It was announced on Monday 24th October 2022 by Cotswold Airport that the resident MK Airlines Boeing 747-200 is to be scrapped, this marks the end of a 10 year era for the aircraft which has resided at Cotswold Airport since May 2009.
The aircraft, G-MKGA a Boeing 747-200F was operated in its final days by now defunct cargo airline MK Airlines, the airline based in Ghana and the UK specialised in cargo and freight between the UK and Africa with bases at London Gatwick, Manston Airport, Ostend Airport and Luxembourg with African hubs at OR Tambo serving Johannesburg.
G-MKGA is currently 44 years old and has had a long history starting service with Cargolux before flying for airlines such as Flying Tigers, FedEx, Atlas Air, Polar Air Cargo before entering service with MK Airlines in 2001.
Cotswold Airport repossessed the aircraft just over 10 years ago due to unpaid parking charges at the airport, the owner Suzannah Harvey converted it into a party plane with a number of corporate events and weddings taking place in the aircraft over the subsequent years.
Sadly due to years of being stood in the elements the aircraft has become unsafe and showing signs of deterioration and the decision was made to dismantle the aircraft, stood at the side of the A429 many passers by have driven past this aircraft which has sat there for many years. The end of an era indeed but as CEO Suzannah Harvey commented “We now have our own beautiful BA 747 Negus.”
Simon has been writing aviation articles for nearly 10 years and is the senior article writer at Fresh Aviation, with a background in aviation and a commercial pilot Simon knows his stuff in the aviation world. Simon has spoken on BBC Radio, contributed to Bristol Post and has various aviation articles on various websites.