VH-TJF. Boeing 737-476. c/n 24431-1863.

Was also registered as: N431AG; HK-5139.

 

 

Second on nine aircraft ordered new by Australian Airlines - July 28, 1988

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Renton - April 20, 1990

Powered by CFM International CFM-56-3C1 engines

First flown as VH-TJF - May 05, 1990

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TJF - June 04, 1990

Registered to Australian Airlines Ltd, Melbourne

Accepted by Australian Airlines at Seattle (Boeing Field) - June 04, 1990

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia as TN1399 - June 08, 1990

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - June 10, 1990

Delivery route: Seattle - Fairchild International - Port Angeles - Honolulu - Nadi - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Brolga'

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as TN572 - June 14, 1990

Australian Airlines was sold to Qantas Airways Ltd - September 14, 1992

Australian Airlines initially continued to operate as a separate identity with some flights jointly flown

between the two carriers

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

Ownership was transferred to Qantas Airways Ltd - December 08, 1993

Registered to DenPen Pty Ltd - August 15, 2008

Leased to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney as the registered operator

Operated 'final' revenue service Canberra - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF477 - October 17, 2011

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Melbourne (Avalon) as QF6111 for storage - October 17, 2011

Ferried Melbourne (Avalon) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF6111 - October 24, 2011

Returned to service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Adelaide (West Beach) as QF487 - October 25, 2011

Operated final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF487 - November 12, 2011

All Qantas titles and logos were removed at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) in the basic Qantas livery as QF6019 - November 19, 2011

Departed Sydney on the ferry flight to the United States for storage as QF6027 - November 20, 2011

It arrived at Victorville on completion of the ferry flight - November 20, 2011

Ferry route: Melbourne - Sydney - Apia - Honolulu - Victorville

Stored at Victorville in the basic Qantas livery

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - September 23, 2013

Sold to AerGo Capital Leasing - September 23, 2013

Sold to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest - September 26, 2013

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N431AG - October 27, 2013

Registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest

Ferried Victorville - Tampa for storage pending freighter conversion - October 28, 2013

It was observed stored at Tampa in the basic 'Qantas' livery - November 12, 2013

Ferried Tampa - Lakeland (Linder Regional) for storage - May 02, 2014

Sold to Innovation Aviation - December 24, 2014

Ferried Lakeland (Linder Regional) - Tampa - January 12, 2015

Registered to Aerotrust Services Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware - January 16, 2015

Converted to freighter configeration by ACG Acquisitions at Tampa, Florida

The aircraft is now classified as a Boeing 737-476SF

Ferried Tampa - Lakeland (Linder Regional) on completion of the freighter conversion - May 02, 2015

Ferried Lakeland (Linder Regional) - Bogota (Colombia) on delivery to AerCaribe - June 14, 2015

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - June 17, 2015

Entered onto the Colombian Aircraft Register as HK-5139 - July 10, 2015

Leased to AerCaribe S.A., Bogota, Colombia as the registered operator

It was observed at Bogota in the standard 'AerCaribe Cargo' livery - January 21, 2016

Aircraft was named 'Sebas'

This aircraft was damaged beyond repair whilst landing at Bogota - November 09, 2016

The aircraft suffered structural damage to both main landing gear struts

This caused the wheels to rotate out of the intended movement direction

The runway surface (13R) was badly damaged when the right hand tyres burst

The aircraft was stored at Bogota

Current status - ?

 

 

VH-TJF. Australian - 'Brolga' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4622-610.)

VH-TJF. Australian - 'Brolga' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, March 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-069.)

VH-TJF. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'Brolga' in the standard livery with additional '75 Years' logo at Brisbane Airport, August 1995.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-071.)

VH-TJF. Qantas The Australian Airline - 'Brolga' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, August 1996.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-070.)

VH-TJF. Qantas Spirit of Australia - 'Brolga' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, December 2008.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-444.)

VH-TJF. Qantas - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 19, 2011.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4623-299.)