The Caravelle "Finn Viking" will reopen to the public at The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology on July 1. With a new staircase solution, it will be possible to enter the fuselage, move through the cabin, see the cockpit and exit at the back of the plane. This is a real passenger plane from the beginning of the jet age – preserved and prepared for the public.
When SAS took the Caravelle into service in 1959, it marked a technological shift in aviation. Jet engines provided higher speeds, greater capacity and shorter travel times than the propeller-driven aircraft that had dominated until then. The Caravelle was SAS's first jet aircraft and a key element in the development of an international network that connected Europe with the Middle East and North Africa.
After being parked outdoors at Gardermoen, the plane was restored and transported to the museum in 1985. The wings and tail rudder were dismantled to bring the plane into the specially built hangar at Kjelsås. Today, Finn Viking is the museum's largest exhibit. With the new staircase, the plane has been prepared for new public use, and the public can experience the plane's cabin, technology and history up close.
The Caravelle "Finn Viking" is manufactured by Sud Aviation in France and is equipped with two Rolls-Royce Avon engines. The aircraft has a cruising speed of around 800 kilometers per hour, a maximum take-off weight of 46 tons and 81 seats. SAS's Caraveller flew a total of 480,400 flight hours, made 441,000 landings, covered 261 million kilometers and carried 13.5 million passengers.
