VH-TJK Douglas DC-9-31

VH-TJK. Douglas DC-9-31. c/n 47008-098.

Was also registered as: N908AX.

This was the second of three DC-9s ordered by Australian National Airlines Commission for Trans-Australia Airlines

The original order was for 3 DC-9-20s with 3 options - April 01, 1965

This order was subsequently changed to 3 DC-9-30s with 3 options - April 24, 1965

The contract was signed with Douglas at Long Beach - November 10, 1965

Construction was completed at Douglas Long Beach plant - March 1967

First flown as VH-TJK at Long Beach - April 09, 1967

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TJK - April 15, 1967

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at the Douglas Long Beach plant - May 01, 1967

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to Australia - May 01, 1967

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - May 03, 1967

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

The aircraft was named 'Douglas Mawson'

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Essendon) - Adelaide (West Beach) - May 06, 1967

Rolled out at Melbourne (Essendon) in the new T.A.A. Trans-Australia Airlines livery - March 31, 1969

Operated the last scheduled passenger flight to arrive at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport - June 19, 1971

This service was Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne flight as TN457

Operated the inaugural Cairns - Alice Springs - Cairns sevice as TN498 / 499 - February 02, 1977

Flight crew: Captains K. J. J. Barr, N. J. Bennett (undergoing endorsement), H. D. Brook

Operated its last revenue service - June 29, 1982

Withdrawn from service and taped up at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - July 03, 1982

Returned to service to cover repairs of the T.A.A. Airbus A300 VH-TAD - September 03, 1982

Operated its final revenue service - November 01, 1982

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

The aircraft had flown 39,421 hours with 42,508 cycles

Titles were removed from the aircraft and a large 'A.A.S.' logo was applied - November 30, 1982

Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales for onward sale to Airborne Express

Departed Melbourne (04:00 hrs local) in the basic TAA livery on the ferry flight to the United States - January 05, 1983

It arrived at Wilmington on completion of the ferry flight - January 07, 1983

Ferry route: Melbourne - Brisbane - Pago Pago - Hilo - Los Angeles - Wilmington

Sold to Airborne Express - January 08, 1983

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - January 10, 1983

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N908AX - January 1983

Converted to freighter configuration for the transportation of small packets

Certificate of Airworthiness issued by the F.A.A. - June 18, 1984

The aircraft was badly damaged when it was struck by taxiing Emery DC-8 'N951R' at Stewart, N.Y. - August 20, 1987

The entire tail of the aircraft was destroyed but the aircraft was repaired with a replacement DC-9-40 tail

Returned to service following repairs - February 1988

Airborne Express changed its name to ABX Air - 1989

It was hushkitted with Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7B (HK3/ABS)

It was observed stored on the DHL ramp at Cincinnati Airport - November 17, 2005

Withdrawn from service - November 2007

Sold to DHL Network Operations (USA) Inc - November 14, 2007

Registered to DHL Network Operations (USA) Inc - December 12, 2007

It was observed stored at Marana, Arizona in the basic ABX livery - March 06, 2008

Sold to Logistic Air - September 04, 2008

Registered to Logistic Air - December 12, 2008

Current with Logistic Air but remains stored at Marana

VH-TJK. TAA T-Jet - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1967.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-002.)

VH-TJK. TAA T-Jet - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1968.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-055.)

VH-TJK. TAA T-Jet - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, August 1968.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-594.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1977.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-481.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Airport, April 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-214.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Airport, April 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-215.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-216.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-217.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, February 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-219.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-482.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1980.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-483.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-218.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-484.)

VH-TJK. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Douglas Mawson' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, July 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-485.)

VH-TJK. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-596.)

VH-TJK. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-597.)

VH-TJK. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-599.)

VH-TJK. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-600.)

VH-TJK. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1983.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-598.)

VH-TJK. A.A.S. Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic TAA livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1983.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-601.)

VH-TJK. A.A.S. Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic TAA livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1983.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-220.)

VH-TJK. A.A.S. Australian Aircraft Sales - in the basic TAA livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1983.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-602.)

N908AX. Airborne Express - in the standard livery at Miami Airport, June 1984.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-221.)

N908AX. Airborne Express - in the standard livery at Atlanta Airport, March 07, 1985.

(J. E. Bernhard Copyright Image 1135-417.)

N908AX. Airborne Express - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, May 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-071.)

N908AX. Airborne Express - in the revised livery at an unknown airport, October 1986.