Jets

JAS: the end of the rainbow

As a result of its use with the predecessors of the company the YS-11 was the most numerous type in the fleet of the young Toa Kokunai Koku. By 1972 these turboprops were supplemented by jet airplanes when the Boeing 727 entered the fleet and was put into service that summer on the Tokyo-Sapporo route, followed by Tokyo-Fukuoka in 1975. Incidentally, among the four TDA 727s are those two that flew for Japan Domestic for a short while. Soon after the 727's entry another American success, the DC-9, was tried out by means of two Hughes Airwest aircraft. TDA joined the ranks of happy customers and remained faithful to this series of twinjets till this day. The autumn of 1980 again brought changes for the company as the first wide-body made its entry: the A300 had been purchased and the opportunity was taken to introduce a new, striking livery for the planes. The Japanese lived up to their reputation as skilled copiers and put to use the Airbus house colours, still visible nowadays on new Airbus types and of course on all aircraft still wearing that JAS livery. Titles and logo were placed on the fuselage just like in the other scheme and 'TDA' was written, diagonally, on the dark blue part of the tailplane. Naturally, the A300 was put into service on the trunk routes. Early 1981 saw the appropriate entry of the MD-81 and this machine too was adorned with the new house colours, addressed as 'Airbus Rainbow'. This version of the MD-81 was actually more of a stretched DC-9-40 as it still had the old cockpit.

 B727

19138 JA8314 08apr72-29nov75 Ex JAL. To Hapag-Lloyd, acft seen wfu at Kinshasa-N'Djili in 2000.
19139 JA8315 01apr72-18mar76 Ex JAL. To Hapag-Lloyd.
19279 JA8318 190372-21aug74 Ex JAL. To Dan-Air London. Acft crashed on Tenerife Island 25apr80.
19507 N693WA 09jan73-28mar75 Ex World Airways. Back to World Airways and wfu feb04.

 First two are B727-89, c/n 19279 is a B727-46 and 19507 is a B727-173.

 [1] Into JAS inventory on 1 April 1988.

 DC-9

47246 N9333 11sep73-28feb75 Ex Hughes Airwest and back to Hughes Airwest.
47247 N9334 11dec73-20nov74 Ex Hughes Airwest and back to Hughes Airwest.
47603 JA8423 18mar74-29mar81 To Finnair. Completely broken up at Goodyear, AZ, by 2000.
47604 JA8424 25mar74-15jun81 To Finnair. Seen at scrapping area Opa Locka, FL, feb04.
47605 JA8425 10apr74-15feb82 To Finnair. Acft stored at Dallas-Ft.Worth, TX, in 2003.
47606 JA8426 07may74-12jan82 To Finnair.
47608 JA8427 13jun74-17feb93 [1] To Airborne Express.
47612 JA8428 11jul74-18mar93 [1] To Airborne Express.
47613 JA8429 13sep74-03oct81 To Finnair. Acft stored at Buenos Aires-Ezeiza in 2002.
47614 JA8430 17oct74-12jan83 To Finnair. Acft stored at Buenos Aires-Aeroparque in 2003.
47615 JA8432 08nov74-28jan91 [1] To Airborne Express.
47616 JA8433 20dec74-05oct89 [1] To Airborne Express.
47617 JA8434 14feb75-26nov82 To Ozark Air Lines, aircraft broken up by 2001.
47618 JA8435 25feb75-31jan83 To Ozark Air Lines, broken up at Marana, AZ, in 2000.
47619 JA8436 20mar75-06dec91 [1] To Airborne Express.
47620 JA8437 28jul75-21may92 [1] To Airborne Express.
47696 N9MD 06jun77-28oct78 Ex Finnair and back to Finnair.
47716 N763NC 16sep76-14apr78 Delivered to North Central Airlines and transferred to TDA. Back to North Central Airlines.
47759 JA8439 16dec77-26mar93 [1] To Airborne Express.
47760 JA8440 08feb78-24may96 [1] To Airborne Express.
47761 JA8441 06mar78-13dec96 [1] To Airborne Express.
47762 JA8442 28apr78-28oct96 [1] To Airborne Express.
47767 JA8448 20sep78-18apr93 [1] Caught fire after hard landing at Hanamaki due to windshear and procedural error. Written off.
47768 JA8449 07oct78-23oct96 [1] To Airborne Express.
47780 JA8450 09jan79-31jan97 [1] To Airborne Express.
47781 JA8451 31jan79-23aug96 [1] To Airborne Express.

 First two N-registered are DC-9-31, other two N-registered are DC-9-51 and all JA-registered are DC-9-41.

Click for large version
Just after snow clearing has finished this work horse touches down at Asahikawa on Hokkaido Island, as the first landing of the day. JA8478 had left Tokyo-Haneda early that morning of 17 November 2003 and is wearing the well-known colours of Japan Air System. Added on the rear fuselage is the logo of the new JAL Group, partly hidden here behind the wing.

