EI-BED "St. Kieran" - Boeing 747-100 - Aer Lingus

Built: 1970
C/N: 19748/44
Operations:
Aircraft was built in 1970 and started service with Lufthansa as D-ABYC, named "Bayern".

In 1979 the aircraft was sold to ITEL Corporation and leased to Aer Lingus, re-registered EI-BED. The aircraft arrived with Aer Lingus in January and stayed there until October the same year. Originally it was named St. Kieran and then changed to St. Patrick.

In October 1979, the aircraft was leased to Air Algerie maintaining its registration and operating in Aer Lingus colours with Air Algerie stickers. In April, 1980 the aircraft was returned to Aer Lingus.

In November 1986, the aircraft was leased to Air Jamaica and remained there until April 1987. Again it remained in Aer Lingus livery with Air Jamaica stickers.

Again the aircraft was returned to Aer Lingus in April, 1987. In November of the same year the aircraft was leased to Qantas and remained there until Feburary 1988 in Aer Lingus livery.

Aircraft was leased to LAN Chile in December, 1988 and stayed there until March, 1990.

The aircraft was then returned to Aer Lingus and operated under lease until April, 1993. In that month the aircraft was sold to Aer Lingus from GATX who owned the aircraft at the time. It operated its final revenue service on the 5th of October 1994.

The aircraft was ferried to Marana in Feburary 1995 after 5 months in storage in Dublin. It stayed there and was sold to Westco International in  July 1996 and the same month was sold to Jetaway Aviation Services. Directly after that it was stricken from the Irish Register. Scrapage of the aircraft began in August 1996.

The aircraft was photographed in 1997 at Manara.

Naturally the aircraft was scrapped here. From here it seems that the aircraft was taken apart and used for parts. The cockpit section was seen in 2003 in Tucson (Ironically, the city that the aircraft transited through to get to Manara).

EI-BSP "St. Senan" - Shorts 360 - Aer Lingus Commuter

Built: 1986
C/N: SH3689
Operations:
This aircraft began life in 1986 as G-BMLD with Shorts.
The aircraft was sold in the same year to Aer Lingus Commuter as EI-BSP and operated at Aer Lingus until July 1991 when it was sold to SAAB Aircraft Credit, a leasing firm from Sweden.
The aircraft was re-registered G-UBAC when it was sold to SAAB. 
Its first lease customer was Streamline Aviation which was based in the UK and began operations in 1990, ending in 2003 when it was incorporated into Emerald Airways. The aircraft remained part of the Streamline Fleet until October 1993.
In October 1993 the aircraft was then leased to Holmstroem Air of Sweden. The aircraft remained there for 2 years until October 1995 when it was returned to the lessor and the airline was renamed Direktflyg.

In the same month the aircraft was sold to BAC Leasing and operated with BAC Express with its old registration G-UBAC. The aircraft operated here until the 24th of Feburary 1998.

On the same day the aircraft was sold to Bombardier Services Corporation and was shipped off to Bridgeport, West Virginia. Here the aircraft was converted into the military Shorts C28B Sherpa. The aircraft spend 2 years undergoing the conversion and finally in October 2000 it was rolled out.

The aircraft was then released to the US Army's Air National Guard as 94-0314. The aircraft was first based with the Florida ANG and in 2009 was transferred to the Kentucky ANG. Today the aircraft is still flying as part of the Kentucky ANG and was photographed last year as part of the Rhode Island Airshow (see below). A great end to the story of this 26 year old bird!

EI-BPD "St. Gall" - Shorts 360 - Aer Lingus Commuter

Built: 1984
C/N: SH3656
Operations:
Began life with Shorts as G-BLPU in 1984
In the same year it was sold to Aer Lingus Commuter and operated there until the arrival of the Saab 340 in 1991.
Next known Airline was Gill Airlines where it was operated as G-RMCT.

The aircraft originally operated domestic routes with Gill in a Gill/Aer Lingus Hybrid livery until being painted as seen above. The aircraft stayed with Gill until 1998/99.
In 2000 the aircraft was sold back to Ireland, this time with Aer Arann and took its old registration EI-BPD.

On Feburary 4th 2001 on arrival to Sheffield from Dublin the aircraft veered off the runway and into the grass. Sadly the aircraft was written off. The Accident Report can be found here: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20010204-0

However this was not the end of EI-BPD. After the accident she spent a number of years in Sheffield before being stripped off its wings, engines and gear and being transported by road to Leeds Bradford to be used as a Fire Trainer. The last record I can find of the aircraft being at Leeds is in 2004 but if you have visited Leeds or are need Leeds and have some information please email me at eoincoates@hotmail.com.