Author Topic: 747 donated to HARS Museum (Read 1355 times)

Des · « **on:** February 16, 2015, 12:29:51 PM »

Qantas Airways 747-400 aircraft VH-OJA holds the world record for the longest ever commercial flight, non-stop from London to Sydney in 20 hours, 9 minutes and 5 seconds in August 1989.

Now, the retired aircraft in early March 2015 will undertake its shortest-ever flight, from Sydney to Illawarra Regional Airport in Albion Park, NSW, with an expected flying time of just 10 minutes.

Qantas is donating the aircraft, also known as "City of Canberra" to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), as flagged by Fairfax Media earlier this month. The facility is home to the largest collection of both flying and static heritage aircraft in Australia, including an old airworthy Qantas Lockheed Super Constellation which frequently flies to airshows around the country.

The Albion Park airport is only a 20 drive from my place and it is where I took my flying lesson way back in 1967, the runway is just long enough to allow the Jumbo to land but it will never be able to take-off from the runway. Flight simulator training has been on-going for quite some time now to make sure the pilots are familiar with the small regional airport. I hope to be there the day this 747 lands.

Des.

15badcats · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2015, 01:01:01 PM »

Wow thats great! I love the 747 One of my first models was a 747 I watched the 747 they have at the Evergreen aviation museum land and it was a lot of fun

lcarroll · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2015, 01:29:17 PM »

A real day of Aviation History, Des. Not only should you be there, but send us all a report and even a photo or two!
Cheers,
Lance

Ernie · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2015, 06:14:29 PM »

Quote from: lcarroll on February 16, 2015, 01:29:17 PM

A real day of Aviation History, Des. Not only should you be there, but send us all a report and even a photo or two!
Cheers,
Lance

My thoughts too, Des. Some photos would be great.

Cheers,
Ernie

WarrenD · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2015, 02:40:37 AM »

As Lance said, that's some great aviation history. Glad this old girl will have a home, but it is kind of sad knowing she'll never get to fly again, but will have to just watch from the sidelines.

I'd sure like to see that Connie fly. One of my earliest, and most memorable aviation memories is walking out on the tarmac, just after a rain, in Atlanta to board an Eastern Airlines DC-3 on the last leg of our flight home from Washington D.C. Being just three years old, I had no idea that I was experiencing the end of an aviation era. However, I can still see her sitting there as my mom held my hand, the lights' reflecting off of the wet pavement after a thunderstorm, etc.

Warren

Des · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2015, 06:14:23 AM »

Warren, here is a short clip of the Connie taking off at dusk, this is the Connie that resides at Albion Park and will be displayed with the 747 when she arrives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dExlu488bM4

Des.

WarrenD · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2015, 06:39:51 AM »

Thanks Des, that was great! I honestly think that the Connie was the prettiest airliner anyone has produced. It reminds me of when air travel was still considered glamorous. I'm glad that in my youth I got to witness air travel at a time you were still expected to dress for the occasion, now it's just like a cattle truck. No class, no glamor any more.

Warren

Des · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2015, 09:35:42 AM »

I also believe that the Connie was one of the prettiest looking airliners ever built, I know the sound of this aeroplane and when I hear it coming I go outside to watch her fly over, always at a low height, absolutely beautiful to watch and hear.
Also a frequent visitor over my house is the PBY Catalina and a DC.3, love the sound of those old radials and both from the HARS Museum.

Des.

WarrenD · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2015, 09:47:54 AM »

Des,
Radial aircraft engines are one of the three best man-made sounds in the world.

Warren

Whiteknuckles · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2015, 07:38:43 PM »

March 8 is suppossed to be the day Des. I'm also hoping to be there, either as spectator or as part of Fire Rescue NSW's contingent (I'm now based at Shellharbour Fire Station).
Seeing the HARS aircraft flyover never fails to give me a thrill - the Connie, DC3's, Neptune, Black Cat and the Caribou!! I hope they get the DC6 up and going fairly soon - another glorious bird!!

Andrew

p.s.: they also have a F111 and a Mirage on static display

Des · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2015, 07:50:44 PM »

Thanks Andrew for the heads-up on the date, I will try my hardest to get there but from all reports it is going to be packed out with spectators, they are saying it will be standing room only, just imagine the traffic congestion.

Des.

Whiteknuckles · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2015, 08:55:31 PM »

It's bad enough through that area on the weekends and public holiday weekends let alone an event such as this!!
Many of the roads, many of them major roads, will be closed for long periods.....

Apparently VH-OJA will be minimal fuel, tyres at a low pressure (specified by Boeing), and only able to use the inboard thrust reversers. There is much concern regarding runway damage due to weight.....Connie went through a taxiway tarmac prior to last years Wings over the Illawarra Airshow and got stuck out in the middle of the airfield which resulted in most of the flying program being cancelled (they blamed high winds on the day...).

I will be coming off a night shift that morning so i'll be a spectator

Andrew

Des · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:46:20 AM »

I know the pilots have been doing extensive flight simulator training on a program designed specifically for Albion Park airport, but they also have to take into account weather conditions on the day. I did all of my flying training from Albion Park and it can be a very windy place, especially cross winds on runway 16, having the mountain in close proximity doesn't help.

I imagine traffic control will be the responsibility of the police, parking is always a headache on a weekend and the carpark at the airport is only reasonably small. I also think a lot of the roads will be closed especially the one which pass under the flight path, just in case....

I know they did a major upgrade of the runway a few years back but I don't know whether they factored in a 747 one day landing there, they are heavy suckers....

Des.

Des · « **Reply #13 on:** March 13, 2015, 02:06:20 PM »

The Qantas 747 landed at Albion Park regional airport on Sunday 8th at 7.45am, even though it was early there were tens of thousands of spectators and plenty of road closures. Because of the crowds and the road issues I didn't go to see the landing but here are some photos from our local newspaper.

Qantas technicians will be coming down to remove three of the engines, apparently they still have three years of life left in them so they will replace them with time up engines.

The aircraft landed with the thrust reversers selected but they did not have to be engaged, they managed to stop the aircraft with brakes alone, apparently the pilot only deviated 30cm off the centre line for the entire length of the runway, a superb landing. Because it is only a small regional airport and not very wide both outboard engines were hanging over the sides of the runway.

Des.