Boeing 747SP/HSC | 2013

Airline - Dhahran Royal Flight
Aircraft - Boeing 747SP | A9-VDA
Delivered to Royal Dhahrani Airways, 1979
Transferred to Dhahran Royal Flight, 2001
Converted to 747SP/HSC, 2001
Stored at Al Amin International Airport, 2020
Livery - Standard 2013
Country - Kingdom of Dhahran

As requested - here's the 747SP in the 2013 Royal Flight livery. The SP, which started life with the Kingdom's flag carrier back when it was still called Royal Dhahrani and was then converted into a head of state carrier aircraft in 2001, remained in service until the beginning of 2020 despite a 747-400 (among other aircraft) joining the Royal Flight years before then. It was stored at Al Amin airport in early January 2020, with plans being made to preserve the aircraft at the Ras Al Qua Museum of Aviation.


Disclaimer: This project is designed to look at the progression of aviation in a more-or-less generic fictional Middle Eastern state. The fictional Kingdom of Dhahran is located near the real Saudi Arabian city called Dhahran, but has no affiliation with it, and the name is a coincidence. Any other similarities to real people, locations, or situations may be intentional. I have zero knowledge of Arabic, so while I have spent considerable time trying to get it right, mistakes are possible, and any advice is greatly appreciated.