Qantas 747 VH-OJA

[David C]

I wasn't aware of the SP doing the non stop , although I stand corrected if it did...As far as I am aware QF SP's were very rare in the UK , I think LGW had one some years ago though ..

Dave C

[Mike W]

Maybe it's correct about OJA being the only 747 direct fro London to Sydney. I've searched the net trying to find evidence of the SP doing it but so far have only come up with

1989, a Qantas 747-400 flew non-stop from London to Sydney, a distance of 11,185 miles (18,000 km), in 20h 9 min, although this was a delivery flight with no passengers or freight.

http://www.flightlevel350.com/Boeing...aft_facts.html

and

On 17 August 1989 the first Qantas 747-400, VH-OJA 'City of Canberra', touched down at Sydney Airport after a non-stop flight from London to Sydney. The 18,001km flight, under the command of Captain David Massy-Greene, took 20 hours, nine minutes and five seconds and established a new world distance record for a commercial aircraft.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airl...eing/global/en

It seems that if the SP had flown the route, then OJA flight wouldn't have been a world record as the SP was in service at least 10 years prior to the -400

[Philip Argy]

From memory the SP was the first to do regular trans-Pacific non-stop flights.

[Mike W]

The 747SP was the longest-range airliner available until the 747-400 entered service in 1987

http://www.aussieairliners.org/b-747/vh-eaa/vheaa.html

Qantas and PanAm, the latter pioneering nonstop trans Pacific Los Angeles/Sydney services.

http://www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/stats.main?id=98


Yeah, it seems you're on to it Philip

The other thing I didn't realise was that QF only had their first SP delivered in '81, 8 short years before the magnificent -400 started jetting in

[Noel White]

Something in the back of the memory bank also tells me that one of the main reasons QF used the two B747SP was for the windy Wellington services.

Any thoughts?

[Mick F]

When VH-OJA achieved the London-Sydney non-stop flight, it wasn't just as easy as throwing some fuel on and going.

A special fuel blend was developed for this flight, which would extend the range of the aircraft. The aircraft was also then towed to the runway and engines started there, rather than at the gate.

Finally, it had to be a direct flight. All ATC centres on the way had to approve it's direct route, otherwise it wouldn't have worked.

Cheers

Mick

[Steve Crook]

I have very fond memories of Qantas SPs (in particular -EAB) and Wellington. I had to fly back to Australia on short notice from NZ and could only get out through Wellington. And then I could only get a business class or first class seat - I opted for the latter. Despite quite a bit of indulging in some very nice onboard wines, I well remember the whole experience of sitting upstairs in seat 3A. I seem to recall that the SPs were able to handle the short runway at Wellington - and I figure this was around the time that Qantas was an "all 747 fleet", something the 747-200s couldn't do.

[Mike W]

Bang on Steve. What a luxury being able to fly up top in a 747 Trans Tasman from Wellington.

Things are a little less fancy now days. I've travelled a lot of Sydney - Wellington in recent years reduced to Jet Connect 734 classics (although since DJ, -800s from them and now Jet Connect) and the NZ 320s which I detest as I loved the 737-300s they used to use, so I guess it's at least part pyschological.

Check out this flickr link to an amazing photo. I think you'll enjoy it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flissphil/3127877852/

Delivered to QANTAS 1981. Used on the Wellington Trans-Tasman services until the arrival of 767s in 1984.
Put up for sale in 1990 and used as back up aircraft. Remained unsold.
Experienced two incidents in 2001 - one serious when in the cruise at FL44 it yawed abruptly and then went into a 20 degree bank while on autopilot. At this point it was withdrawn from use.
Ferried to Marana, Arizona 2002
Broken up 2004

As per one comment,

strange as QANTAS' decision to use their longest-ranging aircraft of the time on some of their shortest international routes

[Dave Dale]

Couldn't agree more, Air New Zealand A320's aren't my favourite (not any Airbus aircraft really). Love the Jetconnect 737-400's. It will be a sad day when they eventually leave Jetconnect and Qantas altogether.

[Dave Dale]

Hi again

Just wondering if VH-OJB is still about or is she at Avalon?