YK-AHA_1976-06-06_MUC_1600_AM

 

Photo taken by Andreas Müller, scan kindly provided by Michael Bernhard for inclusion on this page.

 

 

München-Riem

1976-06-06 (6 June 1976)

 

YK-AHA "November 16"

Boeing 747SP-94

21174/284

Syrian Arab Airlines (Syrian Air)

 

Brand new YK-AHA on one of its first visits to Riem (precisely on its 5th visit, the actual first visit was on Tuesday, 1 June 1976). The first visit of the type had happened a few weeks earlier on 24 April 1976 when Pan Am's N533PA was noted at Riem.

 

Syrian Air’s B747SPs were a regular sight at Munich-Riem and later also at Munich's new FJS airport into the mid-2000s. From 1976-06-01, Syrian Air operated the B747SP every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday DAM-MUC-LHR and back.

 

Information from aussieairliners.org:

Syrian Arab Airlines placed an order for 2 Boeing 747SPs on December 06, 1974. Unlike most international airlines these two aircraft were to be used on the airline's medium range high density routes. Rolled out at Everett on March 23, 1976 with Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A engines it was entered onto the Syrian Aircraft Register as YK-AHA. Although being the ninth SP to be built it was the eighth of its type to fly when it performed its maiden flight on April 15, 1976.

 

Accepted by Syrian Air at Paine Field on May 21, 1976 the aircraft was named 'November 16'. It entered service shortly thereafter mainly on the Damascus - London route. By November 1988 it had acquired a modified livery with an all-grey underside and was seen as such at London's Heathrow Airport and Munich.

 

The aircraft was repainted in 2003 and it was observed at London's Heathrow Airport on March 28, 2003 in the new livery. The aircraft was noted as being retired on December 01, 2007 and stored at Damascus with other Syrian Air aircraft.

 

Together with sister ship YK-AHB, YK-AHA was flown to Riyadh around 2011 for heavy maintenance with the intention to restore both aircraft to operation (source: 747sp.com), but apparently nothing came of the plans and both were scrapped around 2014.

 

 

Detailed history of this airframe:

www.747sp.com/747sp-production-list/21174-284/

 

YK-AHA brand new at Riem on 8 July 1976 (bare metal underside):

www.747sp.com/wp-content/gallery/21174-284/21174_1976-07-...

 

YK-AHA at ORY in January 1988 (bare metal fuselage):

www.747sp.com/wp-content/gallery/21174-284/21174_1988-01-...

 

YK-AHA at Riem in April 1990 (grey underside):

www.747sp.com/wp-content/gallery/21174-284/21174_2004-09-...

 

YK-AHA at MUC in September 1999 carrying a fifth engine:

www.747sp.com/wp-content/gallery/21174-284/21174_1999-09-...

 

YK-AHA at LHR in May 2002 (blue nacelles):

www.flickr.com/photos/gooneybird29/42523814200

 

YK-AHA climbing out of MUC in March 2003 (updated colours):

imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/2/9/6/0544692.jpg

 

YK-AHA at MUC in May 2004:

www.747sp.com/wp-content/gallery/21174-284/21174_2004-05-...

 

Both YK-AHA and YK-AHB stored at DAM in July 2009:

www.flickr.com/photos/superspotter/3743511156/in/album-72...

 

YK-AHA stored at DAM in May 2010:

www.planes.cz/photo/1212/1212722/b747sp-94-yk-aha-syrian-...

www.planes.cz/photo/1079/1079975/b747sp-94-yk-aha-syrian-...

 

YK-AHA stored at RUH still unscrapped in November 2014:

www.flickr.com/photos/superspotter/15701416549

 

 

Scan from Kodachrome slide.

Done