FJs last 747 retired - some interesting facts/ figures

[markis10]

Ever wondered how much work an airline gets out of a plane before pension it off, this blog gives us a little clue:

Tail number: DQ-FJK

Delivered: Nov. 1, 1989 to Singapore Airlines


Other owners: Ansett Australia. Then delivered to Air Pacific/Fiji Airways in April 2003


Total flight hours: 93,487 as of Oct. 31, 2013.


Total cycles: 15,859, also as of Oct. 31.


Flights for Air Pacific/Fiji Airways: 6,350 flights, carrying 2,120,200 passengers


Flights between LAX & NAN: 1,040 times


Future plans: At the end of the month she will be flown from Nadi through LAX on to Tupelo, MS where she will be decommissioned and scrapped.

http://www.insidesocal.com/aviation...ve-got-facts-and-figures-on-this-planes-life/

 

[Austman]

Will miss row 1.

 

[markis10]

Will miss row 1.

How about the Gossips Wine :mrgreen:

 

[Simo]

Gee she has done a few miles in it's lifetime.

Is this normal or average for a plane of this age.

Would be interesting to know what routes it had taken in Australia for AN.

 

[markis10]

Gee she has done a few miles in it's lifetime.

Is this normal or average for a plane of this age.

Would be interesting to know what routes it had taken in Australia for AN.

On delivery did HKG SYD, last flight in AN service was Kansai - Brisbane as AN882 - September 13, 2001, until December 1999 AN flew to TPE, KUL, PVG, GMP and CGK so it possible she may have done those, but mostly HKG and KIX.

 

[amaroo]

I would've thought they would work these beast harder.

24 years old and only 10.67 years of flying....thats 56% of her life sitting somewhere on the ground.

 

[maninblack]

I would've thought they would work these beast harder.

24 years old and only 10.67 years of flying....thats 13.33 years sitting somewhere on the ground.

A bit surprising. Many short hops to Sydney. Flew on these a few times over the years, so spacious up front and the almost (well not quite) lie flat seats. Usually a curry on the menu and the expectation of a nice warm arrival and a lazy holiday. Bon Voyage!

 

[markis10]

I would've thought they would work these beast harder.

24 years old and only 10.67 years of flying....thats 56% of her life sitting somewhere on the ground.

She did a lot of short haul flying where ground time eats up airtime quicky, specifically Fiji to SYD and MEL.

By comparison VH- OJE finished with 99760 hours earlier this year.

 

[markis10]

Over at the YSSY board there is a post about OJG hitting a milestone which serves as a old comparison:

It arrived at Marana having accrued 100,612 air hours and 12,489 cycles making it the highest time aircraft to have operated in the Qantas fleet. Over it’s 22 year operational life VH-OJG has flown an average of 12.5 hours per day, accumulated a total of 100,612 flight hours and 12,489 flight cycles. Carrying over 3.8 million passengers,VH-OJG has travelled over 85 million kilometres,which is equivalent of 110 return trips to the moon !

http://yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=7947&page=16

You can see the difference in the stats, more time in the air and less cycles, indicative of longer haul operation.

 

[maninblack]

Over at the YSSY board there is a post about OJG hitting a milestone which serves as a old comparison:



QF 744 retirement. Where is it at? - Page 16 - Sydney Airport Message Board

You can see the difference in the stats, more time in the air and less cycles, indicative of longer haul operation.

Boeing builds great aircraft. I wonder what the hours are on some of the 762's still flying in the US. Like our good friends at AA still using them to hussle transcon all day.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Gee she has done a few miles in it's lifetime.
Is this normal or average for a plane of this age

Another thread on B747 hours / cycles here http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/playground/qantas-b747-400-vh-ojg-45169.html

It arrived at Marana having accrued 100,612 air hours and 12,489 cycles making it the highest time aircraft to have
operated in the Qantas fleet.

The life left on the engines is another factor. Engines usally do not stay on aircraft over its life

Other web sites
aussieairliners.net

 

[zainman]

there was also discussion earlier this year on airliners.net about a LH 744 doing 120,000 hours

LH 744 Retired With Over 120.000 Hours — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net

 

[Sprucegoose]

Will miss row 1.

I flew 1A when she was with AN and FJ, much preferred the AN service. Great seats and they weren't flat beds. How retro!

 

[Austman]

I flew 1A when she was with AN and FJ, much preferred the AN service. Great seats and they weren't flat beds. How retro!

Here's what it looked like:

 

[Sprucegoose]

Here's what it looked like:

View attachment 20834

thanks, it was a private space!

well done on the photo!

 

[RooFlyer]

Should we be surprised that its being scrapped and not sold on? I guess market probably isn't great for old, large capacity jets, even if there could be a few years left in 'em. Maintenance costs probably up there as well.

I never did Row 1, but flew up the front twice - great experience in daytime flight.

 

[markis10]

Should we be surprised that its being scrapped and not sold on? I guess market probably isn't great for old, large capacity jets, even if there could be a few years left in 'em. Maintenance costs probably up there as well.

Not surprising, the value being in parts rather than whole, UA retired some relatively young birds that eventually saw the same fate according to airfleets.net

26890 1085 747-422 07/08/1996 N193UA Stored 08/2008 - Stored at VCV 01/2009
26899 1113 747-422 23/05/1997 N195UA Stored 11/2008 at VCV
28715 1120 747-422 30/06/1997 N196UA Stored at VCV 10/2008
Scrapped 01/2013
28716 1124 747-422 20/08/1997 N198UA Stored at VCV 03/2009

MH also have a fleet of relatively young 744s

22382 498 747-2F6B 19/10/2003 TF-ARN lsd from Air Atlanta - Stored 12/2010
25699 965 747-4H6 01/04/1993 9M-MPB Named Shah Slam
Stored 04/2012 as N780AS (Aersale)
28427 1147 747-4H6 20/03/1998 9M-MPK Stored 12/2012
Named Johor Bahru
Lsd From Lift
28428 1150 747-4H6 30/03/1998 9M-MPL Stored 02/2013
Named Penang Lsd From Abm
28432 1247 747-4H6 31/05/2000 9M-MPN Stored 01/2013
Named Pangkor
Lsd From Abm
28435 1152 747-4H6 14/04/1998 9M-MPM Stored 05/2013
Named Melaka Lsd From Abm
29900 1296 747-4H6 28/02/2002 9M-MPP Stored 05/2013
Named Putrajaya Lsd From Abm
29901 1301 747-4H6 30/03/2002 9M-MPQ Stored 05/2013
Named Kuala Lumpur Lsd From Abm

 

[maninblack]

Very spacious. Only 4 rows until door 1. Very similar to the old QF First class in fact. Except no bathrooms etc there, the cabin continued through past the doors.

 

[docjames]

Here's what it looked like:

View attachment 20834

Have sat there.

Blanket on the floor and minidoc could wriggle around for short periods!

He also snuggled in and had a snooze with mrsdoc in 1A.

Love looking "forward" through those windows too.

Sad to see it go.

The A330 just won't be the same.

 

[Paddy55]

Boeing builds great aircraft. I wonder what the hours are on some of the 762's still flying in the US. Like our good friends at AA still using them to hussle transcon all day.

Those 762s of AA are well and truly showing their age!