This was the second of four aircraft ordered new by Trans-Australia Airlines - June 13, 1967

Entered onto Dutch Aircraft Register as 'PH-FNI' - December 06, 1968

Registered to NV Kon. Ned. Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker

First flown as 'PH-FNI' - December 09, 1968

Accepted by Trans-Australia Airlines at Amsterdam (Schiphol) - December 17, 1968

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TQO - December 17, 1968

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Cancelled from Dutch Aircraft Register - December 17, 1968

Departed Amsterdam (Schiphol) on the delivery flight to Australia - December 18, 1968

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - December 26, 1968

The aircraft was named 'Augustus Gregory'

Operated its first revenue service - January 01, 1969

Repainted into the 'blue tail' livery at Melbourne (Essendon) - December 1970

It was the 16th T.A.A. Friendship to be repainted into the new livery

Withdrawn from use and placed in storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - 1983

Sold via Australian Aircraft Sales to Scandinavian Airlines System SAS - May 25, 1984

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to Norway - June 20, 1984

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - July 02, 1984

Entered onto the Norwegian Aircraft Register as LN-RNZ - ?

Registered to Scandinavian Airlines System - November 28, 1984

The aircraft was named 'Vemund Viking'

Leased to Busy Bee, Norway - April 01, 1988 to June 13, 1988

Leased to Busy Bee, Norway - June 25, 1988 to October 07, 1988

Sold to Aircraft Finance & Trading - October 19, 1989

Entered onto Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-FNI - February 01, 1990

Registered to Aircraft Finance & Trading

The aircraft had flown 41,817 hours and 43,875 cycles to date

Sold to Federal Express Corporation, USA

Cancelled from Dutch Aircraft Register - February 15, 1990

Entered onto Italian Aircraft Register as I-FEAB - February 15, 1990

Registered to Federal Express Corporation

Delivered to Federal Express - February 15, 1990

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N730FE - August 09, 1993

Operated by Corporate Air for Federal Express

Operated by Empire Airlines for Federal Express - ?

This aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair - April 17, 2002

Whilst on descent into Seattle from 17,000 feet to 10,000 feet the crew felt a thud before noticing that the

Number 1 engine gear box oil pressure light illuminate

The engine was shut down and the crew declared an emergency before landing at Seattle

On inspection it was discovered that the engine drive shaft had failed at the universal joint

This had caused substantial damage to the engine and the associated firewall

To read more about this incident please click 'HERE'

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - April 30, 2008

The aircraft was sold to Air Panama for use as spare parts - May 2008

It was not entered onto the Panama Aircraft Register

It was observed at Panama City (Albrook) as 'N730FE' with many parts missing - May 11, 2009

It was observed at Panama City (Albrook) in a very derelict condition - November 06, 2014

Current status - ?

PH-FNI. TAA - in the standard livery at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, December 1968.

(Fokker Heritage Trust via H. Groen Collection Copyright Image 1993-557.)

VH-TQO. TAA - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1969.

(B. Colledge Copyright Image 1993-060.)

VH-TQO. TAA - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Essendon Airport, January 1969.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1993-012.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-532.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Canberra Airport, November 1980.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-192.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-665.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, October 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-310.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-309.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-307.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1982.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1993-011.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, April 1983.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-822.)

VH-TQO. TAA Trans-Australia Airlines - 'Augustus Gregory' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, April 1983.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-332.)

VH-TQO. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1984.

(E. D. Daw Copyright Image 1999-442.)

VH-TQO. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1984.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-306.)

VH-TQO. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1984.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1993-308.)

LN-RNZ. Scandinavian Eurolink - 'Vemund Viking' in the standard livery at Stockholm Airport, April 1985.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-999.)

LN-RNZ. Scandinavian Eurolink - 'Vemund Viking' in the standard livery at an unknown airport, date unknown.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1999-886.)

N730FE. Fedex Feeder - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, October 1998.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1993-604.)