Unusual Visitor to Melbourne

[Uncle Chop Chop]

Hey everyone. I just completed my first double shift yesterday (14 Hours) and while on the Tarmac I noticed a very strange visitor to Melbourne. I had never seen it here before and was wanting to know if anyone else had any information about what it was doing here and why.

 

Airline- Southern Sir (Painted on side)

 

Rego- N765SA

 

Aircraft- 747-200 (Looked to have -400 series engines on it)

 

Time- Was taxiing at around 12.45pm and took off at around 12.50-12.55pm from Rwy 27

 

It was parked at the freight terminal but it had all of the windows and no physical signs of being a cargo plane. Does anyone know where it come from (America I'm Guessing), what it was doing here, any celebrities on it and where it flew to after Melbourne.

 

I haven't see an Classic "JUMBO" in Melbourne since Qantas retired the last of it's Boeing 747-300's so it was great to see the smaller "hump" (windows all the way along it) The wings looked awesome as they drooped full of fuel and there were no winglet's (I'm sick of looking at Winglet's!!!!!) :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

Any info would be much appreciated.

 

 

[Pete777]

Hi Uncle,

 

Southern Air come in every now and again, they had the contract from Malaysian to fly cargo for them, ending at the end of last year, but it's been extended me thinks. They are based in Norwalk, CT, USA and have a fleet of 17. - I've only seen 4 come in to us - N758SA, N761SA, N765SA + N783SA.

 

 

[Uncle Chop Chop]

Hi Uncle,Southern Air come in every now and again, they had the contract from Malaysian to fly cargo for them, ending at the end of last year, but it's been extended me thinks. They are based in Norwalk, CT, USA and have a fleet of 17. - I've only seen 4 come in to us - N758SA, N761SA, N765SA + N783SA.

Thanks for the info Pete.

 

 

[baumy]

How does a jumbo jet manage to take off from runway 27? I didn't think it was long enough for that, and that there was an aircraft limit on the runway anyway.

 

James

 

 

[Guest David C]

How does a jumbo jet manage to take off from runway 27? I didn't think it was long enough for that, and that there was an aircraft limit on the runway anyway.James

It was obviously well below MTOW ( Max Take off Weight ) ,and the wind would have been favouring that runway . B747's often take off from runways shorter that 27 at MEL, in fact a light 747 and a strong headwind can provde very spectacular take offs . I remember seeing a Air China 747-400 getting airborne in less than 1300M one day at SYD .. it was very light ..

 

Dave C