Qantas 747-200 donation to museum
 

Just curious if anyone knows which 742 is retiring in Longreach later this year? And also, where are they putting it!! Bit of a small tarmac.

Any crew accompanying it?? :D :D :D

I have heard rumours about it being ECC

EBQ was the goss' a month ago when it was announced..........

Given that VH-EBS was originally named "Longreach" it would be a good choice if the company has the luxury of making a choice. However, it doesn't really matter which aeroplane goes to the QFOM at Longreach as the fact that Qantas are donating ANY aeroplane is such a major heritage breakthrough. During my 31 years with Qantas (and a similar time with an aviation museum) I was often critical of the company's attitude to heritage matters and past lost opportunities, but in my view the company has now redeemed itself big time. Make no mistake about it - this is a big deal. Even though there may be no market for these aeroplanes there is still a significant commercial penalty in donating an aeroplane to a museum and this penalty may be only partially offset by tax incentives. In a business environment where returns to the shareholders are so important, it is my hope that Qantas shareholders will applaud this outstanding contribution to the preservation of Australia's aviation heritage.

Well done Qantas!

T53C - re the runway. All they need to do is get it in - not fly it out!!! I suppose there isn't much difference between storing it in the heat at Longreach as opposed to storing it in the heat at Marana either...

Wow!
I flew that one a couple of times in my old job, good to see the Big Red Rat doing something nice like that.

FWIW, they should be able to pull the thing up in less than 900 metres ground roll, if they want, so runway length won't be a bother. The brakes only have to last that one more time ... !

Is there a golf course on the end of the runway. ? :D

Seriously it would be great to see one in the museum at Longreach and doesn't time fly :rolleyes: when you're having fun.

It seems like only yesterday that I flew on one of the first 747 flights with wonder and awe all those years ago. :cool: :)

Sounds great - it'll make the museum fantastic!

It's all well and good to land it in 900 metres, but it still has to look pretty on paper for CASA... With nothing in it though she should pull up alright!

Lancer

I doubt ECC would be the one, as I would have thought that the cargo door would make this aircraft attractive to some freight operator somewhere.

Is Longreach still a low strength 1600 odd metre strip 30 metres wide with the odd kangaroo (no pun intended).

Also *Lancer* there is a big difference between landing roll distance (as referred to by 18 wheeler) and landing distance.

Dear Captain Fairing,
You have got to be joking. Quote:
Even though there may be no market for these aeroplanes there is still a significant commercial penalty in donating an aeroplane to a museum and this penalty may be only partially offset by tax incentives

Why is it the budget for the destruction of the 2 SP's in the US was a massive $800,000. This is for the cost of flying them to Arizona, shipping back to Aus the parts we still needed, including engines and the cost to Qantas for the wrecking? I.e. there was no payment for the scrap. Apparently it was because "a Qantas aircraft will never been seen to be scrapped in Australia" as it would have a negative PR reaction. I see no "commercial penelty" in a short flight to Longreach; just saved the company a motza!

Lurk R, mate I was referring to where they are going to actually park the Boeing. Longreach has a small tarmac. You can't swing a cat when an RPT is there, let alone having a jumbo in there as well. Should be interesting anyway.

mention1, i'd heard the 747s were worth approx $18,000 US for scrap (yes, that is a drop in the ocean of other expenses for the positioning flight)

EBQ to Longreach
 

EBQ is the -238 destined for Longreach, at this point in time.

ECB, as you are probably well aware was disposed of to Marana end of last month, and living up to it's nick-name to the very last ( Eventually Comes Back ), returned to Sydney after #4 engine experienced high vibration leading to an in-flight shutdown about 15 mins after takeoff. Finally departed for Marana around 3.30pm on 29th April.

ECC is due to follow on circa 8th August, and EBS circa 1st November.

There is no shortage of crew's wanting to fly EBQ's last flight.

It is planned to park -EBQ facing the Capricorn Hwy at Longreach, to catch the eye of the passing traffic ( hence passing 'trade' ).
Two hangars need to be dismantled to place the aircraft in position. These will then be re-erected.

Portable steel meshing 'taxiway' may be utilised to permit the aircraft to vacate the runway.

Regards

Correction to my previous
 

Reference: ECB.
It's first departed around 3.30pm on 29th April, and the second and final departure was on April 30th.

Regards

Warning Star,

With respect, the tail is planned to be almost over the railway line and illuminated at night. Source; QFOM Board member.

While it'll make a mess of the car parking places [more shade under the wing??], it'll look great! :D

G'day :cool:

Geez Gaunty! You beat me to it!

I was going to say that they were going to donate a 744 to a BKK golf course but changed their mind!! :) :)

B772, I'm aware of the difference between the two, but the aircraft has to still be capable of doing it legally... You can stop it under 1000m but CASA don't like you trying at airports that short :)

It'll be the highest point for about 200nm!

Lancer

mention1
Firstly I am not a pilot and I have never misrepresented myself as such, Captain or otherwise. Secondly, no I am not joking. Preserving old aeroplanes is not something I am given to joking about. Thanks for sharing with us some apparently privileged information regarding the economics of the disposal of the SPs. If indeed Qantas has a policy that "a Qantas aircraft will never be seen to be scrapped in Australia" that's probably not such a bad policy. I don't know if you've ever seen an aeroplane broken up but it's not a pretty sight for someone who loves aeroplanes. If indeed the donation of a 742 to Longreach is going to save Qantas "a motza" then clearly the company is on to a good thing and other aviation museums can presumably anticipate offers of similar donations. No, I think not. Despite the fact that there is probably only one other aviation museum in Australia that might even contemplate accepting a 747, there are also PR considerations for an airline having one of its aeroplanes in a museum. It is obviously in the airline's interests to ensure that the aircraft is maintained and displayed in an appropriate manner and this places a significant ongoing burden on the museum. For this reason, the congratulations which I previously extended to Qantas, are now happily (and belatedly) extended to The Qantas Founders Outback Museum. So mention1, instead of looking for something negative, why not celebrate this for what it is, the most significant aviation heritage breakthrough in many years.