This was the second aircraft of the Trans World Airlines order for three aircraft that was announced on October 17, 1978 to be operated on their proposed routes to the Middle East. When regulatory approval to operate these services was declined the airline found itself in a difficult position of having aircraft that could not be used effectively. As a result the SP fleet was deployed on the airline's existing trans-continental U.S. and trans-Atlantic services.

The T.W.A. aircraft differed from other Boeing 747SPs in that an optional emergency exit door was fitted to the upper passenger cabin. This permitted the airline to provide seating for 32 economy class passengers on this deck. Although these seats were installed during the initial fit-out they were removed and 12 first class sleeper seats were installed before delivery.

This was the twenty-ninth Boeing 747SP to be built. It was rolled out of the Boeing plant at Everett on February 19, 1980 with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A engines. Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N57202 it flew for the first time on March 12, 1980. It was the first B-747SP to be accepted by TWA at Paine Field on March 21, 1980 but it was not operated by them for long before being leased back to Boeing on February 01, 1981. Boeing returned the aircraft to TWA on June 01, 1981 at the end of this lease.

In was sold to Jet Aviation on July 24, 1984 and was observed at Basle, Switzerland without titles on August 01, 1984. Having been sold to Jet Associates International on November 01, 1985 it was then repurchased by TWA on July 16, 1986. The following day it was sold to American Airlines who then placed it into service. It was reregistered as N601AA on February 01, 1987.

It was sold to K/S Nordic Flight on September 17, 1990 and immediately leased back to American Airlines. Its final American Airlines revenue service was carried out on July 18, 1992 when it flew from London's Heathrow Airport to New York's JFK Airport. It was then ferried from New York to Kansas City for storage two days later. Officially retired by American on July 21, 1992 its logbooks showed that it had flown 32,692 hours with 4,759 cycles.

It was ferried to Santa Barbara, California on February 22, 1993 on return K/S Nordic Flight. It was sold the same day to the First Security Bank of Utah. Observed at Santa Barbara on May 25, 1993 it was now wearing a blue-white-blue cheatline and had no titles.

It was sold to Kazakhstan Airlines on January 06, 1994 and entered onto the Kazakhstan Aircraft Register as UN-001. Owned by the Kazakhstan Government it was flown from Everett to Shannon, Ireland for modification work to be carried out by Tramco on February 10, 1994. It was then ferried to Orly's Almaty Airport eight days later where it was handed over to Kazakhstan Airlines to operate. It was named 'Sunkar'.

It was sold to Air Finance Ltd on November 01, 1995 and leased back to the Kazakhstan Government. Returned to Air Finance Ltd on April 01, 1996 it was entered onto the Netherlands Aruba Aircraft Register as P4-AFE on April 05. It was observed at London's Heathrow Airport the same day with the Kazakhstan cheatline but without titles.

It was observed at Atlanta Airport in the same livery on July 15, 1996 being operated by the Sultan of Brunei but registered as UN-001. In November 1996 it was ferried back to the United States for conversion to an executive aircraft. It was observed at Las Vegas on January 21, 1997 and again at New York's Newark Airport on February 01, 1997 as an executive aircraft. It was leased to Air Atlanta Icelandic on July 01, 1997.

Entered onto the Icelandic Aircraft Register as TF-ABN on August 01, 1997 it was accepted by Air Atlanta Icelandic six days later. It was observed at Narita Airport on February 11, 1998 in a new livery without titles. On February 21, 1998 it was again observed at Narita with Star Air titles. In March 1998 it was chartered by the Rolling Stones for their South American tour.

It was returned to Air Atlanta Icelandic on November 01, 1998. Air Finance Ltd entered the aircraft once again onto the Netherlands Aruba Aircraft Register as P4-AFE on May 23, 1999 but it continued to be operated by Air Atlantic via a complicated financial arrangement. On July 01, 1999 the aircraft made a very hard landing at London's Stansted Airport. Flown to Luxembourg for heavy maintenance some days later it was discovered that the main landing gear was cracked and the aircraft was no longer airworthy. The aircraft's owners refuse to authorise or pay for the repairs so the aircraft placed in storage.

The Luxembourg Airport Authorities repossessed the aircraft on January 01, 2001 for the non payment of parking fees and put it up for immediate sale. As there were no buyers it was towed to the Cargolux maintenance ramp on February 25, 2002 for parting out. The aircraft was lowered onto its belly and the cockpit was removed on May 23, 2002. By June 2002 scrapping was in full progress.

However there was some good news regarding this airframe. The cockpit and upper deck section were retained by Cargolux and converted into a training aid for the teaching of emergency evacuation procedures and was observed being used in this manner on September 24, 2010.