
June 1956 to April 1969
Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA)
VH-TVI - c/n 147 - a V.756D series Viscount
Australia registered
22 June 1954
Registration to Australian National Airlines Commission trading as Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) reserved on the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-TVI.
April 1955
This was the second Type 756 Viscount ordered by Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA).
Production Aircraft No. 121 - the 121st production Type 700 series Viscount built,
was the 76th Viscount fuselage assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England,
and the 82nd Viscount assembled at Hurn, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
Production Order No. F02/756. Sales Order No. F02/74B. Stock Order No. F41/22B.
5 December 1955
Fuselage assembly commenced at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
25 January 1956
Fuselage to Erecting Shop 'E' at Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
26 May 1956
First flight from Hurn Airport, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.
9 June 1956
Handed over to Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) named as 'Matthew Flinders' with 'The Nations Jetline' titles at London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England.
Englishman Matthew Flinders was a Royal Navy Captain who was a navigator and cartographer and was the leader of the first circumnavigation of Australia on board H.M.S. Investigator, which was completed in 1803. This voyage, which took nearly two years identified Australia as a continent. He made three voyages to the southern ocean between 1791 and 1810. He was born in Lincolnshire 16 March 1774 and died in London 19 July 1814.
British European Airways (BEA) also named Viscount G-ANHF (C/N 66) after him.
Matthew Flinders
12 June 1956
Departed from London Airport (Heathrow), Middlesex, England on delivery to Australia flown by Captains Hepburn and Austen, Navigator Thrift, Radio Operator Roberts and Engineer Warren.
30 June 1956
Operated its first TAA scheduled service.
29 November 1956
During a scheduled service from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia it broke a civil aircraft speed record by completing the sector in two hours, fourteen and a half minutes under the command of Captain Stone.
11 October 1957
During a scheduled service from Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia a record time of 49 minutes was set under the command of Captain Keig.
circa 1959
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'Orange Tail' livery.
February 1959
Fourteen inch low pressure tyres and maxaret brakes installed.
circa 1961
Painted in the Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) 'White Tail' livery.
circa 1962
Weather radar was installed as a result of the accident to VH-TVC (C/N 46) and a subsequent Australian Airworthiness Directive.
26 July 1967
After starting the No.3 and No.4 Rolls-Royce Dart engines at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ready for departure a taxying Boeing 727 caused damage when the jet blast moved the flight controls to their extremities, even with the gust locks still engaged.
14 March 1968
Became only the second Australian Viscount to reach 30,000 flying hours.
30 December 1968
Last revenue flight to Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
31 December 1968
Grounded after the crash of Type 720C Viscount VH-RMQ (C/N 45) and stored at Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Total time 31,620 hours and 22,402 total landings.
April 1969
Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales (NSW) Pty Ltd (AAS).
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