Honeywell has given its Convair 580 test aircraft a facelift to reflect the trademark red and white colour scheme of its engine/avionics manufacturer. The twin-engined turboprop - registration N580HW - is pictured at its Paine Field in Everett, Washington base where it is used to test the new avionics.

The CV580 was previously decked in the blue and white paint scheme and N580AS registration of AlliedSignal - which bought and merged with Honeywell in late 1999.

The aircraft - CV580 serial number 2 - is the oldest of the Convair 240/340/580/640/5800 series still flying. Flight's ACAS database says the aircraft was built in January 1952 and was delivered to United Airlines the following September as a CV340-3, registration N73102. It was converted to a CV580 around 14 years later.

Honeywell Convair 580
 © Joe Walker

 

 

Source: Flight International