VH-OJA - 747-400 to retire at HARS 8th or 9th March ?

[gwilli1]

With reports that Qantas's first 747-400 VH-OJA will retire at HARS ( Historical Aircraft Restoration Society), unconfirmed details have surfaced on FB that the positioning from Sydney to Albion Park , Illawarra Regional Airport will happen on March 8th or 9th, weather permitting. I will be definitely putting the weekend aside for this event. Official press release apparently this Friday.

 

[PaulST]

Great if it's true. I live in Wollongong so if I'm not working that day, I'll definitely head down with the camera.

 

[cmon0005]

Is their ~1.5km runway length enough for landing comfortably? (It obviously must be if they are planning on doing this) but will they have to be extremely precise or is 1.5km plenty of length?

 

[PaulST]

Is their ~1.5km runway length enough for landing comfortably? (It obviously must be if they are planning on doing this) but will they have to be extremely precise or is 1.5km plenty of length?

My understanding is that it's too short so that's an issue they'll have to overcome. The advantage of WOL is that it's a few minutes flight from SYD so they don't need much extra fuel incase they can't land. There's plenty of green grass on the over-run too although I'm assuming that's not really added to the equation...

It'll be an amazing sight seeing OJA land there, though.

 

[markis10]

My understanding is that it's too short so that's an issue they'll have to overcome. The advantage of WOL is that it's a few minutes flight from SYD so they don't need much extra fuel incase they can't land. There's plenty of green grass on the over-run too although I'm assuming that's not really added to the equation...

It'll be an amazing sight seeing OJA land there, though.

Its not too short at all, at max landing weight typical landing distance is 1905m, and this will be well below MLW. Of more concern will be the width of the runway and the aircrafts weight on the pavement, while the grass overrun is nice, you dont want to go there.


http://www.airlive.net/2015/01/update-photos-oman-air-a330-wy131-is-in.html

 

[markis10]

Landing distance chart - FAR spec.

 

[Red Roo]

It's official, VH-OJA has a forever home: http://bit.ly/1y6GwZ9

 

[cmon0005]

It's official, VH-OJA has a forever home: QANTAS TO GIFT HISTORIC B747 TO AVIATION MUSEUM

Can we buy tickets on the 10min delivery flight?

 

[BAM1748]

Early March, flight approvals to be finalised, with the official handover on March 15th on the monthly open day.

 

[BAM1748]

Can we buy tickets on the 10min delivery flight?

There was talk at one stage of stripping it out to reduce weight, maybe not needed I don't know. Pilots will undergo some simulator training for this flight, according to the QF blurb.

 

[Himeno]

Can we buy tickets on the 10min delivery flight?

Can the delivery flight repeat the original (SEA-LHR-SYD)?

 

[PaulST]

I'm hoping that the flight will be before the 15th as I'll be flying out of Sydney that day (in the morning, but I suppose I could be lucky and see OJA take-off.) I'm in Wollongong between now and then so I'll definitely be keen on the flight details and will head down to WOL with a camera.

 

[tomlee1986]

originally I heard it was going to Victorville.. luckily it stays in Australia!!

 

[timster]

Is their ~1.5km runway length enough for landing comfortably? (It obviously must be if they are planning on doing this) but will they have to be extremely precise or is 1.5km plenty of length?

According to the piece in the paper today it will be just enough to land, but too short to ever take off again, since takeoffs require more runway. Sad in a strangely poignant kind of way. Trapped in Illawarra forever.
World's longest flight record-holder, Qantas 'City of Canberra' 747-400, retires

 

[PaulST]

According to the piece in the paper today it will be just enough to land, but too short to ever take off again, since takeoffs require more runway. Sad in a strangely poignant kind of way. Trapped in Illawarra forever.
World's longest flight record-holder, Qantas 'City of Canberra' 747-400, retires

One less un-refurbished 747 to surprise you at the gate... and disappoint...

 

[Himeno]

According to the piece in the paper today it will be just enough to land, but too short to ever take off again, since takeoffs require more runway. Sad in a strangely poignant kind of way. Trapped in Illawarra forever.
World's longest flight record-holder, Qantas 'City of Canberra' 747-400, retires

I think if they ever wanted it to take off again, they'd find a way. JATOs for example.

 

[timster]

I think if they ever wanted it to take off again, they'd find a way. JATOs for example.

Yeah, I'm sure they've seen the movie Air Force One, about 28 minutes in ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvmjYZxHAlI

 

[Dr Ralph]

Went to see this today. Seems that it hasn't been getting the numbers that they predicted.

 

[Quickstatus]

Suspect its not ancient enough yet. Never going to be a huge crowd magnet. Similarly Disneyworld in Orlando pulls a lot more crowds than Cape Canaveral NASA exhibits. They had to put rollercoaster rides there to entice people to visit. Museums are boring places

 

[PaulST]

Went to see this today. Seems that it hasn't been getting the numbers that they predicted.

Did they say that?