This aircraft was the second of eleven new aircraft ordered by Virgin Blue - November 02, 2006

Rolled off the production line at Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil - February 2008

First flown as 'PT-SAR' - March 2008

Powered by General Electric GE CF34-10E5 engines

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-ZPB - March 25, 2008

Registered to VBNC9 Pty Ltd, Forrest Hill

Leased to Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator

Departed Sao Jose dos Campos on the delivery flight to Australia - April 01, 2008

It arrived at Brisbane on completion of the delivery flight - April 03, 2008

Delivery route: Sao Jose dos Campos - Curacao - Brownsville - San Jose - Kona - PagoPago - Brisbane

The aircraft was named 'Rio de Gold Coast'

Operated its first revenue service Brisbane - Adelaide (West Beach) as DJ750 - April 20, 2008

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

Departed Brisbane on the ferry flight to Portugal for maintenance and repaint - August 01, 2013

It arrived at Alverca on completion of the ferry flight - August 03, 2013

Ferry route: Brisbane - Darwin - Subang - ? - Alverca

Departed Alverca on the return ferry flight to Australia - September 07, 2013

It arrived at Brisbane on completion of the ferry flight from Portugal - September 09, 2013

The aircraft was renamed 'Bicheno Beach'

Returned to service - ?

It operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Brisbane as VA977 - November 20, 2016

Departed Brisbane on the ferry flight to the United States for storage as VA9901 - November 28, 2016

It arrived at Nashville on completion of the ferry flight - November 30, 2016

Ferry route: Brisbane - Apia - Honolulu - Van Nuys - Nashville

Test flown Nashville - Nashville as VA9900 - June 09, 2017

Ferried Nashville - Brownsville for repainting into SA Link livery as VA9904 - April 19, 2018

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - May 21, 2018

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N216NC - May 21, 2018

Registered to Wells Fargo Trust Co NA Trustee, Salt Lake City

Leased to NAC Aviation 29 Designated Activity Company (Nordic Aviation)

Ferried Brownsville - Macon (Georgia) for pre-delivery servicing - October 26, 2018

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - December 04, 2018

Entered onto the South African Aircraft Register as ZS- YAP - December 2018

Departed Macon on the ferry flight to South Africa - December 11, 2018

It arrived at Johannesburg on completion of the ferry flight - December 13, 2018

Ferry route: Macon - Bangor - Gander - Teneriffe - Libreville - Johannesburg

Withdrawn from service and stored at Capetown due to the Covid pandemic - March 20, 2020

Returned to service - ?

Current with SA Express

VH-ZPB. Virgin Blue - 'Rio de Gold Coast' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, June 2010.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 0190-013.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 10, 2013.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 0190-114.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, April 06, 2014.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 0190-112.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, April 16, 2014.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 0190-050.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, March 08, 2015.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 0190-113.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 16, 2015.

(G. Louis Copyright Image 0190-145.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 16, 2015.

(G. Louis Copyright Image 0190-146.)

VH-ZPB. Virgin Australia - 'Bicheno Beach' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 16, 2015.

(G. Louis Copyright Image 0190-147.)