QF Final 747 flights - SYD, BNE & CBR

[NickCorr]

 

[flyer89]

I think someone spent a lot of time playing with turn radii, and image size, so that they could find a scale that would work. I’d expect that it was a auto loaded FMC route, that had probably been tested many times in a sim. Bloody excellent.

Alan wanted a tracing of his face instead but it was voted down.

 

[CaptJCool]

The ironic thing was while waiting for this 'last' 747 take off a UPS 747 landed and parked opposite it. Will post a couple of photos later.

Here’s why

https://twitter.com/x/status/1285190350949294082

 

[Lat34]

Apologies - I expect this has been posted before, but I hadn't seen it; just in case:

The five Qantas 747s being retired early due to the COVID-19 crisis will not remain in the Mojave Desert indefinitely, after a buyer was found for the aircraft.

Although details of the sales have not been made public, Qantas 747 fleet captain Owen Weaver confirmed the iconic aeroplanes had been sold which he said “backed up the decision to retire them”.

Is the buyer known by anyone here?

I was told on SYD joy flight sold to GE for engine testing, but assumed only OEJ. There may be multiple buyers? YMMV

 

[justinbrett]

You heard it here first....

 

[rogerkambah]

And a final farewell.

 

[adz]

I think someone spent a lot of time playing with turn radii, and image size, so that they could find a scale that would work. I’d expect that it was a auto loaded FMC route, that had probably been tested many times in a sim. Bloody excellent.

 

[NickCorr]

Here’s why

https://twitter.com/x/status/1285190350949294082

Was discussing that with my son during the live feed!! So cool to see the 747-8F and the 747-400ER in the same shot... Those -8s are very long...

 

[Cryptarcadian]

The ironic thing was while waiting for this 'last' 747 take off a UPS 747 landed and parked opposite it. Will post a couple of photos later.

Yes! That was pretty funny. I looked up from my phone, suddenly noticed the UPS 747 right in front of me and thought I'd missed the fun for a split second!

Were you at Shep's Mound too? I should've said hi!

 

[UP4014]

Yes! That was pretty funny. I looked up from my phone, suddenly noticed the UPS 747 right in front of me and thought I'd missed the fun for a split second!

Were you at Shep's Mound too? I should've said hi!

I was over on the roof of the international terminal carpark. Wanted to be on the sunny side for the photos. Sheps Mound is better for morning shots.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Taken from Glebe...

 

[ayebee]

Lovely sky art from the departing QF7474 (although initially it looked a little risque).

I noticed a couple of incoming Fedex flights did quite a few orbits to keep the SYD airspace clear. Hope it didn't cost them too much.

 

[flyingfan]

I got those safety cards from the Canberra flight, happy to give them away for free if you're in Sydney or otherwise just pay me the postage fee.

Thanks for your generous offer, it won't be the same as having been on the flight to take them off myself but I hope you enjoy your souvenirs

Great updates and following the path on this thread!

 

[Lat34]

Couple of pics from a harbourside Sydney park of the Queen's Last Flight. Marvellous memories ✈

 

[RooFlyer]

Something else about the Qantas B747 (at today's farewell):

Mr Joyce said the 747 had played an integral part in the highs of Australia – ferrying hundreds of Olympic medals, sporting trophies, visiting dignitaries and even the Pope and the Queen into the country – but it was also witness to the lows, flying numerous rescue missions, most recently out of Wuhan.

“When Australians needed our help, this aircraft was the first aircraft, because of its reliability,” Mr Joyce said.

“It goes back as far as 1974 when the aircraft evacuated 674 Australians out of Darwin – still the record for the amount of people that were every flown on a 747.”

 

[Cryptarcadian]

I was over on the roof of the international terminal carpark. Wanted to be on the sunny side for the photos. Sheps Mound is better for morning shots.

Ah yes, of course! She sure was rather backlit by the time she taxied past Shep's Mound in the afternoon sun (like the photo in my earlier message)… thankfully my aim for today was to simply soak it in and not worry about photos much.

It looked like there were loads of people on top of the Rydges today too, not to mention all through Sydney Harbour and down the coast. Heard from a friend there was a crowd at Gladesville, and from another friend in Thirroul.

 

[sudoer]

It goes back as far as 1974 when the aircraft evacuated 674 Australians out of Darwin

Guessing it looked a bit like a (pre-covid) Sydney train during peak hour.

 

[justinbrett]

Something else about the Qantas B747 (at today's farewell):

Mr Joyce said the 747 had played an integral part in the highs of Australia – ferrying hundreds of Olympic medals, sporting trophies, visiting dignitaries and even the Pope and the Queen into the country – but it was also witness to the lows, flying numerous rescue missions, most recently out of Wuhan.

“When Australians needed our help, this aircraft was the first aircraft, because of its reliability,” Mr Joyce said.

“It goes back as far as 1974 when the aircraft evacuated 674 Australians out of Darwin – still the record for the amount of people that were every flown on a 747.”

And it was just one of many flights. A total of 30,000 evacuated.

VH-EBB (the record holder) flew four return trips over two days between DRW-SYD and carried a total of 2350 over those four flights -

 

[RooFlyer]

@justinbrett do you know how 674 was accomplished? I can't imagine they put all economy seats in, so I guess there was a large number of infants, even small children on laps?

 

[Captain Halliday]

@justinbrett do you know how 674 was accomplished? I can't imagine they put all economy seats in, so I guess there was a large number of infants, even small children on laps?

From my time in DRW and the exhibit at the museum there, my understanding is that a blind eye was turned to a few things.

For example, it wasn’t just children up to 2 years seated on laps.