ZK-NZY. Boeing 747-219B. c/n 22725-563.

Was also registered as: G-VPUF; N705TA; VP-BQC.

 

 

This aircraft was built by The Boeing Company, Everett, Seattle, Washington for Air New Zealand

Rolled out in the Air New Zealand livery - May 10, 1982

First flown with the Boeing test registration 'N6005C' - May 27, 1982

Powered by Rolls Royce RB211-524G engines

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-NZY - June 22, 1982

Registered to Air New Zealand Limited, Auckland, New Zealand

Accepted by Air New Zealand at Everett (Paine Field) - June 22, 1982

The aircraft was named 'Te Arawa' (The path of time)

This aircraft was the fourth Boeing 747 delivered to Air New Zealand

It arrived at Auckland on completion on the delivery flight - June 1982

Operated its first revenue service - July 1982

Leased to Air Pacific as the registered operator - August 01, 1993

The aircraft was renamed 'Island of Viti Levu'

Operated its last Air Pacific revenue service Nadi - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as FL914 - August 02, 1996

Returned to Air New Zealand at the end of the lease - August 02, 1996

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Avalon) for post-lease maintenance - August 03, 1996

This included the removal of the Air Pacific name and tail logo

Ferried Melbourne (Avalon) - Auckland as NZ6124 - August 20, 1996

Returned to service with Air New Zealand in the basic Air Pacific livery - August 25, 1996

The aircraft had small 'Air New Zealand' titles applied above the forward entrance door

Operated its final revenue service - June 1999

The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Auckland

It had had flown 77,847 hours with 14,434 cycles at this time

Major upgrading of the aircraft's interior was carried out at Auckland - 2000

This included new sidewall panelling, new seat covers and carpets and galley upgrade

It was sold to Virgin Atlantic Airways - March 2000

Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-VPUF (CofR G-VPUF/R1) - March 21, 2000

Registered to Virgin Atlantic Airways, London

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - March 22, 2000

Handed over to Virgin Atlantic at Aucklsand - March 22, 2000

The aircraft was named 'Highasa Kite'

Departed Auckland on the ferry flight to the Holland - March 22, 2000

It arrived at Amsterdam (Schiphol) on completion of the ferry flight - March 23, 2000

The aircraft was repainted at Amsterdam into the Virgin Atlantic livery

Delivered to Virgin Atlantic at London (Gatwick) - April 2000

Operated its final Virgin Atlantic revenue service - ?

It arrived at Mojave, California for storage - May 07, 2002

Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - March 17, 2005

Sold to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Trustee - March 21, 2005

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N705TA - May 24, 2005

Registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Trustee

Ferried Mojave - San Antonio, Texas for storage

The aircraft underwent maintenance in preparation for its sale to Transaero, Russia - 2006

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - September 27, 2006

Entered onto the Bermuda Aircraft Register as VP-BQC - September 27, 2006

Ferried San Antonio - Moscow (Domodedovo) on delivery to Transaero - October 01, 2006

Entered service with Transaero - October 2006

Operated its final revenue service - ?

The aircraft was withdrawn from use at Moscow (Domodedovo) - November 11, 2011

Ferried into storage at Griffiss Airpark, Rome, New York - December 02, 2011

Cancelled from the Bermuda Aircraft Register - ?

Broken up at Griffiss Airpark, Rome, New York - ?

 

 

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawa' in the original livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-654.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawa' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 10, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4635-711.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawa' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 10, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4635-713.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawa' in the original livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 10, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4635-712.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawa' in the original livery at Auckland Airport, April 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-655.)

ZK-NZY. Air Pacific - 'Island of Viti Levu' in the standard livery at Nadi Airport, April 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-681.)

ZK-NZY. Air Pacific - 'Island of Viti Levu' in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-715.)

ZK-NZY. Air Pacific - 'Island of Viti Levu' in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, March 31, 1995.

(J. Mounce Copyright Image 4635-682.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - in the basic 'Air Pacific' livery at Los Angeles Airport, September 1996.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-591.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - in the basic 'Air Pacific' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1996.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-714.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawaw' in the 'Pacific Wave' livery at Auckland Airport, October 1998.

(J. Mounce Copyright Image 4635-716.)

ZK-NZY. Air New Zealand - 'Te Arawaw' in the 'Pacific Wave' livery at Frankfurt Airport, date unknown.

(G. Reid Collection Copyright Image 4635-921.)

G-VPUF. Virgin Atlantic - 'High as a Kite ' in the standard livery at Miami International Airport, May 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-717.)

G-VPUF. Virgin Atlantic - 'High as a Kite ' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, July 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-089.)

VP-BQC. Transaero - in the standard livery at Moscow Domodedovo Airport, June 18, 2011.

(P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 4635-922.)