VH-CZG. Boeing 737-377. c/n 23659-1292.

Was also registered as: G-CELW; N659DG.

 

 

This aircraft was ordered new by Ansett with finance provided via Credit Lyonnais Australia Ltd - June 21, 1985

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Seattle (Boeing Field) - September 18, 1986

First flown as VH-CZG - October 06, 1986

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-CZG - November 20, 1986

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Accepted by Ansett at Seattle (Boeing Field) - November 20, 1986

The aircraft was configured with 24 First and 78 Economy Class seats

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia as AN34 - November 20, 1986

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - November 23, 1986

Delivery route: Seattle - Hilo (overnight) - Nadi (overnight) - Melbourne

Flight crew: Captains K. Wallace, P. Feeney; LAME C. Struber

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Hobart as AN67 - November 28, 1986

Flight crew: Capt N. McFarland

Operated its final revenue service Adelaide (West Beach) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as AN182 - September 13, 2001

Ansett suspended operations due to bankruptcy - September 13, 2001

The aircraft was placed in open storage at the Ansett Terminal, Melbourne (Tullamarine)

Advertised for immediate sale by Aviation Capital Group - December 20, 2001

The aircraft had flown 42,957 hours with 30,132 cycles

Sold to the Dart Group Plc for operation by Channel Express (Air Services) UK

The aircraft was to be converted to freight configuration by Israel Aircraft Industries / Bedek Aviation Group

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to Israel in the Ansett livery as AN40 - June 23, 2002

It arrived at Tel Aviv on completion of the ferry flight - June 25, 2002

Ferry route: Melbourne - Perth - Cocos Islands - Male - Bahrain - Cairo - Tel Aviv

Flight crew: Captains P. Doery, D. McCutcheon; Engineers W. Bird, H. Baxi

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - July 01, 2002

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-CELW (CofR G-CELW/R1) - July 04, 2002

Registered to Dart Group Plc

Placed in storage at Tel Aviv until the freighter conversion was required by Channel Express

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - August 15, 2002

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N659DG - August 16, 2002

Registered on a temporary certificate to Wilmington Trust Co. Trustee, Wilmington, U.S.A.

Sold to Dart Group - October 02, 2003

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - October 03, 2003

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-CELW (CofR G-CELW/R2) - October 03, 2003

Ferried Tel Aviv - London (Stansted) on delivery to Channel Express - December 15, 2003

Operated by Channel Express as a freighter

Channel Express was merged with Jet 2 - January 03, 2006

It was observed parked at Exeter in the basic Channel Express livery with 'Jet 2.com' titles - April 13, 2010

Operated Exeter - Nottingham in freighter configuration with 'Jet 2' - May 28, 2010

It was permanently based at Exeter to operate Royal Mail services - 2013

Operated its final freighter revenue service Belfast - Bradford (Leeds) as EXS033E - January 13, 2017

Ferried Bradford (Leeds) - Cotswold (Kemble) for scrapping by Air Salvage International - January 15, 2017

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - ?

 

 

VH-CZG. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 12, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4623-329.)

VH-CZG. Ansett - in the 'Southern Cross' livery with additional 'Bi-Centennial' logo at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-015.)

VH-CZG. Ansett - in the 'Union Jack' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 09, 1991.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4623-330.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Australia - in the 'Starmark' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, February 1998.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4621-967.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Australia - in the 'Starmark' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1999.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4621-965.)

G-CELW. Channel Express - in the standard livery at Bournemouth Airport, April 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-337.)

G-CELW. Channel Express - in the standard livery at Bournemouth Airport, April 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-338.)