VH-TBG Boeing 727-276A

VH-TBG. Boeing 727-276A. c/n 20552-906.

Was also registered as: XA-SJU.

This was the first of four Boeing 727 series 200 aircraft ordered new by Trans Australia Airlines - ?

Rolled out at Boeing Renton - October 05, 1972

First flown as 'N1779B' - November 02, 1972

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TBG - November 12, 1972

Registered to Trans-Australia Airlines, Melbourne

Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at Seattle - December 07, 1972

Departed Seattle on the delivery flight to Australia - December 09, 1972

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - December 11, 1972

Delivery route: Seattle - Honolulu - Pago Pago - Brisbane

Flight crew: Captains F. Fischer, E. C. Clark

The aircraft was named 'Charles Sturt'

Operated a proving flight Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - January 07, 1973

The aircraft was used for crew training and port familiarisation

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as TN436 - March 01, 1973

It was involved in the evacuation of Darwin following the Cyclone Tracy disaster - December 25, 1974

Operated its first Adelaide - Darwin - Adelaide (West Beach) flight evacuating 297 passengers - December 29, 1974

Operated its second Adelaide - Darwin - Adelaide (West Beach) flight evacuating 175 passengers - December 29, 1974

Operated its third Adelaide - Alice Springs - Adelaide flight evacuating 235 passengers - December 30, 1974

It operated its last service in the original livery - February 09, 1981

Rolled out at Melbourne (Tullamarine) in the new 'camel-hump' livery - March 31, 1981

Returned to service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - ? - April 09, 1981

Trans-Australia Airlines changed its name to Australian Airlines - August 04, 1986

It operated its last service in the Trans-Australia 'camel-hump' livery - May 31, 1988

It was officially transferred to Australian Airlines - July 11, 1988

Returned to service in Australian Airlines livery Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Coolangatta as TN488 - July 29, 1988

Registered to Australian Airlines - November 01, 1988

It operated its final revenue service with Australian Airlines - August 06, 1992

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

The aircraft had flown 57,657.47 hours with 43,805 cycles

Sold to Extex International - July 21, 1993

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United States as TN6903 - July 22, 1993

Ferry route: Melbourne - Sydney - Apia - Honolulu - Las Vegas - Dallas (Fort Worth)

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - July 27, 1993

It was observed at Fort Worth (Meacham) Airport undergoing maintenance - August 30, 1993

Entered onto the Mexican Aircraft Register as XA-SJU - September 1993

Registered to Aero Ejecutivo t/a Aeroexo

Leased to Aviacsa as the registered operator - December 1994

It was observed at Cancun with Aviacsa titles - February 13, 1995

Returned to Aeroexo on termination of lease - March 1996

Withdrawn from service and stored minus engines at Monterrey (General Mariano Escobeldo) - December 31, 1998

It was observed at Monterrey Airport in poor condition - October 12, 2000

It was observed at Monterrey Airport in a poor condition - July 16, 2002

Broken up after 2002

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1973.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-494.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 04, 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-499.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 13, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-267.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 04, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-500.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 11, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-501.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 17, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-495.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 14, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-502.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 10, 1979.

(W. Spargo Copyright Image 4611-015.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 06, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-455.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 03, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-707.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 12, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-467.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 13, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-469.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Charles Sturt' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 04, 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-466.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia - 'Charles Sturt' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1981.

(W. Spargo Copyright Image 4611-016.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia - 'Charles Sturt' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 02, 1983.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-447.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia - 'Charles Sturt' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 06, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-468.)

VH-TBG. TAA Trans Australia - 'Charles Sturt' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 17, 1987.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-080.)

XA-SJU. Aviacsa - in the all-white livery with 'AeroExo' tail logo at an unknown airport, March 1993.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-534.)

XA-SJU. Aviacsa - in the standard livery with 'AeroExo' tail logo at an unknown airport, March 1995.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-002.)

XA-SJU. AeroExo - in the final livery at Miami Airport, February 1997.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-222.)

XA-SJU. Aviacsa - in the standard livery with 'AeroExo' tail logo at Monterrey Airport, June 1999.