Post by flyjoe180 on Jun 13, 2007 14:35:32 GMT 12
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/travel/qantas-jet-touches-down-for-last-time/2007/06/11/1181414175433.html
Australia's first passenger jet aircraft touched down yesterday for the final time in the outback Queensland town of Longreach, where national airline Qantas began in 1920.
The 47-year-old Boeing 707 underwent a four year restoration after being rescued in the United Kingdom where it had been earmarked for the scrap heap.
Named the City of Canberra, the plane will become a permanent display at Longreach's Qantas Founders' Museum.
Pilot Captain Roger Walter said the plane was a joy to fly.
"It's just an absolute thrill every time to be able to get into," Captain Walter told the Ten Network.
"It's very different to flying a modern jet aircraft with modern instrumentation."
But despite 18,000 hours of work to restore it, the Boeing will not fly again.
Warwick Tainton, chairman of the Qantas Foundation Memorial, which administers the museum, said he was sorry the plane would now be grounded.
"I'm a little bit bitter from the point of view it's not going to fly again," Mr Tainton said.
"It's flying so well and been so well maintained and brought back to life.
"The engineers have done a terrific job."
Museum manager Colin Westwood said the passenger jet made aviation history by cutting 21 hours off the flight time from Australia to England.
"It did really herald a social change in Australia and its social interaction with the rest of the world," he said.
AAP
Nice photo on that article too.
Australia's first passenger jet aircraft touched down yesterday for the final time in the outback Queensland town of Longreach, where national airline Qantas began in 1920.
The 47-year-old Boeing 707 underwent a four year restoration after being rescued in the United Kingdom where it had been earmarked for the scrap heap.
Named the City of Canberra, the plane will become a permanent display at Longreach's Qantas Founders' Museum.
Pilot Captain Roger Walter said the plane was a joy to fly.
"It's just an absolute thrill every time to be able to get into," Captain Walter told the Ten Network.
"It's very different to flying a modern jet aircraft with modern instrumentation."
But despite 18,000 hours of work to restore it, the Boeing will not fly again.
Warwick Tainton, chairman of the Qantas Foundation Memorial, which administers the museum, said he was sorry the plane would now be grounded.
"I'm a little bit bitter from the point of view it's not going to fly again," Mr Tainton said.
"It's flying so well and been so well maintained and brought back to life.
"The engineers have done a terrific job."
Museum manager Colin Westwood said the passenger jet made aviation history by cutting 21 hours off the flight time from Australia to England.
"It did really herald a social change in Australia and its social interaction with the rest of the world," he said.
AAP
Nice photo on that article too.
