Qantas Boeing 747 temporarily returns to Perth services (AAWA airside visit): 30 July 2018
David Eyre
1 min read
VH-OEF Boeing 747-438ER (MSN 32910/1313) of Qantas, named 'Sydney', with Oneworld titles, at Perth Airport – 30 July 2018. Photo © David Eyre. Arriving on runway 21 at 2:11pm as QF581 from Sydney. This marks the temporary return of Qantas' Boeing 747s to Perth, operating domestic flights between Sydney and Perth for crew training purposes, prior to the gradual retirement of the Boeing 747 from Qantas' fleet by 2020. Taken during an Aviation Association of WA Inc (AAWA) airside visit.
Arriving on runway 21 at 2:11pm as QF581 from Sydney. This marks the temporary return of Qantas’ Boeing 747s to Perth, operating domestic flights between Sydney and Perth for crew training purposes, prior to the gradual retirement of the Boeing 747 from Qantas’ fleet by 2020. Taken during an Aviation Association of WA Inc (AAWA) airside visit.
30 July 2018 © David Eyre
Perth Airport witnessed the return of Qantas’ iconic Boeing 747 today, with the arrival of Boeing 747-438ER VH-OEF ‘Sydney’.
Qantas is using Boeing 747s on domestic flights between Sydney and Perth temporarily, due to pilot training requirements on another type, the Boeing 737. Qantas has 75 Boeing 737s in the fleet and around 600 737 pilots, but some of these are being trained to fly Boeing 787 Dreamliners and others are being used on routes which have downsized from A330s.
The Aviation Association of Western Australia Inc (AAWA) were granted special permission by Perth Airport to go airside and see the historic return of the Queen of the Skies, the Boeing 747.
October 1977: The first of three 747 Combi aircraft, VH-ECA, was delivered.
Interesting to note that VH-ECA is a Cessna 152 based at Bunbury Flying School.
Australian aircraft registrations are re-used. VH-ECA was also previously used by a Lockheed L-188 Electra.