Servus OE-LAX!

After 15 years of taking to the skies for the airline founded by former Formula 1 pilot Niki Lauda, the Boeing 767 joined Austrian Airlines in 2007 as part of the takeover, where it was given the epithet “Salzburg Festival”. At the end of March 2021, the Austrian Airlines (AUA) OE-LAX embarked on its last passenger flight, flying from Washington DC, USA under flight number OS 94 – heading for the home airport of the Star Alliance member, Vienna Schwechat. In its lifetime, it racked up around 19,600 landings and over 133,600 flight hours. The Austrian flag carrier AUA sold the three oldest Boeing 767-300ER long-haul planes to the American company Monocoque Diversified Interests in 2021 because it no longer needed them in the wake of the corona crisis and because it wanted to rejuvenate its fleet.

The Boeing 767-300ER is a version of the 767-300 with a considerably longer range and an additional fuselage tank, like the one already installed in the 767-200ER. As an extended range (ER) aircraft, the OE-LAX had a maximum range of 11,297 KM, whilst a conventional 767-300 could only reach a maximum of 9,075 km. Development of the 767-300ER began in 1985 with the maiden flight taking place on 19 December 1986. The launch customer - as is so often the case with Boeing - was American Airlines, which ordered 15 aircraft in March 1987. The take-off weight could optionally be increased to 172,365 kg. From 1992, a take-off weight of 186,880 kg was allowed. The last of the 583 aircraft produced was delivered to Air Astana in Kazakhstan in June 2014, also marking the last delivery of a passenger 767. At the request of the airline, both 300 versions (B763 and B763ER) can also be equipped with an additional middle exit, installed in front of the wing. This means that three doors of the same size are mounted on each side - just like on the OE-LAX. But back to our OE-LAX: Under flight number OS1411 it initially flew to Bangor in the US state of Maine, where it underwent customs clearance. It then continued under flight number OS1413 to Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in Michigan. Austrian Airlines also parted with the OE-LAT and the OE-LAW at the same time. AUA’s B767s last had 26 seats in business class, 18 in premium economy and 167 seats in standard economy class.

The OE-LAX finally ended up at the cargo airline Kalitta Air in Michigan. It still registered the aircraft as N788CK, but actually used it solely to extract spare parts. We jumped at the chance and were able to get our hands on some very nice parts of the Boeing 767!