VH-CZA Douglas DC-9-31

VH-CZA. Douglas DC-9-31. c/n 47003-086.

Was also registered as: RT2390; 162390; N535MD; N946AX.

This aircraft was the first of six DC-9s ordered new by Ansett - March 24, 1965

First flown - March 02, 1967

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-CZA - March 17, 1967

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Accepted by Ansett at Long Beach - March 17, 1967

Utilised within the United States for Ansett pilot training commencing the same day

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to Australia - April 22, 1967

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - April 24, 1967

Delivery route: Long Beach - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

Flight crew: Captains M. Wheaton, K. Ashmead; Navigator W. C. Kennedy & Douglas pilot A. Freiburg

Operated its first revenue service - April 30, 1967

Operated its final revenue service Launceston - Melbourne (Tullamarine) (Captain N. Day) as AN56 - June 17, 1982

Performed a farewell tour carrying a special inscription on the forward fuselage to mark the type's retirement

Withdrawn from use and placed in open storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 30, 1982

It had flown 39,190 hours with 42,731 cycles

It was calculated that the DC-9 had flown 14,209,628 nautical miles and had carried some 2,795,804 passengers

Sold to Corsair Inc for lease to the United States Navy - September 17, 1982

Sold to Marfreless Inc for lease to the United States Navy - September 18, 1982

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United States as N3281G - September 27, 1982

Ferry route: Melbourne - Nadi - Pago Pago - Hilo - Phoenix

Flight crew: Captains N. Day, G. Schmidt; F/E B. Berkinshaw

Overhauled to comply with United States Navy requirements by Air International Inc

Test flown then ferried Phoenix, AZ - Millington, TN - September 20, 1982

Leased to the United States Navy as a Douglas C-9B 'RT2390' - September 27, 1982

Later became BuAer 162390 'City of Memphis' and based at Memphis, TN

Sold to McDonnell Douglas Corp - July 20, 1990

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N535MD - July 20, 1990

Sold to Aeronautics Leasing Inc - July 20, 1990

Sold to Airborne Express - July 20, 1990

Reregistered N946AX to ABX Air Inc - August 06, 1990

Registered to ABX Air Inc, Wilmington, Ohio

Registered to DHL Network Operation (USA) Inc - January 02, 2006

It was observed stored at Roswell, New Mexico - April 23, 2009

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - December 03, 2009

Sold to Stewart Industries - November 06, 2011

Scrapped at Roswell, New Mexico

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at an unknown location, March 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-039.)

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 04, 1967.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-003.)

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Sydney KIngsford Smith Airport, August 10, 1968

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-262.)

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, December 1969.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-040.)

VH-CZA. Ansett-ANA - in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1135-500.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, June 1971.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-642.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 10, 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-129.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 20, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-084.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 27, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-123.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-122.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1979.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1135-501.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-053.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 06, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-085.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-502.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Cairns Airport, November 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-503.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-086.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsfords Smith Airport, January 1982.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-137.)

VH-CZA. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, February 18, 1982.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-087.)