VH-VGA. Boeing 737-43Q. c/n 28489-2827.

Was also registered as: B-18671; EI-TVA; OO-VEP; SP-ENI.

 

This aircraft was ordered new by Boullioun Aviation Services - ?

It was on-sold to General Electric Capital Aviation Services Ltd (GECAS) before delivery

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Seattle (Boeing Field) - October 10, 1996

First flown as 'B-18671' - October 29, 1996

Powered by CFM-56-3C1 engines

Accepted by General Electric Capital Aviation Services Ltd (GECAS) - November 22, 1996

Leased to China Airlines of Taiwan as the registered operator - November 22, 1996

Entered onto the Taiwanese Aircraft Register as B-18671 - ?

Returned to GECAS at the end of the lease - November 20, 1998

Entered onto the Irish Aircraft Register as EI-TVA - November 21, 1998

Registered to Aldebaran FSE-One Corporation, Barbados

Leased to Virgin Express Ireland as the registered operator

Ferried Taipei - Phuket - Mumbai - Dubai - Cairo - Brussels in basic China Airlines livery - November 22 - 23, 1998

Ferried Brussels - Norwich for painting into the Virgin Express livery - November 29, 1998

Ferried Brussels - Shannon after painting - December 15, 1998

The aircraft was based at Shannon, Ireland

Operated its first Virgin Express Ireland revenue service Shannon - London (Stansted) - December 18, 1998

Operated its last revenue service London (Stansted) - Cork - Shannon - May 28, 2000

Ferried Shannon - Brussels and returned to the lessor - May 29, 2000

Departed Brussels on the ferry flight to Australia in the Virgin Express livery as 'EI-TVA' - May 30, 2000

It arrived at Brisbane on completion of the ferry flight - June 01, 2000

Ferry route: Brussels - Istanbul - Muscat - Chennai - Singapore - Darwin - Brisbane

Cancelled from the Irish Aircraft Register - June 08, 2000

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-VGA - June 09, 2000

Leased to Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator

The aircraft was named ‘Blue Belle’ at Brisbane - July 09, 2000

Operated the inaugural Virgin Blue service Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as DJ310 - September 07, 2000

Operated its last revenue Virgin Blue service - May 2002

Departed Brisbane in the standard Virgin Blue livery on return to the lessor - May 14, 2002

It arrived at Amsterdam (Schiphol) on completion of the ferry flight - May 15, 2002

Ferry route: Brisbane - Darwin - Kuala Lumper (Subang) - Bangalore - Dubai - Paphos - Amsterdam

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 21, 2002

Returned to AFT Trust-Sub 1 and leased to Virgin Express - May 22, 2002

Operated by Virgin Express Airways, Belgium

Entered onto the Belgian Aircraft Register as OO-VEP - May 24, 2002

Ferried Amsterdam (Schiphol) - Brussels on delivery to Virgin Express - May 24, 2002

Operated its first Virgin Express revenue service Brussels - Barcelona - Brussels - May 25, 2002

It was observed at Brussels in the basic Virgin Blue livery with 'Virgin Expres's fuselage titles - November 11, 2002

Ferried Brussels - Bournemouth for repainting into Brussels Airlines livery - January 29, 2007

Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines merged to form Brussels Airlines - March 25, 2007

Operated its final revenue service Madrid - Brussels as BEL3728 - March 21, 2012

Withdrawn from use and stored at Brussels - March 23, 2012

Ferried Brussels - Athens - Dubai - Singapore for end-of-lease maintenance - March 25, 2012

Prepared for lease to Enter Air Poland

Departed Singapore on the ferry flight to Belgium as BEL9901 - August 02, 2012

It arrived at Brussels on completion of the ferry flight - August 03, 2012

Ferry route: Singapore - Dubai - Athens - Brussels

Handed over to Enter Air Sp.Zo.O at Brussels - August 16, 2012

Cancelled from the Belgian Aircraft Register - August 16, 2012

Entered onto the Polish Aircraft Register as SP-ENI - August 16, 2012

Registered to GE Capital Aviation Service (GECAS), Connecticut, USA

Leased to Enter Air Poland as the registered operator

Ferried Brussels - Warsaw on delivery to Enter Air as ENT734T - August 17, 2012

Operated its first revenue service as ENT1701 / 02 - August 18, 2012

Current status - ?

 

 

EI-TVA. Virgin Express - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, June 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-528.)

VH-VGA. Virgin Blue - 'Blue Belle' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, July 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-109.)

VH-VGA. Virgin Blue - 'Blue Belle' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, February 2002.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-158.)

VH-VGA. Virgin Blue - 'Blue Belle' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, March 2002.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4620-159.)

OO-VEP. Virgin Express - in the 'Virgin Blue' livery at Brussels Airport, August 2002.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-503.)

OO-VEP. Virgin Express - in the 'Virgin Blue' livery at an unknown airport, October 2002.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-132.)

OO-VEP. Brussels Airlines - in the standard livery at Brussels Airport, July 2009.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-457.)