our Shorts"

<RIMSHOT>(rimshot) :wiggle:

My friend and I used to sit at the airport in the evenings and watch planes come and go. One of these came in while there was a vicous side wind blowing from the terminal side of the runway; planes rocked like crazy when they passed through the tower's wake.

After deboarded everyone, the pilot decided he didn't want to repeat the landing experience, and made a short field style takeoff with an empty plane. He was well in the air by the time he passed by the tower.

-James

[kilo delta]

Years ago, New Orleans based Royal Airlines used to fly these out of Lafayette. An airshow we were attending was inturrrupted while one of the Royal planes took off. The air show commentator said that Royal's motto was...

"Come fly in our Shorts"

<RIMSHOT>(rimshot) :wiggle:

My friend and I used to sit at the airport in the evenings and watch planes come and go. One of these came in while there was a vicous side wind blowing from the terminal side of the runway; planes rocked like crazy when they passed through the tower's wake.

After deboarded everyone, the pilot decided he didn't want to repeat the landing experience, and made a short field style takeoff with an empty plane. He was well in the air by the time he passed by the tower.

-James

There are a couple of these that are regularly used for local paradrops operating from short grass fields. :)

[stansdds]

Used to see them flying in and out of Richmond (KRIC) back in the 80's. A bit loud and quite ugly.

[lefty]

Used to fly to the Shetland Islands, and Belfast, in the 330 and 360. Not pretty but effective. When you think of it, a square-section fuselage makes sense....

But they were certainly susceptible to side winds - remember coming into Glasgow once, gazing down the runway from the side window and thinking, er, shouldn't the pilot be getting this view ??

[PRB]

The Shorts 300 series are the ungliest planes ever made. Cool planes, but, well, ugly. From the flight deck they are cool, as are most planes. Just sayin.