Air New Zealand B747-400 ZK-NBV Departs Australasian Shores Forever

Reading this week that Air New Zealand has said farewell to Boeing B747-400 ZK-NBV - the final 'Jumbo Jet' to be operated by the airline.

On Monday 13 October, ZK-NBV departed Auckland for the last time, heading to Los Angeles as ANZ6074.  After crew rest, it continued on to Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico for maintenance and eventual delivery to an as yet undisclosed European charter operator.

Last month, on Friday 12 September, Air New Zealand retired ZK-NBV after it touched down at Auckland Airport after operating as ANZ7 from San Francisco.

ZK-NBV - msn 26910 - was delivered brand new to Air New Zealand on in November 1998.

For Central Queensland plane spotters, ZK-NBV operated a number of charter flights over recent years on behalf of the Singapore Armed Forces, flying between Singapore's Changi Airport and Rockhampton Airport, flying troops to participate in Exercise Wallaby.

  

On Wednesday 23 October 2013, ZK-NBV departed Rockhampton for the last time, ferrying empty as ANZ6032 back to Auckland.

The retirement of ZK-NBV marks the end of the 33 years of Air New Zealand flying the B747-400, as well as as the 'classic' B747-200, the 'Queen of the Skies'.

File photos taken by 'IAD'  ©