I agree, mine too! I love it when one of these planes come into Boston - and as you said, a really unique and beautiful aircraft! Wish there were more of them out there!
I love the 747sp...spent 12 amazing hours on one from detroit to tokyo on the way to bangkok back in the late 90s...they're sort of like the a318 of the 747 family
Saw this same plan (or one with the exact same livery) in Hong Kong a couple years back. I wondered where it was from, and some of the spotters around me told me it was owned by a casino. Cool to see it live!
Oh how cool Capt.! Several of the spotters from our local aviation group actually went to Hanscom to see it and got a few nice pictures of the plane while it was there!!! :)
This is a really cool jet. I see it a lot at LAX. It definitely has you do a double take because it is so much shorter than a regular 747. This baby takes a lot of high roller billionaires back and forth from Vegas to Asia. I wouldn't mind riding in this baby across the pacific. I'm sure its very luxurious inside.
+Matthew Chan It was originally developed for South African Airways who during the 70's and 80's were barred from entering most African countries' airspace. This meant all flights from SA to Europe had to fly just off the west coast of Africa and around the "bulge". This resulted in an additional 3-4 hours flying time. The first possibility to refuel was then Lisbon. In order to survive the 15 hour flight, Boeing developed a plane that was reasonably smaller and lighter (with the same amount of fuel reserve as a normal 747) that would consume less fuel. When the political system changed in SA. they sold their 747sp fleet - flogged off mainly to Iran.
+Acacia Bloom Thanks for the history! I never knew the story behind the SP. I'll have to buy one of those some day when I'm a billionaire. Just think of the traveling you could do with a private jet with that kind of range. I'd never come home.
Also, the 747SP was developed for a Pan American requirement for a very long-range 747--to be specific, flying non-stop between New York City and Tokyo. Interestingly, Boeing tried to sell the 747SP to Japan Airlines, but JAL didn't want a physically smaller 747, and this airline got the plane they wanted with the 747-200B powered by GE CF6-50 engines, which had the same range as the 747SP.
@BostonAirborne Thank you! I think I damaged my tripod skills while I was on vacation, what happened to my steady shots? Too many margaritas I think - got to get back in the groove. I am anxiously awaiting your next masterpiece!
You guys are right. It is Las Vegas Sands' plane. In other words Sheldon Adelson. It takes him around the world picking up friends, family and suckers to gamble at his casinos.
@sjt375 Thank you! I use a Canon Vixia HG 21. I am itching to upgrade myself, Canon just came out with an amazing new camera the XA10. But, currently it is out of my price range at $1,999!
Wow, I dream to see one of those beautys you got a great catch and in wonderful light, but actually that aircraft I believe is based out of LAS and is part of a fleet also having L-1011s so maybe one of those beautiful birds will stop at BOS. Great vid.
Great video! Was this VQ-BMS? If so I got a video of it flying over Michigan a few days ago. Notice that the APU is running because you can see the exhaust plume; I thought that was bit strange to have the APU running while the plane is flying!
@fabrice42160 Hi Fabrice! How are you? Thank you for this great information you are absolutely right - wow! And, yes, it was VQ-BMS as Chris and others identified. So, the question is, who did they drop off at Logan??? : )
That's because only a very small number of 747SP's were ever built--45 planes. They were essentially reduced-size 747-100's with a range of around 6,500 nautical miles. When the full-sized 747-200B with similar range arrived in the early 1980's, it made the 747SP obsolete.
To compare any AirBUST to a Boeing is an unsult - let alone the mniserable and lowly A318. You should apologize for that comment to the Boeing family and the venerable 747SP. If it aint a Boeing, I aint going...
