VH-TJE. Boeing 727-76. c/n 20228-766.

Was also registered as: N8043E; HZ-GP2; HZ-GRP; N727RE; VR-CCB; VR-CHS; JY-HS1.

This aircraft was ordered new by Trans-Australia Airlines - ?

Rolled out at Boeing Seattle plant - September 19, 1969

First flown at Seattle - October 16, 1969

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TJE - October 28, 1969

Registered to Australian National Airlines Commission, Melbourne

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on the delivery flight to Australia - October 28, 1969

It arrived at Melbourne (Essendon) on completion of the delivery flight - October 30, 1969

Delivery route: Seattle - San Francisco - Honolulu - Canton Island - Nadi - Melbourne

The aircraft was named 'Matthew Flinders'

It operated its first revenue service - November 02, 1969

Operated its final revenue service Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Tullamarine) - July 15, 1979

It was then withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine)

The aircraft had flown 31,350 hours with 23,744 cycles

The airline titles and logos were removed from the aircraft at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - August 10, 1979

Sold to aircraft leasing company Interdec Inc - August 1979

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United States - August 18, 1979

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N8043E - August 20, 1979

Registered to Interdec, Houston, Texas

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - August 22, 1979

Entered onto the Saudi Arabian Aircraft Register as HZ-GP2 - September 1980

Leased to Dr R. Phataon t/a Redec, Saudi Arabia as the registered operator

Reregistered as HZ-GRP - December 1980

Returned to Interdec at the end of the lease - December 01, 1984

Cancelled from the Saudi Arabian Aircraft Register - December 01, 1984

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N727RE - December 01, 1984

Registered to Interdec, Houston, Texas

Leased to Flight Dynamics as the registered operator - February 01, 1985

Returned to the lessor at the end of the lease - February 1986

Sold to Bell Resources Group, United Kingdom - ?

Entered onto the Cayman Islands Aircraft Register as VR-CCB - July 01, 1987

The aircraft was used extensively by Robert Holmes a'Court, CEO of Bell Resources

Reregistered as VR-CHS - September 29, 1994

Registered to HS Aviation, United Kingdom

It was fitted with hushkitted engines and winglets at Basle - January 1996

Sold to one of the daughters of the late King Hussein of Jordan - February 1996

Entered onto the Jordanian Aircraft Register as JY-HS1 - February 10, 1996

The aircraft had been extensively modified for executive VIP travel with a lavish interior

The cargo holds were fitted with auxiliary fuel and reserve oil tank to extend range from 5 hours to 8 - 9 hours

Leased to HMS Airways as the registered operator - January 2000

HMS Airways ceased trading - 2005

There is speculation that HMS Airways failed after an ownership dispute between two members of the Jordanian

Royal Family concerning 'JY-HS1' but this has not been proven

Cancelled from the Jordanian Aircraft Register - January 2006

It was observed withdrawn from use and stored at Queen Alta International Airport, Amman - July 2007

It was noted in a derelict condition with some parts missing

It was observed permanently withdrawn from use as a derelict hulk at Amman - January 2014

Current status - ?

VH-TJE. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Matthew Flinders' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, October 1975.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4611-012.)

VH-TJE. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Matthew Flinders' in the standard livery with additional 'Air Niugini' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 16, 1976.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-224.)

VH-TJE. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Matthew Flinders' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 12, 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-105.)

VH-TJE. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Matthew Flinders' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 21, 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-518.)

VH-TJE. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Matthew Flinders' in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-366.)

VH-TJE. TAA Trans Australia Airlines - 'Matthew Flinders' in the standard livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 4610-519.)

VH-TJE. TAA - in the basic livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, August 1979.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-240.)

HZ-GRP. Redec Saudia Arabia - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, October 1983.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-367.)

HZ-GRP. Redec Saudia Arabia - in the standard livery at Paris Le Bourget Airport, November 1984.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-178.)

N727RE. Interdec - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, April 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-368.)

VR-CCB. Bell Resources - in the basic Interdec livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, September 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-369.)

VR-CCB. Bell Resources - in the standard livery at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, June 1989.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4610-370.)