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Air China Boeing 747-400P (B-2472) Canberra Airport Arrival

  • Megan Kennedy
  • 5 days ago
  • 1 min read
Black and white digital photograph by artist Megan Kennedy of a Boeing 747 flying in a cloudy sky. Landing gear is down, tail marked with "B-2477." Calm and serene atmosphere. Touching down on Runway 35 just before noon and operating under CCA031, an Air China Boeing 747-400P ferries Chinese politicians, officials and staff into Canberra Airport from Brisbane - a 1 hour and 34 minute flight. Although it isn't an official Boeing Designation, the "P" or "Presidential" suffix indicates a 747-400 adapted for presidential or VIP transportation. This particular registration - B-2472, MSN 30158 - is 25 years old, first flight and delivery to Air China in 2000, line number 1243. Both B-2472, and its counterpart tail number B-2447 are converted for regular domestic passenger flights when not on government assignments. At present, the Air China has nine Boeing 747's in service, seven active, two parked. With the global shift toward efficient twin-engine aircraft, sightings of four-engined giants are becoming increasingly rare. An even rarer sight at Canberra Airport, which sees only light international movements, the low and slow heavy is always a welcome visitation.
Black and white digital photograph by artist Megan Kennedy of a Boeing 747 flying in a cloudy sky. Landing gear is down, tail marked with "B-2477." Calm and serene atmosphere. Touching down on Runway 35 just before noon and operating under CCA031, an Air China Boeing 747-400P ferries Chinese politicians, officials and staff into Canberra Airport from Brisbane - a 1 hour and 34 minute flight. Although it isn't an official Boeing Designation, the "P" or "Presidential" suffix indicates a 747-400 adapted for presidential or VIP transportation. This particular registration - B-2472, MSN 30158 - is 25 years old, first flight and delivery to Air China in 2000, line number 1243. Both B-2472, and its counterpart tail number B-2447 are converted for regular domestic passenger flights when not on government assignments. At present, the Air China has nine Boeing 747's in service, seven active, two parked. With the global shift toward efficient twin-engine aircraft, sightings of four-engined giants are becoming increasingly rare. An even rarer sight at Canberra Airport, which sees only light international movements, the low and slow heavy is always a welcome visitation.

Touching down on Runway 35 just before noon and operating under CCA031, an Air China Boeing 747-400P ferries Chinese politicians, officials and staff into Canberra Airport from Brisbane - a 1 hour and 34 minute flight. Although it isn't an official Boeing Designation, the "P" or "Presidential" suffix indicates a 747-400 adapted for presidential or VIP transportation. This particular registration - B-2472, MSN 30158 - is 25 years old, first flight and delivery to Air China in 2000, line number 1243. Both B-2472, and its counterpart tail number B-2447 are converted for regular domestic passenger flights when not on government assignments.


At present, the Air China has nine Boeing 747's in service, seven active, two parked. With the global shift toward efficient twin-engine aircraft, sightings of four-engined giants are becoming increasingly rare. An even rarer sight at Canberra Airport, which sees only light international movements, the low and slow heavy is always a welcome visitation.



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