Review of QantasLink flight Longreach → Brisbane in Economy

Qantas Founders Museum- The Story of an Airline!

Longreach is a must for any aviation enthusiast going to Australia, its where QANTAS was founded as Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services in 1920, over a century ago.

Whilst its far from the biggest collection of aircraft in Australia, its got some very impressive chances to get inside and around some historically iconic airliners once operated by the Flying Kangaroo.

Starting off is a replica of the first aircraft type flown by the fledgling Qantas of 1920- the Avro 504K. A very basic design of aircraft from WW1 built to carry mail and supplies between Longreach, Winton,  Charleville and Brisbane.

Other exhibits include a replica of a "Captain Cook Lounge" which occupied the Boeing 747-200 upper deck in the 1970s, with this very replica being used in the current Qantas safety video representing the 1970s and Jumbo Jet era. Various aircraft parts and Qantas uniforms cover the inside area of the museum, various vehicles and personal affects from the Inter-War Years showcase the lives of people in Longreach, Brisbane and Queensland during those formative years of QANTAS.

You can even go inside the original Qantas hanger at Longreach Airport which is part of the museum's itinerary. Two replica planes from the 1920s and 1930s are on display here, with one of the planes showcasing the first Qantas passenger cabin- a far cry from today's Boeing 737s!

Wreckage from a Qantas DeHavilland DH.86A that crashed on take off from Longreach in 1934 is also displayed in the hanger.

Bit unnerving seeing the warning sign outside the Qantas hanger about the possibility of wild snakes roaming around!!!

One thing that lives outside the museum that is not to be feared is the museums Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat. Whilst no civilian Qantas planes survive, the museum represents the Flying Boat age with a Spanish aircraft and former water bomber painted in wartime RAAF livery.

Qantas Founders Museum- The Airliner Pavilion!

Now for the main event of the Qantas Founders Museum- the Pavilion, which holds four iconic airliners: Lockheed Constellation, Boeing 707-100, Boeing 747-200 and Douglas DC-3.

First up was the Lockheed Super Constellation. This aircraft was an ex-USAF plane and never flew for QANTAS. However the museum learned that this plane had been dumped in Manilla, Philippines for around a quarter of a century and they sprung into action to recover and restore the plane to represent the Connie's contribution to the Qantas Story.

The museum acquired the plane in 2014 and by 2020 it was fully restored and on display at the Qantas Founders Museum, where it is now included as a fixture of the Pavilion Tour. During the Connie's time flying for Qantas pilots often nicknamed it "The best three engine airliner in the World" as they were very prone to engine troubles!

A very unique plane at the Museum is the Qantas Boeing 707-138B (VH-XBA). This was the plane that ushered Qantas into the jet age in the early 1960s and began to open the world up for the airline and millions of Australians. Qantas "made to order" from Boeing 13x of these unique Boeing 707 models. Only two of these Qantas "Hot Rod" Boeing 707 survive, this aircraft and the other is the last of the 13 planes now owned by John Travolta (which he will soon donate to HARS in Wollongong).

The plane sat deserted at London Southend Airport for many years after it left Qantas, and in the 2000s a Qantas engineer and the Qantas Founders Museum team opted to save this aircraft. In 2006 it made its final journey from London Southend to Longreach, at its stop in Orlando (Florida, USA)- John Travolta brought his Boeing 707 to meet this aircraft- the first time two Qantas Boeing 707s had been together since the 1970s!

This Boeing 707 retains its VIP cabin from its post-Qantas days, but getting into the flight deck and finally stepping inside a Boeing 707 cockpit was a huge tick off the bucket list! The plane was originally restored with its original VH-EBA registration- but Qantas introduced an Airbus A330 with that registration and asked the museum to alter the Boeing 707's registration, which they did by making it the incumbent VH-XBA.

The most "Modern" aircraft in the museums collection (to date) is the Boeing 747-200 (VH-EBQ). This Boeing 747-200 was in service from 1979 to 2002, Qantas donated the plane on its retirement to the Museum, making it the first of the major airliners to enter the collection. Given the huge impact of the Boeing 747 in the QANTAS story, it seemed appropriate that a Boeing 747 would enter the collection.

Despite being retired 20 years before my visit to the museum, the economy cabin at the time of my visit look very historic and dated despite the aircraft flying in my lifetime. However whilst the airline updated its Boeing 747-400 fleet through to 2015, the 747-200 likely held the same 1990s era cabin design until the last planes left in the mid-2000s.

A wonderful look around and a taste as to how millions flew to and from Australia during the 1970s through to the start of the Millennium. It is worth noting how the B747-200 business class seats looks almost exactly like modern day Premium Economy Seats! The Qantas Boeing 747 here is also fitted with a 5th Engine Pod which was a common practice during the years of the Boeing 747-Classic.

One of the best things about the museum was the ability to purchase a guided "Wing-Walk" on the Boeing 747-200! It is also possible to do the same on the Boeing 707 as part of a more in-depth (and expensive) premium package- but I was very satisfied doing the Boeing 747-200!

I paid $108/AUD (£58) for a package that included a visit to the Museum, a tour of the Pavilion as well as the Boeing 747 Wing-Walk. It was worth every penny and the treck to Longreach! I'm very glad I did the trip and the team at the QFM were amazing. I can't stress enough how worthwhile this is!!!