747 in Austin

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When you say no markings do you mean no registration either? We receive 747's (and lots of other widebodies) for heavy maintenance here at SAT. Not saying that's the case here but without a registration it's hard saying not knowing.
 
When you say no markings do you mean no registration either? We receive 747's (and lots of other widebodies) for heavy maintenance here at SAT. Not saying that's the case here but without a registration it's hard saying not knowing.
Right, I didn't even see an N # on the tail, it was totally White, but definitely a 747!!
And I know SA receives lots of Jets for work @ SAT and the old Kelly AFB, now a Joint Base. ( the Central American-Contra flights were operated out of there!)
 
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Flying in US airspace without visible registration is supposed to be illegal. Even graveyard ferry flights would normally use dark tape to form a temporary registration on a white fuselage. Some secretive government flights have apparently used light grey characters on a white background so maybe thats what you saw?
 
Off topic: British Airways is planning to replace their current B787 service between LHR and AUS with 747s in the spring, I believe.
 
Off topic: British Airways is planning to replace their current B787 service between LHR and AUS with 747s in the spring, I believe.
This possibly could be the answer, perhaps 747s will be made ready for this service in San Amtonio since so there is so much work done on Jets there?
BA wouldn't send a 747 here unless it was being sold to (and reconditioned for) another carrier.
 
I searched the FlightAware departure log for yesterday (10/25) at AUS, and there were no 747's listed. Sounds like some sort of stealth move being kept out of the public database. If someone wanted to kill some time, they could listen to the LiveATC recording for KAUS for the time frame to see if there is some oddball departure.
 
There were a bunch of tail numbers without types listed (I looked too), which is why I was trying to nail down the time.

If Jim gives me a time, I’m likely to go trolling through the audio.
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Down here, we get a lot of flights that meet two or three buses at BRO. They are coming from / going to Central America usually. Old clunkers like DC-9s. FlightAware does tell us who owns these planes.
 
Off topic: British Airways is planning to replace their current B787 service between LHR and AUS with 747s in the spring, I believe.
I found it:

British Airways in recent schedule update filed additional changes for its planned long-haul operation from London Heathrow , for summer 2018 season. Latest update, previously not covered , as follow. London Heathrow – Austin eff 08APR18 747-400 replaces 787-9, 1 daily London...
 
Atlas going to MEX.

Nothing spooky going on, they fly through AUS all the time. And yes they have proper registration.
 
Thanks for the info guys! Looks like XHRTSP has it.

It was pretty far away and I couldn't see any registration or markings, but the old eyes aren't what they used to be when I flew the Friendly Skies of Cessna!
 
BA replacing the 787 on their flight with a 747?
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That is very unusual. Many other airlines are retiring their 747s for newer aircraft - like the 787!
A surprise to me too. Aren't 747s,even the newer versions, Fuel Hogs like all 4 engine jets?
I may just have to take a day trip to London just to ride on a 747 again!
BA's newest 747s have a good 5 to10 years of life in them before they come up for major overhaul. So they will be around for a while I think. No one has really just recycled 747s out before they came up for major overhauls, except for a few exceptions like Singapore.
 
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