Those put off by the eye-watering US$418.4 million sticker price for a new Boeing 747-8 could to consider a second-hand 747-400 that was previously flown by the Japanese government and is now on sale for a far more budget-friendly US$28 million.
The 747-400 MSN24730 was manufactured in 1991 and used to transport Japanese government officials, the royal family and other dignitaries around the world. Powered by four GE CF6-80C2-B1F engines, the aircraft featured a VIP configuration and was one of two 747-400s operated by the Japan Air Self Defense Force.
In early 2019, Japan replaced the two 747-400s, registration 20-1101 and 20-1102, with a pair of 777-300ERs.
The retired jumbo jets were sold United States-based CSDS Aircraft Sales & Leasing Inc and renamed N7474C and N7477C, respectively.
CSDS has listed N7474C, the former 20-1101, on the Controller.com website for sale.
The listing describes the aircraft as one of the lowest time 747-400s in the world, with a total flight time of 16,332 hours and 13,569 total landings. (By way of comparison, Qantas’s first 747-400 VH-OJA racked up more than 100,000 hours from 1989 until its retirement in 2015.)
“Aircraft has been maintained to the highest possible standard. Shows like new,” the listing said.
“This looks like a factory new aircraft.”
Further, it said the aircraft would be delivered “fresh” from a C-check and paint, while the four engines had “more than 2,500 cycles to the first limiter”.
VIDEO: A look at flying the Japan government’s 747-400 from the Japan Ministry of Defense’s YouTube channel.
Images from the listing showed the aircraft had a bedroom, an office and a meeting area. The had 85 seats.
The full listing can be read here.
https://twitter.com/BenAirplane/status/1160308578206416897
https://twitter.com/BenAirplane/status/1156622924108800000
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