VH-TAU Boeing 737-376

VH-TAU. Boeing 737-376. c/n 23486-1286.

Was also registered as: ZK-JNF; VH-XML; N486AY.

This was the seventh of twelve aircraft ordered new by Australian Airlines (T.A.A.) - May 27, 1985

Trans-Australia Airlines (T.A.A.) was renamed Australian Airlines - August 04, 1986

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Renton - September 05, 1986

First flown at Renton as VH-TAU - September 23, 1986

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TAU - December 01, 1986

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Accepted by Australian Airlines at Seattle (Boeing Field) - December 01, 1986

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia - December 03, 1986

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - December 05, 1986

Delivery route: Seattle - Hilo - Pago Pago - Nadi - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Enterprise'

Operated its first revenue service - December 1986

Ownership was transferred to Australian Airlines following the company name change - July 11, 1988

Leased to Air Caledonie International - July 15, 1990 to July 24, 1990

Australian Airlines was sold to Qantas Airways Ltd - September 14, 1992

Australian Airlines was merged with Qantas Airways Ltd - October 31, 1993

Ownership was transferred to Qantas Airways Ltd - December 08, 1993

This aircraft had the distinction of being the first 737 to be withdrawn from Qantas service

Operated its final revenue service Coolangatta - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF799 - October 10, 2002

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Christchurch for service with Qantas Jetconnect as QF6015 - October 25, 2002

To follow the Qantas Jetconnect lineage please click 'HERE'

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - October 26, 2002

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-JNF - October 26, 2002

Operated its first Jetconnect revenue service Christchurch - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF4012 - October 29, 2002

Operated the inaugural Jetconnect Wellington - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) service as QF118 - September 01, 2003

Operated the inaugural Jetconnect Wellington - Brisbane service as QF158 - September 02, 2003

Operated final Jetconnect revenue service Auckland - Adelaide (West Beach) - Auckland as QF54/53 - August 28, 2006

Ferried Auckland - Christchurch as QF6171 - August 28, 2006

Ferried Christchurch - Melbourne (Avalon) for freighter conversion by Qantas as QF6172 - August 31, 2006

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - September 01, 2006

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-XML - Septembe 04, 2006

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Rolled out at Melbourne (Avalon) in the standard 'Australian Air Express' livery - May 2007

The aircraft was now classified as a Boeing 737-376 (SF)

Leased to Express Freighters Australia on behalf of Australian Air Express (both Qantas subsidiaries)

Operated first Australian Air Express revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney as QF7335 - June 04, 2007

Operated its final service in 'Australia Air Express' livery Perth - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF7393 - April 24, 2013

Ferried Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Christchurch for overhaul by ANZES as QF7423 - April 24, 2013

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney - June 04, 2013

Leased to Express Freighters Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney as the registered operator

Rolled out at Christchurch in the standard 'Qantas Freight' livery - August 15, 2013

Test flown Christchurch - Christchurch as QF7444 - August 16, 2013

Ferried Christchurch - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF7424 - August 17, 2013

Returned to service in the new livery Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as QF7335 - August 18, 2013

Operated its final revenue service Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as QF7305 - April 05, 2024

It was withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 17, 2024

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N486AY - April 19, 2024

Registered to Classic QF Freighters, Seminole, Florida

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine - 14:38 AEST) on the ferry flight to the United States - May 01, 2024

It arrived at Brunswick, Georgia (10:01 local) having completed its ferry flight from Australia - May 03, 2024

Ferry route: Melbourne - Brisbane - Majuro - Honolulu - Phoenix - Brunswick

Current status - ?

VH-TAU. Australian - 'Enterprise' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, March 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-055.)

VH-TAU. Qantas The Spirit Of Australia - 'Enterprise' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, June 1998.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-056.)

ZK-JNF. Qantas - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 2003.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4622-303.)

ZK-JNF. Qantas - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 16, 2005.

(G. Canciani Copyright Image 4622-388.)

ZK-JNF. Qantas - in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, April 2006.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-402.)

VH-XML. Australian air Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 2007.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-578.)

VH-XML. Australian air Express - in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, October 04, 2007.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 4620-680.)

VH-XML. Australian air Express - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 2008.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-579.)

VH-XML. Australian air Express - in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, October 02, 2009.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 4620-681.)

VH-XML. Australian air Express - in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, October 13, 2010.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 4620-679.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 21, 2013.

(G. Canciani Copyright Image 4620-682.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 21, 2013.

(G. Canciani Copyright Image 4620-683.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 21, 2013.

(P. Finnigan Copyright Image 4620-694.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 21, 2013.

(P. Finnigan Copyright Image 4620-695.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 25, 2013.

(P. Finnigan Copyright Image 4620-732.)

VH-XML. Startrack Qantas Freight - in the revised livery at Brisbane Airport, September 2016.

(C. Laugier Copyright Image 4621-682.)

VH-XML. Startrack Qantas Freight - in the revised livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 20, 2017.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4621-947.)

VH-XML. Startrack Qantas Freight - in the revised livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 21, 2017.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-219.)

VH-XML. Startrack Qantas Freight - in the revised livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 21, 2017.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-220.)

VH-XML. Startrack Qantas Freight - in the revised livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 21, 2017.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-221.)

VH-XML. Startrack Qantas Freight - in the revised livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 21, 2017.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-222.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the 'SilverRoo' livery at Perth Airport, September 09, 2018.

(D. Gibbs Copyright Image 4622-389.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the 'SilverRoo' livery at Perth Airport, September 09, 2018.

(D. Gibbs Copyright Image 4622-390.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the 'SilverRoo' livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 05, 2020.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-780.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the 'SilverRoo' livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, November 30, 2021.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-933.)

VH-XML. Qantas Freight - in the 'SilverRoo' livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 01, 2021.