N147ZA
Vickers VC10 K.3 (K.3)
Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd
11 Hours
Duration of Flight
5080 NM
Range
500 MPH
Max Speed
Aircraft Overview
At a glance
Basic Information
Year Manufactured
1966
Registration Number
N147ZA
Serial Number
882
Ownership
AEROVISION LLC
Location
West Palm Beach, FL, US
Aircraft Class
Over 20,000lbs
Max Passengers
175
Range
5080 NM
Service Ceiling
43000 ft
Duration of Flight
11 Hours
Max Speed
500 MPH
Mode-S Code
A0BEF1
Registration Country
US
Certificate Issued
Jan 28, 2022
Reg. Expiration
Jan 31, 2029
Safety Record
N147ZA
None found for ZA147 beyond retirement/scrapping; no record of fatal hull-loss specific to this airframe in consulted sources.
| Date | From | To | Duration | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-25 | EGVN Brize Norton / Oxfordshire, UK | — Leicestershire, UK | 16:02 | Landed Landed 16:02 (final ferry/retirement flight) |
| 1987-04-08 | EGVN Brize Norton / Oxfordshire, UK | — Perth, Australia | Landed Record ferry: Brize Norton to Perth (15h 53m) landed completion | |
| 2009-07-20 | EGVA Fairford, UK | — Fairford, UK | Landed Displayed/photographed at RIAT 2009. | |
| 2013-09-25 | EGVN Brize Norton / Oxfordshire, UK | EGBB Birmingham, UK | Estimated Touch-and-go reported during final ferry sequence. |
AI Summary
Vickers VC10 K.3 (K.3)
Overview
US registration N147ZA assigned to AEROVISION LLC; certificate issued 2022-01-28, last FAA action 2023-07-07, expiration 2029-01-31. Mode S hex A0BEF1. The entry corresponds to the ex-RAF VC10 K.3 airframe (c/n 882 / ZA147) which was later dismantled and used for spares/preservation.
Specifications
- Engines: 4x Rolls-Royce Conway (Conway turbofan series) (22500 lbf each)
- Range: 5080 nm
- Cruise: 480 kts
- Seats: 175
- Ceiling: 43000 ft
Operations & Cabin
Military tanker/transport conversion (K.3) — forward passenger/cargo arrangements varied by conversion; original civil Super VC10 layouts were high‑capacity combi/intercontinental interiors.
Model & Market Context
This airframe, registered N147ZA, is a Vickers-built Vickers VC10 K.3 constructed in 1966 with manufacturer serial 882 by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd. The airframe is recorded as owned by AEROVISION LLC (type LLC) based in West Palm Beach, FL, US, and carries a US registration; registered to AEROVISION LLC represents the principal documented change in formal ownership. As a military tanker/transport conversion K.3 example derived from civil Super VC10 ancestry, this particular aircraft reflects long-term utility adaptations rather than contemporary passenger service, and its condition and valuation highlights are consistent with specialized conversion airframes held for niche roles.
The airframe is a military tanker/transport conversion (K.3) in which forward passenger/cargo arrangements varied by conversion; the original civil Super VC10 layouts were high‑capacity combi/intercontinental interiors. Typical mission profiles for this configuration include long-range transport and air-to-air refuelling or converted logistics work, leveraging the 5,080 nm range and cruise speed near 480 kts to operate between distant military bases or remote staging locations from its operator base in West Palm Beach. Avionics fit and exact interior equipment are conversion-dependent and not published in the supplied data, while maintenance considerations center on aging airframe systems and support for the four Rolls-Royce Conway turbofans, a legacy powerplant type requiring specialized spares and expertise.
The Vickers VC10 family occupies a performance niche as a long-range, high‑cruise turbofan airliner adapted in military K-series forms for tanker and transport duties; the VC10 K.3 conversion emphasizes payload and range over contemporary fuel efficiency. Competing models in the broader market niche have historically included converted long-range tri- and quad-jet transports, but demand is limited to operators needing specific range and platform compatibility rather than mainstream passenger resale. Maintenance and resale considerations for this airframe hinge on the specialized nature of the K.3 conversion, legacy Conway engine support, and constrained buyer pools interested in a 1966-built fixed-wing multi-engine tanker/transport.