VH-TBL Boeing 727-276A

VH-TBL. Boeing 727-276A. c/n 20951-1101.

Was also registered as: TF-FLK; YU-AKO; TF-AIA; N908PG.

This was the second of two additional airframes ordered new by Trans-Australia Airlines - ?

Rolled out at the Boeing factory - December 04, 1974

First flown - April 04, 1975

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TBL - April 24, 1975

Registered to Trans-Australia Airlines, Melbourne

It arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on completion of the delivery flight - April 26, 1975

Delivery route: Seattle - Honolulu - Pago Pago - Brisbane - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'John Eyre'

It operated its first revenue service - May 07, 1975

Withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport - July 17, 1976

This aircraft was prepared for lease to Iran Air

During a pre-lease maintenance lunch break an apprentice activated the fuel pumps in the aircraft's wing tanks

Fuel flowed into the open center fuel tanks spilling hundreds of kilos of fuel onto the hangar floor

This fuel flowed freely out the hangar doors into the drains amid all the electrical cables present

It was therefore nicknamed 'Terribly Bloody Lucky'

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to Iran - July 26, 1976

Ferry route: Melbourne - Perth - Cocos Island - Colombo - Karachi - Tehran

Leased to Iran Air - July 28, 1976

The aircraft retained its Australian registration for the duration of this lease

Returned to Trans-Australia at the end of the lease - August 02, 1977

It was badly damaged on landing at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport during a test flight - August 16, 1977

The number 3 engine exploded and was ripped from its mounts

The engine was only held in place by the hydraulic pipes and electrical cables and the engine cowl

A spoiler lock that had been left on the trailing edge of the wing's falsework slipped off and was ingested into the engine

Engine No 2 fan blades were also damaged as well as holes being punched into the rear fuselage over aft toilet

The centre engine 'S' duct was also damaged

It took 6 hours to shore up the engine before it could be removed safely

Returned to service with Trans-Australia Airlines after being repainted - August 21, 1977

It was rolled out at Melbourne (Tullamarine) in the new 'camel-hump' livery - October 10, 1980

Was the first aircraft in the Trans-Australia Airlines fleet to acquire this livery

Trans-Australia Airlines changed its name to Australian Airlines - August 04, 1986

It operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) - April 11, 1987

Withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

It had flown 35,879 hours with 28,404 cycles

It was observed at Melbourne (Tullamarine) in the basic Trans-Australia livery - April 16, 1987

Sold to Aeron Aviation Corporation - April 16, 1987

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United Kingdom as TN1398 - April 16, 1987

Entered onto the Icelandic Aircraft Register as TF-FLK - April 20, 1987

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - April 21, 1987

Leased to Icelandair as the registered operator - June 01, 1987

The aircraft was named 'Zvia'

Returned to Aeron Aviation oat the end of the lease - April 01, 1990

Entered onto the Yugoslav Aircraft Register as YU-AKO - April 01, 1990

Leased to Aviogenex as the registered operator

Returned to Aeron Aviation at the end of the lease - March 31, 1991

Entered onto the Icelandic Aircraft Register as TF-AIA - July 01, 1991

Leased to Atlantic Island Airways as the registered operator - July 01, 1991

Sub-leased to Vietnam Airlines as TF-AIA - April 01, 1992

Returned to Aeron Aviation at the end of the lease - June 30, 1992

Sold to Bail Leasing, withdrawn from use and stored Shannon, Ireland - November 14, 1992

Sold to First Security Bank - March 01, 1993

Sold to Pacific Aviation Holding - March 11, 1994

Sold to Pegasus Aviation Inc, San Francisco - March 11, 1994

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N908PG - March 25, 1994

Registered to Pegasus Aviation Inc

Leased to Kiwi International Airlines as the registered operator - January 30, 1995

Returned to Pegasus Aviation Incat the end of the lease - December 15, 1995

Leased to Pacific International Airlines, Tucson, Arizona - December 15, 1995

Returned to Pegasus Aviation Inc at the end of the lease - June 03, 1996

It was observed at Tucson, Arizona with all-metal fuselage - July 1996

It was observed at Tucson in partial Hinduja Cargo Services livery - August 1996

This sale / lease was not taken up

Leased to Sky Trek International Airlines as the registered operator - March 1997

Sky Trek International Airlines changed its name to Discovery Airlines - 1999

Sub-leased to Sun Country Airlines - October 1999

Returned to Discovery Airlines at the end of the sub-lease - December 1999

Returned to Pegasus Aviation Inc and placed in storage at Tucson (Arizona) - May 2000

Thev intended lease / sale to Hinduja Cargo Services, India did not eventuate - January 2001

Leased to Falcon Air Express as the registered operator - January 05, 2001

Sold to A.R.T. 20951 Ltd - February 12, 2003

Leased to Falcon Air Express as the registered operator

It was observed stored in Falcon Air Express livery at Tucson - April 24, 2004

Returned to Pegasus Aviation Inc at the end of the lease - May 10, 2006

The aircraft was broken up at Tucson - 2007

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - May 11, 2015

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-088.)

VH-TBL. Iran Air - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, July 1976.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-089.)

VH-TBL. Iran Air - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1977.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-454.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 04, 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-566.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 04, 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-567.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 13, 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-568.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 10, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-264.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-569.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-570.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 06, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-571.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 06, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-572.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 10, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-573.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 12, 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-574.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-577.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'John Eyre' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, May 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-087.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia - 'John Eyre' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, November 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4611-024.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia - 'John Eyre' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 06, 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-453.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia - 'John Eyre' in the 'camel hump' livery with additional 'Americas Cup' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, January 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-596.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia - 'John Eyre' in the 'camel hump' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, June 28, 1985.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-595.)

VH-TBL. TAA Trans Australia - 'John Eyre' in the 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1986.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-169.)

VH-TBL. Trans Australia - in the basic 'camel hump' livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-625.)

TF-FLK. Icelandair - 'Zvia' in the standard livery at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, September 1988.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-251.)

YU-AKO. Aviogenex - in the basic Icelandair livery at an unknown airport, June 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-951.)

YU-AKO. Aviogenex - in the basic Icelandair livery at an unknown airport, June 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-597.)

YU-AKO. Aviogenex - in the basic Icelandair livery at an unknown airport, June 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4611-017.)

YU-AKO. Aviogenex - in the basic Icelandair livery at Dusseldorf Airport, July 1990.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-820.)

YU-AKO. Aviogenex - in the basic Icelandair livery at Paris Orly Airport, April 1991.

(C. Laugier Copyright Image 4610-966.)

TF-AIA. Atlantsflug Atlantic Island Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, June 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-598.)

TF-AIA. Atlantsflug Atlantic Island Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, October 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-750.)

TF-AIA. Atlantsflug Atlantic Island Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, December 1991.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-599.)

N908PG. Atlantic Island Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, December 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-203.)

N908PG. Sky Trek International Airlines - in the standard livery at Tucson Airport, March 1997.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-206.)

N908PG. Discovery - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, January 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-310.)

N908PG. Discovery - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, January 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-182.)

N908PG. Discovery - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, April 2000.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-356.)

N908PG. Falcon Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, January 2002.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-205.)

N908PG. Falcon Air - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, February 2002.