VH-ECB Pacific Explorer


Type: L-188C Electra
MSN: 2004
Previous Identities: Nil
Subsequent Identities: N385AC
HC-AZJ
HC-AZJ / FAE2004


History:

01APR58 Ordered by Qantas
10AUG59 Application for CofR and CofA by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd (Source: 1)
23SEP59 Aircraft weighed at Burbank (Source: 1)
03OCT59 First flight
VH-ECB
 
30OCT59 CofR 3277 and CofA 3277 issued to Qantas as VH-ECB (Source: 1)
07NOV59 Arrived Sydney on delivery to Qantas as "Pacific Explorer" (Capt A.J. Bird) (Source: Qantas News July 1984)
19DEC59 Operated the first Electra flight from Sydney to Hong Kong via Port Moresby, Biak and Manila. (Source: "The Australian Air Mail Catalogue")
11OCT60 T.T. 2212.25 hours (Source: 1)
12DEC60 Entered LEAP as LEAP #46 QEA-2
19JAN61 Completed LEAP
04OCT61 Operated inaugural service Sydney to Christchurch (Capt A.L. Gay) (Source: "The Australian Air Mail Catalogue")
08OCT61 Operated inaugural service Melbourne to Auckland
09OCT61 T.T. 4345.49 hours (Source: 1)
20SEP62 T.T. 5810.54 hours (Source: 1)
16SEP63 T.T. 7252.22 hours (Source: 1)
04OCT63 Operated inaugural service Melbourne to Wellington. Commanded by Capt P.L. Oakley. Flight time 4.5 hours
10SEP64 T.T. 9386.06 hours (Source: 1)
26APR67 Blew a tyre on landing at Essendon
14AUG67 Departed Sydney as VH-ECB on delivery flight to Santa Ana, USA commanded by Capt A.L. Gay. Routed via Nadi and Honolulu.
17AUG67 Cancelled from Australian register
N385AC
 
18AUG67 Change of ownership to Air California as N385AC
04DEC68 Sold to GATX-Booth Aircraft Corp and leased to Air California
19MAR69 Sold to Aircraft Holdings
07NOV69 Sold to F B Ayer & Associates
17DEC69 Sold to Universal Trading Corp of Panama
70 Stored at Fort Worth, Texas
71 Stored at Tucson, Arizona
16SEP71 Struck off US register
12JAN72 Sold to F B Ayer & Associates
JAN72 Leased to Intermountain Aviation
23APR73 Recertified in Experimental category to test Sperry radiometric system under contract to Lockheed
12NOV73 Sold to WHARFCA Inc
HC-AZJ
 
73-74 Leased to Ecuatoriana as HC-AZJ
14JUL74 Sold to F.B. Ayer and Associates
HC-AZJ /
FAE2004
 
06AUG74 Delivered to TAME as HC-AZJ / FAE2004 named "Pichincha"
23APR84 Seen at Quito in new TAME colour scheme
17SEP85 Seen at Quito
20JUN87 Seen at Miami operating an Ecuatoriana flight
NOV88 Still in service with TAME
04SEP89 Damaged in belly landing at Taura, Ecuador
   

 

SOURCES
1
File C3905/2 VH/ECA Pts 1 & 2 (21) N.A.A., Chester Hill


Issue Date Remarks
11 28DEC22
10 05DEC22
Added a slideshow.
9 25DEC19
Added a new image of VH-ECB thanks to Peter Gates.
8 28MAY19
Added a new image of VH-ECB thanks to Eric Allen.
7 03APR16
Refreshed page layout with no change to data.
6 16MAY12
Added an image of the aircraft in Intermountain colours thanks to Peter Gates.
5 30JAN10
Added two pre-delivery colour images thanks to Peter Gates.
4 08FEB04
Added two images of the aircraft in different TAME liveries thanks to Peter Gates.
3 06JAN04
Added several new references extracted from file C3905/2 VH/ECB (22) N.A.A., Chester Hill by Chris O'Neill.
2 21MAR01
Added LEAP details thanks to Pete Clukey.
Additional material thanks to John Wilson.
Additional images thanks to Peter Gates.





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