Qantas Airways Boeing B747-400(ER) VH-OEE Departs Australian Shores for the Final Time!

On Tuesday 16 June, the fifth of six Qantas Airways Boeing B747-400(ER) jumbo jets registered VH-OEE departed Australian shores for good leaving just one final example - VH-OEJ - in the country.

Named 'Nullabour', VH-OEE departed Sydney empty as QFA6001 direct to Los Angeles following a period of storage at Sydney Airport.  VH-OEE made its final arrival into Sydney on Sunday 29 March as QF28 from Santiago, Chile, on what could possibly be the final commercial flight by the airline’s Jumbo Jets - as pictured below.

At just over 18 years old, VH-OEE was delivered to Qantas in December 2002.  It was the first ever Boeing B747-400(ER) aircraft built by Boeing and first flew as 'N747ER' in July 2002.

File photo

Like the other Qantas B747-400ER jumbo jets, VH-OEE is powered by General Electric (GE) CF6 engines.

File photo

VH-OEE was re-painted into the 'New Roo' Qantas livery in 2011.

Central Queensland plane spotters sadly never had the pleasure of photographing VH-OEE.  It is sad to see another jumbo jet leave Australian (and international) skies.

It is believed that after a lay-up at Los Angeles, VH-OEE will soon after ferry to be stored at the Mojave Desert in the United States of America.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 18 June, VH-OEE continued from Los Angeles to Mojave again as QFA6001.

Photos taken by Y. Armstrong, Bernie Proctor and Bruce Leibowitz  ©