[Aussie Pete]

It's always nice to see them come in, but sometimes you have to say goodbye. Once the elite performance version of the 747, the SP is no longer economical. Today (29 Nov 2001) was her last day ever in Australia. And she will never come back.

Goodbye and thanks for the memories, and the safe trips you gave to all those passengers over the years!

Aussie Pete.

 

[HP Dude]

VALE Jekyll :-(


Was she of to the Arizona desert or is she still gonna fly?

What's happened to Hekyll (EAA)?

 

[Aussie Pete]

She will almost 100% certainly never fly again after November 31. How'd you tell it was 'B'?

Can't say anything about 'A' as it is still being decided on and negotiations continue.

 

[HP Dude]

Let's just say I know things!

Do you know the hours on the airframe and how many landings she made in her career?

 

[Aussie Pete]

Let's just say I know things!

Do you know the hours on the airframe and how many landings she made in her career?

Yes I do.

 

[HP Dude]

Let me try again. AP, do you know the hours on the airframe and how many cycles she completed in her QANTAS career, and, if you do, could you divulge this information (unless this is information too sensitive to post)?

 

[Aussie Pete]

Let me try again. AP, do you know the hours on the airframe and how many cycles she completed in her QANTAS career, and, if you do, could you divulge this information (unless this is information too sensitive to post)?

Sorry, had to wait until the information was released publically. here you go:

[Qantas Release]
BON VOYAGE After more than 20 years of high-flying operations, a Qantas Boeing 747 SP (Special Performance) aircraft bade farewell to Sydney yesterday afternoon en route to Arizona in the USA where it is being sold for disposal. VH-EAB, under the command of Captain Wayne Spalding, operated as QF7571 with a payload of freight but no passengers to Honolulu where Captain Bruce Simpson took command for the final leg to the Marana Airport in the Mojave Desert. The SP was delivered to Qantas on 31 August 1981 and notched up 69,469 hours and 15,098 cycles, operating initially on flights between Australia and Wellington before being switched to non-stop sectors between Australia and the USA West Coast. The second Qantas SP aircraft, VH-EAA (delivered in January 1981) will be sold for disposal in February next year. Qantas has also announced that it will retire five B747-200 aircraft from April next year as part of the fleet renewal program including 15 Boeing 737-800s, six Boeing 747-400 ERs, 13 Airbus 330s and 12 Airbus 380s, all scheduled for delivery over the next eight years.

 

[HP Dude]

Nah mate, my mistake, I just thought you were being clever! I apologise. BTW thanks for posting that. It's great to be able to speak/post with someone who really knows the aviation business.

 

[Grunter]

... The SP was delivered to Qantas on 31 August 1981 and notched up 69,469 hours and 15,098 cycles....

Bugger me that's just under 8 years non stop in the air!! :crazy2:

That rather impressive.... well to a layman anyways. :s4

 

[HP Dude]

Bugger me that's just under 8 years non stop in the air!! :crazy2:

That rather impressive.... well to a layman anyways. :s4

There are B747-200's with over 96,000 hrs clocked up! It is impressive to anyone IMO, not only laymen! 69,469 hrs is a lot in the scheme of things, but not particularly high for an early model B747 (i.e. 100s, 200s, 300s and SP's)

 

[Aussie Pete]

The hours aren't the big deal. It's the cycles that kill these planes. Each cycle is a take-off, cruise, and landing. Qantas aircraft tend to be better than most because they run more hours and less cycles (longer flights). I can't give exact numbers for the rest of the fleet, however some of the 747-400 aircraft AVERAGE double figures for flight times.

In the end, sad to see her go. She'll be joined by her sister real soon (keep the family together). Real SAD.

 

[HP Dude]

The hours aren't the big deal. It's the cycles that kill these planes. Each cycle is a take-off, cruise, and landing. Qantas aircraft tend to be better than most because they run more hours and less cycles (longer flights). I can't give exact numbers for the rest of the fleet, however some of the 747-400 aircraft AVERAGE double figures for flight times.

In the end, sad to see her go. She'll be joined by her sister real soon (keep the family together). Real SAD.

Cycles sure are the killers! That's why the B747's can build up such comparatively high hours on their airframes as opposed to those jets on domestic duties which have a very high number of cycles compared with their airframe time.

Aussie Aviation should do a special on the SP's since it's their swansong in Australia.

 

[motomk]

Good-bye SP's & F28's

I didn't know they were going so soon......This is very sad. I thought they would get a go somewhere, considering their heritage and some of the other SP's you see in the mags that get around. I guess the fact they have "Rolla's" makes them Orphans and not very desirable.

What made me even sadder was seeing VH-FKO in bits at Tulla the other day.....I fear VH-EWD may be in a few pieces as well. The other two maybe soon, but you probably know more than me. Let's just say when you have to deal with BA-146's all day (Soz Mr B.) FKO,EWD,FKI & FKJ are flipping Ferrari's.
Gee, I wish I had a few Million lying around.

motomk

 

[HP Dude]

Re: Good-bye SP's & F28's

I didn't know they were going so soon......This is very sad. I thought they would get a go somewhere, considering their heritage and some of the other SP's you see in the mags that get around. I guess the fact they have "Rolla's" makes them Orphans and not very desirable.

What made me even sadder was seeing VH-FKO in bits at Tulla the other day.....I fear VH-EWD may be in a few pieces as well. The other two maybe soon, but you probably know more than me. Let's just say when you have to deal with BA-146's all day (Soz Mr B.) FKO,EWD,FKI & FKJ are flipping Ferrari's.
Gee, I wish I had a few Million lying around.

motomk

I think Sept 11 would have had a lot to do with the fact that the SP's are off to Arizona. I raised the idea that we at FF should buy an SP and convert it to corporate config! That'll keep it flying!! LOL

 

[motomk]

SP's

Unfortunately unlike the 100, 200 & 300's they are not freighter friendly either..........I love seeing the old Evergreen's and Polar (Bears) coming in. Their was a "Big Russian Dump Truck" in at the beginning of the week. Didn't look that bigger than a Jumbo. Whoops getting carried away again...........

 

[HP Dude]

Re: SP's

Didn't look that bigger than a Jumbo. Whoops getting carried away again...........

Tell me about it!!!! :wnc: :wnc: :wnc: :wnc: :wnc: :wnc:

 

[Aussie Pete]

Re: Re: Good-bye SP's & F28's

I think Sept 11 would have had a lot to do with the fact that the SP's are off to Arizona. I raised the idea that we at FF should buy an SP and convert it to corporate config! That'll keep it flying!! LOL

HP - Sept 11 had nothing to do with it. It was decided long before that. The cost of heavy maintenance and the ADs after the TWA800 made the airplane uneconomical to keep flying. The second SP is going a little longer because ADs were done previously and it had a recent D check.

Interesting to see BAe has axed production of the RJX program (successor to the BAe146 program).

 

[HP Dude]

Re: Re: Re: Good-bye SP's & F28's

HP - Sept 11 had nothing to do with it. It was decided long before that. The cost of heavy maintenance and the ADs after the TWA800 made the airplane uneconomical to keep flying. The second SP is going a little longer because ADs were done previously and it had a recent D check.

Interesting to see BAe has axed production of the RJX program (successor to the BAe146 program).

Yep, I should have realised that. These decisions are not made overnight! (I stand corrected lol!) You've also answered another question I had in mind, that was why did the younger SP go first? Thanks bud!