Ordered new by Qantas - January 16, 1980

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Everett - January 1981

First flown at Everett as VH-EAA - January 11, 1981

Powered by Rolls Royce RB211-524-B2 engines

Entered onto Australian Aircraft Register as VH-EAA - January 19, 1981

Registered to Qantas Airways Ltd, Sydney

Aircraft was named 'City of Gold Coast Tweed' at Everett - January 21, 1981

Departed Seattle as QF501D on delivery flight - January 21, 1981

Arrived Sydney at conclusion of delivery flight - January 23, 1981

Delivery route: Seattle-Honolulu-Sydney

Flight crew: Capts L.W. Clark, A.E. Bones

Departed Sydney at 0700 Sydney-Townsville as QF140 (Capt A. Terrell) - January 24, 1981

Engaged in a three day Queensland promotional tour and pilot training

Conducted two training flights from Townsville before being opened for public inspection at 1415 to 1900

Flown Townsville-Coolangatta as QF143 (Capts R. Seaver, Bailey) - January 25, 1981

Opened for public inspection at Coolangatta Airport at 1200 to 1800

Flown Coolangatta-Brisbane as QF144 (Capts Seaver, Rosewarne) - January 25, 1981

Flown Brisbane-Brisbane as training flight QF146 (Capts Bailey, Simmons) - January 26, 1981

Flown Brisbane-Brisbane as training flight QF147 (Capts Bailey, Lockett) - January 26, 1981

Opened for public inspection at Brisbane Airport at 1315 to 1730

Flown Brisbane-Sydney as training flight QF148 (Capts Terrell, Rosewarne) - January 26, 1981

Operated the inaugural Qantas SP service Sydney-Wellington as QF55 - February 6, 1981

Due bad weather at Wellington flight was diverted to Auckland (Capt D. McKinley)

Ferried Auckland-Wellington - February 7, 1981

Carried 'Official Carrier Brisbane 1982' Commonwealth Games titles - November 1, 1981

Utilised as supplementary flight Sydney-Honolulu as QF35 - Agust 12, 1982

Ferried as QF500D Honolulu-Seattle for Rolls Royce RB211-524-DE engine refit - August 12, 1982

Ferried Everett-Honolulu-Sydney as QF501D following engine refit - August 25 - 27, 1982

Operated first Qantas 747SP non-stop service Sydney-Los Angeles as QF11 - April 7, 1984

Repainted into 'Spirit of Australia' livery - January 1990

Listed by Qantas as being for sale but continued normal operations - March 1, 1990

Leased to Australian Airlines - July 5 - 6, 1992

Operated TN7025/7425 Sydney-Brisbane-Sydney & TN7016/7011 Sydney-Perth-Sydney

Carried 'Sydney 2000' Olympic sticker to promote Sydney's bid for 2000 Olympic Games - December 1993

Operated last revenue service Singapore-Brisbane-Sydney as QF52 - March 20, 1994

Leased to Australia Asia Airlines - March 25, 1994 to June 27, 1996

Operated the inaugural Australia Asia 747SP service Sydney-Taipei as QF135 - March 26, 1994

Listed by Qantas as being for sale but continued normal operations - January 1, 1997

New 'The Australian Airline' subtitle applied - March 1, 1998

Operated final Qantas revenue service Singapore-Jakarta-Sydney as QF42/22 - February 23, 2002

Withdrawn from use in Sydney - February 23, 2002

Operated supplementary freighter service Sydney-Honolulu as QF7571 - March 4, 2002

Ferried Honolulu-Marana as QF6019 for storage - March 5, 2002

Cancelled from Australian Aircraft Register - March 27, 2002

Engines removed and returned to Qantas

Aircraft was broken up - July 25, 2002

Had flown 75,238 hours and 14,011 cycles

The complete history of VH-EAA 'City of Gold Coast Tweed' is available as a book.

This book explores the background of the Boeing 747SP program before presenting the history

of VH-EAA in text and photos. To purchase a copy of this 'coffee table' book - click HERE.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - the wings for the first Qantas 747SP at Everett, 1980.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on the production line at Everett, 1980.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on the production line at Everett, 1980.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on the production line at Everett, 1980.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery over Washington State, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on display at Townsville Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on display at Townsville Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - open for public inspection at Coolangatta Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on its first visit to Brisbane Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - on its first visit to Brisbane Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - undertaking pilot training at Avalon Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - undertaking pilot training at Avalon Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - undertaking pilot training at Avalon Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - undertaking pilot training at Avalon Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - the inaugural landing at Wellington Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the full livery at Wellington Airport, January 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - Capt Alan Terrell is greeted in the main cabin of the aircraft.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - Capt Alan Terrell receives the Maori 'peace challenge' in the terminal.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - Qantas cabin crew pose in front of the aircraft at Wellington Airport.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - a number of training flights were carried out the following day.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - a number of training flights were carried out the following day.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery at Sydney Airport, June 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery at Sydney Airport, February 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery at Sydney Airport, September 1981.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - in the original livery at Wellington Airport, date unknown.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - with 'Brisbane 1982 Games' titles at Sydney Airport, September 1982.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - with 'Sydney 2000 Olympic' logo at Brisbane Airport, August 1993.

VH-EAA. Qantas Australia - with 'Sydney 2000 Olympic' logo at Brisbane Airport, August 1993.

VH-EAA. Australia Asia - in basic Qantas livery at Melbourne Airport, March 1995.

VH-EAA. Australia Asia - in basic Qantas livery at Brisbane Airport, June 1995.

VH-EAA. Qantas The Australian Airline - with revised titles at Brisbane Airport, October 1996.

VH-EAA. Qantas The Australian Airline - with revised titles at Melbourne Airport, September 1999.

VH-EAA. Qantas The Australian Airline - with revised titles at Brisbane Airport, May 2001.