 [1] Into JAS inventory on 1 April 1988 - others joined fleet after TDA became JAS.

 A300

82 JA8464 02oct80 [1] At Tokyo-Haneda in basic c/s apr04, for Fly Air (TC-FLJ).
89 JA8465 15dec80-20oct02 [1] Stored Tokyo-Haneda in basic c/s. Ferried to Smyrna, TN, 08nov02 for storage.
90 JA8466 18dec80 [1]
110 JA8292 03apr89-jun03 Ex Cruzeiro. To Fly Air (TC-FLG).
151 JA8263 28mar87 Ex Australian Airlines. [1] For Fly Air may04 (TC-FLK).
160 JA8471 13nov81 [1]
163 JA8472 08dec81-29jun03 [1] To Fly Air (TC-FLE).
169 JA8276 31mar88-13jan03 Ex Hapag-Lloyd. To Rubloff Jet Support Services and stored Smyrna, TN.
174 JA8277 15mar88-26sep02 Ex Condor. Ferried to Smyrna, TN, in basic c/s for Rubloff Jet Support Services and broken up.
176 JA8473 17feb82 [1] For Fly Air 2004 (TC-FLM).
178 JA8560 20dec91 Ex Air France, initially stored, operational 05jul92. Converted to
A300B4-2C later on.
194 JA8293 04dec89-jun03 Ex VARIG. To Fly Air (TC-FLF).
209 JA8476 28feb83 [1]
239 JA8369 12sep90 Ex Egypt Air.
244 JA8477 22apr83 [1]
253 JA8478 16jun83 [1]
256 JA8237 25mar86 [1] For Fly Air 2004 (TC-FLL).
Click for large version

A300 subtype
by construction number

110, 169, 174 A300B4-203
151, 178, 256 A300B4-2C
194, 239 A300B4-203
rest A300B2K-3C

 

The type to introduce the rainbow and the first TDA wide body: the A300. Wearing full Airbus Rainbow colours, Japanese titles and the logo consisting of 'TDA', JA8473 taxies past snow remains on Tokyo-Haneda. Incidentally, the beautiful ANA Tristar in the background shows a similar livery.
(February 1986, Takashi Takahashi)

[1] Into JAS inventory on 1 April 1988 - others joined fleet after TDA became JAS.
[2] Noted in new JAL Group colours.
[3] To Harlequin Air.

 MD-81

48029 JA8458 30jan81-22dec98 [1] To Midwest Express Airlines via First Security Bank.
48030 JA8459 05mar81-23sep98 [1] To Midwest Express Airlines.
48031 JA8460 17apr81-31aug99 [1] Withdrawn from use. To Midwest Express Airlines 22sep99.
48032 JA8461 05jun81-26feb99 [1] To Midwest Express Airlines.
48033 JA8462 29jul81-31aug99 [1] Withdrawn from use. To Midwest Express Airlines 29sep99.
48070 JA8468 09nov81-03jun98 [1] Wfu. Converted to MD-82 and to Midwest Express 26jun98.
48071 JA8469 18dec81-06jan98 [1] To First Security Bank. Converted to MD 82and to Midwest Express Airlines on 20jan98.
48072 JA8470 25feb82-05apr98 [1] Withdrawn from use. To Midwest Express Airlines 24apr98.
49280 JA8496 09apr85 [1][2] apr04
49281 JA8497 20may85 [1]
49282 JA8498 20jun86 [1]
49283 JA8499 13sep86 [1]
49461 JA8260 16may87 [1]
49462 JA8261 12jun88
49463 JA8262 21jul88
49820 JA8294 16jun89 [2] feb04
49821 JA8295 12aug89 [2] feb04
49907 JA8296 20jul90
49908 JA8297 28aug90 dam 01jan04
53043 JA8374 31mar92
53297 JA8552 21jan93-07jan98 [3]
53298 JA8553 28jan93
53299 JA8554 15dec93
53300 JA8555 02may94
53301 JA8556 24jun94
53302 JA8557 20jun94 [2] feb04

 

Click for large version

A domestic flight from a busy airport close to the city centre, typical for Japanese aviation. When examined closely, JA8557 in standard JAS livery shows the well-known red sun, 'JAS' logo and registration have also been applied to the upper side of the wing.
(Osaka-Itami, 6 November 2002)

For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that TDA also operated a modest helicopter fleet. In 1981 this comprised five (Kawasaki-) Hughes 369HSs, two Fuji-Bell 204Bs and three Bell 214Bs. Five years later the FB240Bs were still there but the rest had been replaced with a Kawasaki-Hughes 500D, an AS350B and an S-76A that was jointly operated with the Asahi Koyo company: JA9598 (760210).

Last updated 20.05.05