VH-TAD Airbus A300B4-203

VH-TAD. Airbus A300B4-203. c/n 196.

Was also registered as: N372PC; A6-MDB.

This aircraft was the last of four aircraft ordered new by Trans Australia Airlines (T.A.A.) - December 10, 1974

First flown at Toulouse as 'F-WZET' - May 13, 1982

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAD - June 30, 1982

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Departed Toulouse on the delivery flight to Australia - June 30, 1982

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - July 03, 1982

Delivery route: Toulouse - Bahrain - Madras -S ingapore - Perth - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'William Light'

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as TN542 - July 04, 1982

Ownership was transferred to Australian Airlines when the airline was renamed - July 11, 1988

Leased to Air Niugini - December 08, 1986 to January 31, 1987

Painted in the standard Qantas livery at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - September 1993

Operated its first revenue service in the 'Qantas' livery Melbourne - Sydney as TN454 - September 11, 1993

Australian Airlines was merged with Qantas Airways - October 31, 1993

Ownership was transferred to Qantas - December 08, 1993

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF459 - October 24, 1998

This flight marked the final Qantas Airbus A300 service

It was placed in storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - December 21, 1998

Sold to Pinnacle Air Cargo Enterprises / Pace Cargo - December 23, 1998

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N372PC - January 1999

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to Dresden, Germany - January 24, 1999

Ferry route: Melbourne - Pago Pago - Honolulu - Seattle - Gander - Dresden

Converted to full freighter configuration at Dresden

Ferried Dresden - Bristol (Filton) on completion of the reighter conversion - July 07, 1999

Ferried Bristol (Filton) - Bangor - Roswell for storage - August 25, 1999

Leased to Express.net Airlines Inc, Florida - May 06, 2000

Used to operate services for Emery Air Freight

Ferried Detroit (Willow Run) - Gander - Paris (Orly) - Beirut in the basic 'Express.net' livery - September 27 - 28, 2006

Sold to Midex Airlines, United Arab Emirates - October 21, 2006

Seen at Al Ain in service as N372PC - July 03, 2007

Seen at Dubai Air Show in the Midex livery as 'A6-MDB' - November 11, 2007

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - January 29, 2008

Entered onto the United Arab Emirates Aircraft Register as A6-MDB - January 2008

In service with Midex Airlines

The aircraft was named 'Midex 2'

The aircraft was advertised for sale - November 27, 2010

It was recorded as having flown 41,690 hours with 33,273 cycles to date

It was withdrawn from service at Nadia International Airport, Abu Dhabi - March 2011

It was parted out with the derelict remains at Abu Dhabi

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-113.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 26, 1982.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0310-116.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-114.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 13, 1982.

(W. Spargo Copyright Image 0310-175.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 19, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0310-012.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 22, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0310-050.)

VH-TAD. TAA Trans Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 02, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0310-013.)

VH-TAD. Australian - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1989.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-117.)

VH-TAD. Australian - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1989.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-118.)

VH-TAD. Australian - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 12, 1993.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0310-051.)

VH-TAD. Australian - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, February 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0310-025.)

VH-TAD. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 07, 1993.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 0310-137.)

VH-TAD. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, October 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0310-120.)

VH-TAD. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1993.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-119.)

VH-TAD. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'William Light' in the standard livery with additional '75 Years Birthday' decal at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1996.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0310-053.)

VH-TAD. Qantas The Spirit Of Australia - 'William Light' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1998.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0310-054.)

VH-TAD. Qantas - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1998.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-129.)

N372PC. Pinnacle Air Cargo Enterprises - in the basic Qantas livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1998.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 0310-148.)

A6-MDB. Midex - 'Midex 2' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 2008.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0310-159.)

A6-MDB. Midex - 'Midex 2' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 2008.