Specifications

Description

Late 1960s: Qantas began evaluating aircraft to replace their 21 Boeing 707s, and selected the Boeing 747. August 1967: Ordered four Boeing 747-100A aircraft. June 1969: Qantas decided to wait for the more advanced 747-200 (747B), which was better suited to long-haul services, so the order was changed to four Boeing 747-200Bs. July – August 1971: Qantas’ first Boeing 747-238B aircraft, VH-EBA ‘City of Canberra’ was first flown on 8 July 1971 and delivered Seattle – San Francisco – Honolulu – Sydney during 13-16 August 1971. 3 September 1971: VH-EBA made the first visit by a Boeing 747 to Perth during a route-proving flight Sydney to Singapore via Perth. An estimated 8,000 people witnessed the historic arrival of the 747. 17 September 1971: VH-EBA’s first revenue service as QF727 Sydney – Perth – Singapore. With the 747, Qantas introduced cheaper airfares, resulting in increased passenger traffic and revenue, despite increasing fuel prices. 28 December 1974: A Qantas 747-238B set a world record for carrying the most passengers, when it evacuated 674 people from Darwin to Sydney, after Darwin was hit by Cyclone Tracy. The airline flew out a total of 4925 people.\ July 1976: Qantas ordered the Boeing 747-200 Combi, which had a side cargo door in the rear fuselage. October 1977: The first of three 747 Combi aircraft, VH-ECA, was delivered.