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Home >> Forum >> Air Zaire 707 in Lisbon Civil aviation forum
Air Zaire 707 in Lisbon
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Message of Brandl - Sent 18 Oct 2:30 |
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Hi everbody, probably mostly for Miguel ClAiudio 
I have been wondering about the very dusty Air Zaire 707 (beautiful plane) standing in Lisbon airport, all by itself.
I´ve heard a story about the king of Zaire, that he, some 30 years ago, came to visit Portugal. As he didn´t have money enough to pay his parking ticket , the portuguese simply kept his plane. Is this story true? And, if yes, how did he get home? Ps. what is the regristration?
Best wishes
Hans Brandl, Denmark
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Message of Miguel Cláudio - Sent 18 Oct 8:42 |
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Cheers.
Let me start by the end. The reg. is 9T-MSS, which means apart from the Zaire military prefix (9T), you have MSS, and that stands for Mobutu Sese Seko, the former Zaire president.
As for the aircraft and why it is stored in Lisbon, the answer is quite simple. It was delivered to TAP as CS-TBD, and in 1991 flew to Lisbon for maintenance. The Zaire Governament not only didn't have the money to pay, but I guess some older debts made the aircraft to be grounded. With the fall of Mobutu (somwhere in 96-97) the aircraft was (I would say) abandoned.
One of the juridic problems with the aircraft was its reg. If it was a civilian reg perhaps things would already be cleared out, but with a military reg (diplomatic aircraft), things are a bit more delicate. So mainly the aircraft is just there waiting for nothing. Perhaps only time enough for the justice to consider it owned by the company that perfomed the maintenance, and when that happens it will be sold. I don't believe it will be scrapped, but perhaps is going to be a bar or a restaurant.
Let me also say that the aircraft is always photographed by everybody that visits Lisbon's airport. It is very easy to photograph.
Hope this helps.
© Cláudio MIGUEL
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Message of Brandl - Sent 18 Oct 11:40 |
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