2 Japan Air Force B747's in Sydney

[Nigel C]

Just arrived, Japan Air Force 001 (20-1101) and Japan Air Force 002 (20-1102) just arrived. The first one parked at Bay 98B and the other is at Bay 1.

[andrew evans]

Nice do you have any info on them Nigel departure time,day etc thanks mate.

[Montague S]

is f.u.k.uda here, Nigel? I thought there was a WTO meeting in Geneva yesterday that he was attending? what's the occasion and who arrived?

[Nigel C]

I believe they'll be laying over for a couple of days, but that's all I know. What for and who, I'm not sure.

[Tim Bowrey]

Wow thats amazing! I was very impressed with their aircraft when one of them came for APEC.

Link to photo: http://myaviation.net/?pid=01163213

Tim

[Nigel C]

What's amazing is that you guys didn't know about it before it happened!

Methinks the geeks are getting slack!

:D

[Bill S]

I believe they'll be laying over for a couple of days, but that's all I know. What for and who, I'm not sure.

I parked last night at Domestic Five and one of the 747's was parked in Domestic Six - Walked over to have a closer look (not too close though!) and found out later that it had flown in directly from Tokyo-Haneda and on it was the Emperor's son, here in Aus for a short holiday.
So there ya go.

[Andrew P]

here is why:- on his way to Tonga

Royalty from around the world and regional political leaders have gathered in the tiny Pacific island nation of Tonga for the lavish coronation of King George Tupou V.
The 60-year-old king will be crowned in a ceremony on Friday when he will defy the tropical conditions and wear a scarlet velvet coronation robe trimmed with ermine.
Around 1,400 dignitaries are attending the coronation including Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito, Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Britain's Duke and *****ss of Gloucester and leaders from around the Pacific.

http://news.smh.com.au/world/foreign-royalty-watch-tonga-coronation-20080731-3ntu.html

Banjo

ps i know British Royalty are not needed, but even the software thinks so too.

[Tim Bowrey]

Got this one of both of them together yesterday.

http://myaviation.net/?pid=01411156

Tim

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Both departed this morning half an hour apart to Haneda.

[Philip Argy]

Did the Crown Prince and his entourage really require two 747s? Given that Tonga has no B747 capable runway*, I assume they left their aircraft here and went to Tonga on smaller aircraft?

*based on this old table from an Asian Development Bank report, so I may be out of date:



RUNWAY CHARACTERISTICS
AT SELECTED REGIONAL,

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND TONGAN DOMESTIC AIRPORTS

- - --
Airport/Country/Length/Width/Pavement Use m m strength






Nadi Fiji 3,200 45 PCN 25158.5 up to B747

....




Fua'amotu Tonga 2,671 45 PCN 45/F/B/X/T up to Tristar
Lupepau'u Tonga 1,700 30 PCN 25 up to ATR 42
Salote Pilolevu Tonga 1,145 20 not known up to Cessna




Citation

[Grahame Hutchison]

Philip,

A little different to the usual Antarctic work......

VH-VHD (http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/6/4/1/1230146.jpg) UV0001 02/08/2008 19:06 A319-115 (1999) 2003 - Skytraders Tullamarine
-> Tracking from NFTF (Fua Amotu International, Tonga) to YSSY,YSCB and YMML

I received this on ACARS last night, the two may be linked.
http://yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=1141&page=2

[Philip Argy]

I suspect that VH-VHD was doing a Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne milk run bringing Australian visitors home from the new King's coronation rather than something specifically linked to the Japanese Crown Prince and his entourage. But the Tonga departure was well spotted anyway, Grahame!

[Andrew McLaughlin]

I'm told the A319 DID take the Japanese Crown Prince to Tonga and back.

[Philip Argy]

Happy to stand corrected - thanks for the info, Andrew.

Who then did it take to CBR and MEL?

[Andrew P]

possibility - the emabssy staff to Canberra, and then back home to MEL

[Dave Parer]

Logged both of these aircraft on my SBS radar using the callsign 'JAF001' and 'JAF002'

30-Jul 17:42 87C000 20-1101 B744 ENR JAF001
30-Jul 18:40 87C001 20-1102 B744 ENR JAF002

03-Aug 10:57 87C000 20-1101 B744 ENR JAF001
03-Aug 11:27 87C001 20-1102 B744 ENR JAF002