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ZK-NZW. Boeing 747-219B. c/n 22723-527. Was also registered as: G-VBEE; TF-ATN; N723TA; P4-TSO; VP-BQA. |
This aircraft was built by the Boeing Company, Everett, Seattle for Air New Zealand First flown at Everett (Paine Field) - May 22, 1981 Powered by Rolls Royce RB211-524G engines Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-NZW - June 09, 1981 Registered to Air New Zealand Limited, Auckland Accepted by Air New Zealand at Everett (Paine Field) - June 09, 1981 This was the second Boeing 747 delivered to Air New Zealand The aircraft was named 'Tainui (big sea) Departed Everett (Paine Field) on the delivery flight to New Zealand - June 09, 1981 It arrived at Auckland on completion of the delivery flight - June 10, 1981 Flight crew: Capt L. Caldwell The non-stop flight of 6,214 nm was completed in 14 hours 39 minutes Operated its first revenue service - June ?, 1981 Operated its final revenue service - 1999 The aircraft was prepared for sale to Virgin Atlantic Airways During the maintenance process the aircraft underwent a major cabin upgrade This included new side-wall paneling, new seat covers, carpets and galley upgrading It was repainted in the Virgin livery at the same time Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - April 05, 1999 Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-VBEE (CofR G-VBEE/R1) - April 05, 1999 Registered to Virgin Atlantic Airways, London The aircraft was handed over to Virgin Atlantic at Auckland - April 06, 1999 It was named 'Honeypie' Departed Auckland on the ferry flight to the United Kingdom - April 06, 1999 Operated its first Virgin revenue serrvice - ? Operated its final revenue service - May 2000 Ferried to Manston, Kent for storage - May 14, 2000 Ferried Manston - Hamburg for preparation for sale to Air Atlanta Iceland - December 06, 2001 Ferried Hamburg - Dublin, Ireland - December 18, 2001 Sold to Air Atlanta Iceland - December 20, 2001 Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - December 21, 2001 Entered onto the Iceland Aircraft Register as TF-ATN - December 21, 2001 Wet-leased to Nigeria Airways - January 01, 2002 It was operated in the basic Virgin silver livery with Nigeria Airways titles and tail logo The Nigeria Airways titles were removed at Luxembourg - May 2002 Leased to Virgin Atlantic Airways as the registered operator - June 24, 2002 Cancelled from the Iceland Aircraft Register - May 06, 2004 Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-VBEE (CofR G-VBEE/R2) - May 06, 2004 Registered to Air Atlanta Europe, London Leased to Virgin Atlantic Airways as the registered operator The aircraft had flown a total of 98,414 hours - December 31, 2004 Ferried Luxembourg - London (Gatwick) - February 11, 2005 Cancelled from the British Aircraft Register - February 17, 2005 Entered onto the Aruba Aircraft Register as P4-TSO - February 17, 2005 The intended lease to Midair, Liberia was not taken up Ferried London (Gatwick) - San Antonio (Texas) - February 21, 2005 Cancelled from the Aruba Aircraft Register - March 18, 2005 Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N723TA - March 18, 2005 Registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah The aircraft was prepared for sale to Transaero, Russia Ferried San Antonio - London (Gatwick) in the Transaero livery - July 06, 2005 Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - July 08, 2005 Entered onto the Bermuda Aircraft Register as VP-BQA - July 08, 2005 Ferried London (Gatwick) - Moscow (Domodedovo) on delivery to Transaero - July 09, 2005 Leassed to Transaero as the registered operator The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Moscow (Domodedovo) - October 2008 Cancelled from the Bermuda Aircraft Register - ? The aircraft was broken up at Moscow (Domodedovo) - March 2012 |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, September 1981. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-466.) |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, November 1981. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-649.) |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the standard livery with additional 'London' sticker at Auckland Airport, January 1983. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-700.) |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the standard livery with additional 'Dallas' sticker at San Francisco Airport, July 1987. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-701.) |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the standard livery at Frankfurt Airport, June 1990. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-731.) |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the standard livery at London Gatwick Airport, January 1991. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-728.) |
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ZK-NZW. Air New Zealand - 'Tainui' in the revised livery at Auckland Airport, December 1998. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-702.) |
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G-VBEE. Virgin Atlantic - in the all-silver livery at an unknown airport, May 2002. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-087.) |
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G-VBEE. Virgin Atlantic - 'Honey Pie' in the standard livery at London Gatwick Airport, October 2000. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-821.) |
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TF-ATN. Virgin Atlantic - in the standard livery at London Gatwick Airport, July 2002. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-665.) |
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TF-ATN. Virgin Atlantic - 'Honey Pie' in the standard livery at London Gatwick Airport, August 2003. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-809.) |
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N723TA. Transaero - in the standard livery at London Gatwick Airport, July 06, 2005. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-768.) |
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VP-BQA. Transaero - in the standard livery at the Maldives, March 07, 2007. (P. Sheehan Collection Copyright Image 4635-924.) |
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VP-BQA. Transaero - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 2008. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-759.) |
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VP-BQA. Transaero - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4635-917.) |