F-GJVX 1 Airbus A320-211 Volare Italy LPA 10MAR03
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 05-Mar-25.
Another 'lessor-owned' aircraft with a long and mostly sad history. It was first flown in Mar-93 with the Airbus test registration F-WWIE.
Originally ordered by 'GPA Airbus A320', they cancelled the order and the aircraft was delivered to GATX/CL Air Leasing and leased to LACSA Costa Rica as N486GX in Jun-93. But not for long.
It was returned to the lessor in Jan-94 and transferred to GATX/CL Air NV as PH-GCX in Feb-94. It was leased to Air Inter (France) as F-GJVX the same day. Air Inter was renamed Air Inter Europe in Jan-96 and the aircraft was returned to the lessor in May-97.
It was leased to a new Spanish company, BCM Airlines in Jun-97, retaining it's French registration. BCM ceased operations in Oct-97 (see note below), the aircraft returned to the lessor and was stored.
In Apr-98 it was leased to Volare Airlines (Italy), still with it's French registration. They ceased operations in Nov-04. The aircraft returned to the lessor and was stored at Bordeaux, France.
It was leased to Thomas Cook Airlines - Belgium as OO-TCM in Apr-05 and returned to the lessor in Feb-08. It was immediately leased to Aerolineas Argentinas as LV-BNZ and delivered to Buenos Aries-EZE.
However, it never entered service and was stored until it was returned to the lessor as N420BV in Dec-08 and stored at Goodyear, AZ, USA. It changed lessors twice white it was stored and was eventually leased to Strategic Airlines Europe (a small Australian company with big ideas and very little finance!) as F-GSTS in Aug-09.
Their French AOC was withdrawn in Oct-10, they ceased operations, the aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Brussels, Belgium. Strategic Airlines Europe started up again in Apr-11, this time in Luxembourg. They leased the aircraft again, now registered LX-STC.
They were no more successful the second time than they had been previously and ceased operations in Oct-12. The aircraft was returned to AeroTurbine Inc and re-registered N271AT in Nov-12. It was permanently retired at Goodyear, AZ, USA and the registration was cancelled in Mar-13.
Note: BCM Airlines was named after the initials of it's owner 'Bartolome Cursach Mas'. The airline only lasted for the summer of 1997 and ceased operations in Oct-97. Two of their four ex A320's formed the basis of Iberworld.
F-GJVX 1 Airbus A320-211 Volare Italy LPA 10MAR03
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 05-Mar-25.
Another 'lessor-owned' aircraft with a long and mostly sad history. It was first flown in Mar-93 with the Airbus test registration F-WWIE.
Originally ordered by 'GPA Airbus A320', they cancelled the order and the aircraft was delivered to GATX/CL Air Leasing and leased to LACSA Costa Rica as N486GX in Jun-93. But not for long.
It was returned to the lessor in Jan-94 and transferred to GATX/CL Air NV as PH-GCX in Feb-94. It was leased to Air Inter (France) as F-GJVX the same day. Air Inter was renamed Air Inter Europe in Jan-96 and the aircraft was returned to the lessor in May-97.
It was leased to a new Spanish company, BCM Airlines in Jun-97, retaining it's French registration. BCM ceased operations in Oct-97 (see note below), the aircraft returned to the lessor and was stored.
In Apr-98 it was leased to Volare Airlines (Italy), still with it's French registration. They ceased operations in Nov-04. The aircraft returned to the lessor and was stored at Bordeaux, France.
It was leased to Thomas Cook Airlines - Belgium as OO-TCM in Apr-05 and returned to the lessor in Feb-08. It was immediately leased to Aerolineas Argentinas as LV-BNZ and delivered to Buenos Aries-EZE.
However, it never entered service and was stored until it was returned to the lessor as N420BV in Dec-08 and stored at Goodyear, AZ, USA. It changed lessors twice white it was stored and was eventually leased to Strategic Airlines Europe (a small Australian company with big ideas and very little finance!) as F-GSTS in Aug-09.
Their French AOC was withdrawn in Oct-10, they ceased operations, the aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Brussels, Belgium. Strategic Airlines Europe started up again in Apr-11, this time in Luxembourg. They leased the aircraft again, now registered LX-STC.
They were no more successful the second time than they had been previously and ceased operations in Oct-12. The aircraft was returned to AeroTurbine Inc and re-registered N271AT in Nov-12. It was permanently retired at Goodyear, AZ, USA and the registration was cancelled in Mar-13.
Note: BCM Airlines was named after the initials of it's owner 'Bartolome Cursach Mas'. The airline only lasted for the summer of 1997 and ceased operations in Oct-97. Two of their four ex A320's formed the basis of Iberworld.