A Qantas jumbo jet has made history by landing at a regional airport in New South Wales to become the first 747-400 in the world to go on display.
The aircraft which is known as ‘The City of Canberra’ was cheered and applauded by a crowd of thousands as it made a tricky landing on the short and narrow runway.
Illawarra Airport’s runway, which is only 1,800 metres, is less than half the length of Sydney Airport’s runways and at just 30 metres wide, the aircraft’s wingspan of 64 metres caused the two engines to hang over the runway’s edge on landing.
The aircraft was retired to Wollongong after 25 years of service, where it will become a prized addition to the aviation museum based at Illawara Regional Airport.
Qantas’ final 747 flight departed Sydney Airport last weekend, and flew at just 4,000 feet and at a much slower speed for its 15 minute journey to Wollongong.
The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society who will be looking after the jumbo jet has Australia’s biggest collection of historical aircraft including a plane known as ‘Connie’, a Lockheed Super Constellation originally built for the US Air Force.
"It's a bit sentimental but it's going to a great home down here and we know it's going to be looked after by the society volunteers," Captain Greg Matthews said.
The City of Canberra is the oldest aircraft in the Qantas fleet and holds the record for the longest ever non-stop commercial flight for its trip from London to Sydney in 1989.
In total, the plane has flow 85 million kilometres, which is equivalent to 110 return trips to the moon. Its last commercial flight was in January this year between Johannesburg and Sydney.
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