China Airlines announced an order for their second 747SP on December 08, 1978. This was the thirty-first Boeing 747SP to be built. It was rolled out of the Boeing plant at Everett on March 16, 1980 with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A engines. Entered onto the Chinese Aircraft Register as B-1880 it flew for the first time on April 18, 1980. The interior featured tapestry designs from the Ming Dynasty which symbolised good luck. Featuring a fifteen seat upper deck lounge it was accepted by China Airlines at Everett (Paine Field) on April 30, 1980.

Joining China Airline's first 747SP the aircraft was used on the twice-weekly Hong Kong - Taipei - San Francisco service and the weekly Hong Kong - Taipei - Los Angeles service along with other regional services.

It was leased to Mandarin Airlines on August 15, 1992 andt was repainted into their livery. Reregistered as B-18253 on July 15, 1999 it was damaged at Taipei on September 02, 1999. Whilst performing a series of training flights it failed to stop on the duty runway during a landing roll and departed the paved area. The three crew members were not injured.

It was sold to Air Gulf Falcon on November 29, 1999 and immediately entered onto the Netherlands Aruba Aircraft Register as P4-GFD. Operating in the basic Mandarin livery it was observed at Sahjar Airport with TAAG decals on January 01, 2000. Retaining the basic Mandarin livery the Air Gulf Falcon logo had been applied to the tail by February, 2000 and Trans Air Service decals placed near the doors.

On March 23, 2000 its registration was changed once again when it was entered onto the Equatorial Guinea Aircraft Register as 3C-GFD.

The registration was changed again on July 01, 2000 when it was entered onto the Kenyan Aircraft Register as 5Y-GFD. Two months later the airline's name was changed to Gulf Falcon. This did not last long as the aircraft was given to Iraq Airways as a gift on November 16, 2000. Entered onto the Iraqi Aircraft Register as YI-AOX it was deployed by the airline on limited services within the Middle East.

This aircraft was damaged at Baghdad Airport when the facility was captured by United States Armed Forces during the invasion of Iraq. It was observed at Baghdad on July 20, 2003 without engines and all cabin doors open. Whilst remaining basically intact it was observed parked at the southern end of the airport with other abandoned Iraqi aircraft on October 26, 2006. It is evident that this aircraft will never fly again and it will be scrapped if it has not already suffered this fate.