Aviation 10

was then prepared for a record-breaking,

one-off, direct  ight between the UK and

Australia. This 11,185-mile (18,001km)  ight

departed Heathrow on August 16, 1989. The

aircraft arrived in Australia just over 20 hours

later. To achieve this feat, VH-OJA was

 own with no passengers or cargo, which

reduced fuel burn.

Its arrival in Sydney caused a sensation,

with large crowds gathering to witness it

land. In honour of the extreme distance

 own, this aircraft and all subsequent

Qantas 747-438s were given the nickname

of Longreach – a tribute to both its

distance record and the Queensland town

of Longreach where Qantas was founded

in 1920.

The 747-438 ushered in a new era for

Qantas, with improvements in efficiency

matched by a vastly enhanced passenger

experience. David Crotty re ected on

these improvements: “As the  rst major

update and re-design of the classic 747,

it introduced all new seats in all classes.

These provided greater comfort on the

longer legs  own by the 747-438. Larger

galleys allowed a better range of food and

faster speed for food service.”

In 2001 Qantas

became the  rst

and only operator

of the 747-400ER passenger variant. The

airline took delivery of six 747-438ERs,

which are powered by General Electric GE

CF6-8 engines delivering a range of 8,800

miles (14,160km). By adding these aircraft

Qantas could operate longer haul services,

such as Sydney to Dallas-Fort Worth, while

their capacity enabled the airline to retire

its older 747-238 and 747-338 models. The

most signi cant of these retirements took

place in November 2002 when Boeing 747-

238 VH-EBQ was ferried from Sydney to

Longreach in Queensland. Upon arrival, the

747 was donated to the Qantas Founders

Outback Museum and remains on display at

the airport to this day.

FLYING ART SERIES

Through its Flying Art Series, Qantas

has promoted the artwork and heritage

of the indigenous Australian people, to

international acclaim. The programme has

resulted in  ve spectacular liveries being

applied to six aircraft (three 747s, one 787-9

and two 737-800s − one of the latter has

reverted to the standard livery), the  rst

emerging in 1994, and the latest in February

this year. Leading design agency, Balarinji,

has developed all of the works in the series,

in collaboration with Aboriginal artists and

their representatives.

Three 747s have been adorned with

two of the art schemes. The  rst – a -438

model, registered VH-OJB – was called

Wunala Dreaming and was painted in a

special red indigenous artwork livery in 1994

in anticipation of Qantas’ 75th anniversary.

In 2003, Wunala Dreaming was transferred

to VH-OEJ, a -438ER model. The special

livery remained in place until 2011 before the

aircraft was repainted in the standard version

in use at the time.

The other specially marked aircraft was

VH-EBU, a -338 model. It wore a green/

blue variant called Nalanji Dreaming. It was

revealed in 1995 during the 75th anniversary

celebration and was retired a decade later.

TWILIGHT YEARS

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s the

747 remained the backbone of the Qantas

 eet, with 31 of the -400/400ER airframes

 ying for the airline. However, in 2000, the

carrier announced an order for the Airbus

A380, signalling the  rst major change in

equipment for its long-haul  eet since 1967.

The airline’s 2005 choice to purchase

the highly efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner,

combined with its lack of interest in the 747-8

30 Aviation News incorporating Jets October 2018

FROM THE FLIGHT DECK

Qantas Captain Bradley Fisher gives a brief insight into commanding the Boeing

747-438. “I  rst  ew the 747 in 1987 as a co-pilot. I then moved to the 767 for a

number of years as a co-pilot and captain and went back to the 747 as a captain

in 2004. When doing a walk around the aircraft, you realise its sheer size. It has

a 65m wing span, it is 70m in length, and the tail tops out at 20 metres above the

ground. Standing beneath this aircraft it is a breathtaking sight.

“The 747 cockpit is quite small. The operation of the controls is straightforward,

and the wing span is broad – when taxiing, it means you need to be very aware

of wing tip clearances. It requires a bit of oversteer as we sit two metres forward

of the nose gear, and 30m forward of the main wheels. At certain airports,

narrow taxiways and runway-end-reversals can provide a challenge.

“My standout  ight was this year, when the Constellation Journeys company

chartered one of our Qantas 747s for its inaugural round-the-world trip. We

 ew 266 passengers over 21 days to seven destinations − Hanoi, New Delhi,

Kilimanjaro, Marrakesh, New York, Havana, Tahiti and then home to Sydney;

clocking up just over 42,000km! It was a 747 career highlight for me.

“The famous old Hong Kong Airport, Kai Tak, was my favourite. Flying with

buildings sitting off the wingtips and above us, and turning at the last minute was

a great challenge, and fun for pilots to demonstrate their  ying skills.”

Inside the business class cabin aboard a Qantas 747. Chris Frame

In November 2002, 747-238 VH-EBQ was ferried from Sydney to Longreach in Queensland, after being donated to the Qantas Founders Outback

Museum. It is illustrated alongside the collection’s Boeing 707 and Douglas C-47. Other aircraft on show include a Consolidated Catalina and a

Lockheed Super Constellation. QFM