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OO-SJA

 

Boeing 707-329 (17623/78)

 

Date
Registration
Company
History
28/12/58 - - Order signed by Sabena. First European order for the B707 (for 3 orders and 2 options which were converted to orders on 26/01/56)
23/09/59 - Boeing Rolled out at Renton
28/09/59 - - Left paint shop in full Sabena colors
02/11/59 OO-SJA Sabena Registered with Belgian CoA 1279. First jetliner in Belgium
03/11/59 - - Made its first flight from Renton
04/12/59 - - Handed over
00/12/59 - - Crew training
17/12/59 - - Ferry flight Seattle-New York. TAT 86 hrs
20/12/59 - - Ferried Seattle-Idlewild-Brussels on delivery. Speed record between Idlewild and Brussels: 6hrs 17 minutes
21/12/59 - - Arrived Brussels at 1015 local time.
22/12/59 - - Flown Brussels-Leopoldsville (Belgian Congo) for crew training
20/01/60 - - Inaugurated Brussels-Leopoldsville service
23/01/60 - - Inaugurated Brussels-Idlewild service. First revenue flight across the Atlantic by an European carrier
25/01/60 - - Inaugurated Brussels-Johannesburg service
20/06/60 - - Inaugurated Brussels-Manchester-Prestwick-Idlewild service
09/07/60 - - Participated Congo airlift (total o
16/07/60 - - Carried 303 pax from Leopoldsville to Brussels. The record-setting non-stop flight of 4000 miles took seven hours and was within safe limits because majority of the pax were children and babies. Exact breakdown was; 12 men, 131 woman, 118 children, 32 babies, plus crew of 10. Most children sat on the floor, babies were placed in luggage racks. (together with SJB, SJC, SJD and SJE: 62 flights with average of 250 pax in Congo Airlift )
12/10/60 - - First overhaul and tail modification made at Brussels. (F.C.I.P. (Flight Control Improvement Program)). TAT 2531 hrs
01/12/60 - - Returned to service
24/11/61 - - Aileron trim trouble en route Brussels-Buenos Aires. Landed safely
28/03/62 - - Stabilizer trim trouble en route Brussels-JFK
00/00/62 - Air Congo Leased several short periods till end 1967 in Sabena colors with Air Congo titles
18/01/66 - - Stabilizer trim trouble en route Leopoldsville-Brussels
20/10/66 - - Record breaking flight at 35000ft, 0,8 Mach speed
17/10/67 - - Damaged in ground accident at Montreal
00/10/71 - Air Zaire Leased in Sabena colors with "Air Zaire" titles
00/10/72 - Sabena Returned
00/12/72 - - Removed from scheduled service. Interior changed to all-economy and used as back-up aircraft
00/01/73 - Tunis Air Leased, with "Tunis Air" sticker and Tunis flag for Hadj flights
08/02/73 - - TAT 44050 hrs
28/02/73 - Sabena Returned and new colors applied at Brussels
00/12/73 - Loftleidir Icelandic Leased for some flights LUX-JFK with fuel stop LBG due to strike of cabin staff Loftleidir DC8
00/12/73 - Air Algerie Leased with full colors
26/04/74 - Sabena Returned
00/03/75 - - Returned to Brussels after an engine-fire en route Brussels-Casablanca
08/01/76 - Mandala Airlines Leased for Hadj flights and seen such in Sabena colors with "Mandela Airlines" titles at Abu Dhabi
22/02/76 - Sabena Returned
28/11/76 - - Inaugurated Brussels-Baghdad service
07/10/77 - Sobelair Purchased, but stayed in Sabena markings
05/11/77 - Cameroon Airlines Noted at Jeddah on lease for Hadj flights
00/12/77 - Sobelair Returned and leased back to Sabena
03/04/78 - Sabena Inaugurated Brussels-Dhahran-Doha-Abu Dhabi service
04/10/78 - - TAT 58958 hrs
14/08/80 - - Noted at Brussels without titles
00/09/80 - - TAT 63557 hrs
00/12/80 - Sobelair Returned
00/01/81 - Sabena Leased
01/03/81 - Inter-Fret Sub-leased
25/03/81 - Sabena Returned
29/03/81 - - Last revenue service for Sobelair, Brussels-Las Palmas, when no 3 engine exploded on t/o returning safely at Brussels with 109 pax and 9 crew, no injuries. Placed in storage. TAT 64462 hrs
15/04/81 - - Registration canx at Brussels. TAT 64463 hrs, 18684 landings
01/06/81 - - CoA expired
15/04/82 - Air Museum of Brussels Canx from register and donated, with registration on aircraft
24/06/82 - - Dismantling begun
00/08/82 - - First transfer to Museum
03/02/83 - - Cockpit-section arrived at the Museum
04/04/84 - - Only front section was assembled at the museum due to lack of space. TAT 64463 hrs and 25 minutes

Following sources are acknowledged.

Individual Aircraft History of the Boeing 707 (Buchair USA)
The Boeing 707-720 and C-135 (Air-Britain Publication)
Airliners in Belgium - BCARG special 1 Boeing 707 Intercontinental (Aviation Society of Antwerp vzw)
Belgian Civil Aircraft since 1920 (MCP)
Chronicle of Aviation (JLIP)
Chronique de l'Aviation  (JLIP)
Jet Airliner Production List (TAHS)
JP Airline Fleets (Buchair)
Sabena 70 jaar luchtvaartpionier
Magazines: Aviation Letter, Scramble, Luftfahrt Journal, Jetstream, Carnets de Vol, Onze/Notre Sabena
Various text and photo material to be found on the internet.
Ward Dossche for an addition lease Loftleidir Icelandic in Dec 1973

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