20200715-MMPI0063
On Wednesday 15th July 2020 I toook a day off work to go out to Brisbane Airport (BNE/YBBN) to see the last Qantas Boeing 747-400 series aircraft on its farewell visit to the sunshine state. Qantas has decided to decommission their entire fleet of 747 aircraft a year earlier than expected due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. Fortunately for aviation fans over here Qantas decided to run three farewell joy flights in Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra. Jumbo tragics filled these flights in less than 15 minutes when tickets went on sale, showing the unbelievable popularity for the type in Australia. Affectionately known as "the Queen of the Skies" in Australia for many years, and the love for the Jumbo is easy to see. Qantas took delivery of their first 747 in 1971, and they have been in the inventory continuously for just short of 50 years of sterling service. On the day VH-OEJ "Wunala" 747-438(ER) flew up from Qantas home base at Sydney, touching down at 9am, picked up excited paying passengers at the domestic terminal before receiving the mandatory water cannon salute from the firefighters on the taxi for takeoff. On departure the captain got approval for two flypasts of Brisbane city at 2,000ft then vectored south to the Gold Coast for a flypast of Gold Coast Coolangatta airport. The flight returned to Brisbane after a flight up the coast and around the islands of Moreton Bay. On return to Brisbane the tower cleared Wunala for a ceremonial flypast at 1,500ft up RWY 19R, which is Brisbane's new parallel runway opened on the previous Sunday.The captain banked to port and overflew the Qantas maintenance Hangar 3, where the afternoon celebration hangar party was to take place. She was cleared for a visual approach to RWY19L which greatly pleased the hundreds of waiting spotters that packed the Acacia Street Spotting Loop for a final glimpse of the beautiful jet. I spent the next few hours waiting for planned departure at 4:15pm, unfortunately she was a little late leaving and missed the absolute best light but certainly looked beautiful leaving in late afternoon golden hour light just before sunset. A wonderful day for those that flew on the day, as evidenced by the various aviation groups I post my photos to. A fitting end to the Queen of the Skies in Qantas service, bravo to Qantas for giving us one last look at the legend before she retires to a califonian boneyard on Wed 22/07/2020.
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