Virgin Atlantic has phased out one of their older 744s, their third-oldest to be precise. G-VTOP has spend exactly 16 years in VS Red. It´ll be operated by Orient Thai from now. Lets hope they give her a decent coat of paint!

http://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb.main?LC=nav4&page=3

Should be easy to reconfiged into Orient Thai config, it was in 14J 62W 380Y with VS, it was a LHR based aircraft before moving to Gatwick and being put in a high-Y class config. She's going to be missed by the Virgin crew.

[Edited 2013-02-12 10:30:59]

Quoting AAMDanny (Reply 1): 14J 26W 380Y

Actually I believe it was 14J 58W 379Y

Quoting AAMDanny (Reply 1): She's going to be missed by the Virgin crew.

Really? Many I have spoken to will be glad to see the back of her!

Quoting anstar (Reply 2): Actually I believe it was 14J 58W 379Y

I thought VAST/VXLG/VTOP was in 380Y and ROM/LIP/GAL/ROY/ROS had 379Y.

I loved working on her, she was always full of surprises!

AST/XLG and TOP were indeed J14 W58 Y380 configuration. The onboard economy configuration was actually quite different due to the lack of the flight service manager station in Front of L2.

TOP was a nice aircraft. Before the refits the three ex LHR aircraft were always slightly nicer to fly on than the B747-443s due to the marginally better IFE.

Always sad to see a B747 move on.....

Quoting sevenheavy (Reply 4): Always sad to see a B747 move on.....

I'm excited as the plane will still keep flying! Too many 744s do not find a buyer...

Albeit, I'm not a fan of the type's economics (anymore).

Lightsaber

G-VTOP is the fourth oldest 744 in the VS fleet having been first registered on 28 Jan 97. By 31 Dec 2011 it had accumulated 71,198 flying hours.

VS's older 744s are:

G-VFAB (28 Apr 94, 86,164 hrs)

G-VHOT (11 Oct 94, 84,217 hrs)

G-VBIG (10 Aug 96, 75,390 hrs)

Quoting lightsaber (Reply 5): I'm excited as the plane will still keep flying!

Well, its from 1997, so should fly 5 years longer easily.

Quoting lightsaber (Reply 5): Too many 744s do not find a buyer...

That only refers to aircraft built around 1990 and whose time has come in most cases anyway. As much as I know, and I regularly check that, there are only a handful of pax-744s in storage which are younger than 20 years. Quite a feat and a testament to the type´s value. I doubt we can say that in 20 years of planes built today.

Quoting lightsaber (Reply 5): Albeit, I'm not a fan of the type's economics (anymore).

Its still a good plane also economically with hundreds in service for years to come, remember the last pax-744 was built almost 9 years ago.

Quoting VV701 (Reply 6):

Thanks.

According to on-line sources this is due into LGW from MAN this afternoon (13 Feb) in all white with Orient Thai titles.

AE733