This aircraft was ordered new by International Lease Finance Company (ILFC)

Rolled off Boeing production line at Seattle (Boeing Field) - September 21, 2001

First flown as 'N1786B' - October 01, 2001

Powered by CFM International CFM56-7B20 engines

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-VBD - October 05, 2001

Registered to International Lease Finance Company

Leased to Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator

Accepted by ILFC at Seattle (Boeing Field) - October 17, 2001

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia as DJ738 - October 17, 2001

Arrived Brisbane on completion of the delivery flight - October 19, 2001

Delivery route: Seattle - Maui - Nadi - Brisbane

The aircraft was named 'Sassy Sydney'

Operated its first revenue service Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as DJ344 - October 26, 2001

Registered to International Lease Finance Company - March 31, 2005

Leased to Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator

The flight crew experienced a flight control problem on the flight from Melbourne - Sydney - August 09, 2005

To view the ATSB report on this incident please click 'HERE'

It was retrofitted with winglets - September 2007

Virgin Blue was renamed Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd - May 04, 2011

Operated its final revenue service Adelaide (West Beach) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as DJ242 - September 07, 2011

Departed Melbourne on the ferry flight to Kuala Lumpur (Subang)1on return to the lessor - September 07, 2011

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 17, 2011

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N331LF - October 17, 2011

Registered to International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), Los Angeles

Departed Kuala Lumpur on the ferry flight to Argentina as AR1004 - November 20, 2011

Arrived at Buenos Aires on completion of the ferry flight - November 27, 2011

Delivery route: Kuala Lumpur (Subang) - Mauritius - Luanda - Recife - Buenos Aires

Aircraft had flown 30,659 hours with 22,091 cycles

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - December 07, 2011

Entered onto the Argentinean Aircraft Register as LV-CSI - December 07, 2011

Registered to International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC)

Leased to Aerolineas Argentinas as the registered operator

Withdrawn from service and prepared for return to the lessor - November 2016

Departed Buenos Aires on the ferry flight to the United States - November 10, 2016

Arrived Everett (Paine Field) on completion of the ferry flight - November 11, 2016

Cancelled from the Argentine Aircraft Register - November 2016

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N7853B - November 14, 2016

Registered to Wilmington Trust Co Trustee, Wilmington, Delaware

Leased to Southwest Airlines as the registered operator

Ferried Everett (Paine Field) - Dallas (Fort Worth) on delivery to Southwest Airlines - April 18, 2017

Current with Southwest Airlines

VH-VBD. Virgin Blue - 'Sassy Sydney' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, January 01, 2005.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 4622-569.)

VH-VBD. Virgin Blue - 'Sassy Sydney' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, October 11, 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-301.)

VH-VBD. Virgin Blue - 'Sassy Sydney' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, October 11, 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4622-570.)

VH-VBD. Virgin Blue - 'Sassy Sydney' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, October 11, 2005.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4622-571.)

VH-VBD. Virgin Blue - 'Sassy Sydney' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, July 07, 2010.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 4622-568.)