QANTAS Airways (Sydney) yesterday (March 7) flew the pictured Boeing 747-438 VH-OJA (msn 24354) to its final resting spot in Australia. VH-OJA was delivered on August 11, 1989. The airline issued this statement:
QANTAS’ first Boeing 747-400, celebrated for having flown the longest commercial flight in history, made its shortest and final journey today when it landed at Illawarra Regional Airport, where it is set to become Shellharbour’s first jumbo tourist attraction.
After less than 15 minutes in flight, the specially numbered QANTAS Flight ‘7474’, scheduled to touch down at 7:47am, was delivered to its new home with the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) where it will become the only Boeing 747-400 in the world to be put on public display.
QANTAS Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said donating the aircraft to the HARS museum will provide not only a great tourist attraction for the Illawarra region, but also an opportunity to preserve an important piece of Qantas’ and aviation history.
“Having graced the pages of the record books, revolutionised air travel for Australians, marked a huge technical feat for Qantas and carried millions of passengers on their global adventures and home again, our Boeing 747-400 “City of Canberra” is very deserving of a graceful retirement as the star attraction at one of Australia’s most prestigious aviation museums,” said Mr Joyce.
The delivery flight from Sydney International Airport to Illawarra Regional Airport was the first time a Boeing 747 has landed at the regional port. The QANTAS pilots operating the final flight worked with industry stakeholders on a number of approvals and training procedures given the flight was outside normal QANTAS operations to a non-QANTAS port. A number of considerations were factored in to the preparations including ensuring the appropriate ground handling equipment were positioned at Illawarra Regional Airport for the arrival and giving the aircraft livery a “Permaguard” coating to protect the paintwork for many years to come.
The aircraft interior was also given a full “spruce up” with the only items removed from the aircraft being the Qantas Flight Operations manuals in the cockpit, the galley carts that store in-flight meals and the fresh flowers in the lavatory. Three of OJA’s Rolls Royce engines still have significant life left in them and will be used on other QANTAS Boeing 747s. One engine will be left on OJA, with QANTAS and HARS working on sourcing suitable replacements over time.
Over the past few years, Qantas has been gradually retiring its older Boeing 747s. Nine of its newest jumbos, the last of which was delivered in 2003, have been refurbished and will continue flying into the future. Since 2008, the QANTAS Group has taken delivery of almost 150 new aircraft, lowering its fleet age to an average of just over seven years.
The aircraft will join an impressive lineup of famed aircraft located at HARS including a Lockheed Super Constellation, Catalina, Douglas DC-3 and DC-4 and a Desert Storm US Army Cobra.
The official handover will take place on March 15, 2015 to coincide with HARS monthly open day weekend.
QANTAS Boeing 747-400 “VH-OJA” facts
Years in service
13,833 flights (excluding the final delivery flight)
106,154 flight hours
4,094,568 passengers carried
This aircraft has flown nearly 85 million kilometres, which is equivalent to 110.2 return trips to the moon
“VH-OJA” was QANTAS’ first Boeing 747-400 aircraft and was named the City of Canberra
It was delivered to QANTAS on August 11, 1989 and made its debut flight on August 16, 1989 from London to Sydney
On Thursday August 17, 1989, it set the record for having flown for the longest distance (non-stop London to Sydney) and time over distance by a commercial aircraft. The time over distance record still stands.
All of QANTAS’ Boeing 747-400 aircraft were named ‘Longreach’ as a tribute to our place of origin and to demonstrate the long-range of the aircraft.
QANTAS fleet facts:
Our first 747 was delivered in 1971; last in 2003.
A total of 65 Boeing 747s have been operated by QANTAS.
Between 1979 and 1985 QANTAS was an all-747 airline.
There are 297 aircraft across the QANTAS Group.
Average fleet age 7.2 years.
QANTAS currently has 12 Boeing 747s; 9 of which have been reconfigured and will be kept beyond FY16.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com.
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Filed under: QANTAS Airways Tagged: 24354, 747, 747-400, 747-438, Boeing, Boeing 747, Boeing 747-400, Illawarra Regional Airport, QANTAS Airways, QANTAS Group, VH-OJA
