b742

This Northwest captain is standing next to a Northwest 747-200B (747-251B), N625US (c/n 21707/378). This aircraft entered service in June 1979. It would be withdrawn from service in 2003, before scrapping commenced in 2007.

Given the date of February 27, 1971, the airline (KLM), and the type of aircraft (Boeing 747), the identity of this aircraft is certainly PH-BUA, a Boeing 747-206B (c/n 19922/96) named "The Mississippi" by KLM. Delivered to KLM in January 1971 (KLM's first 747), this aircraft would continue in service with KLM until September 1989, when it was sold to America West Airlines (AWA) and operated as N531AW. The aircraft would eventually be scrapped in Kingman, Arizona, USA, in February 1996.

@TVL1970 Thank you very much for these additional details, very interesting!

The PH-BUA was the first 747 from KLM flying to Australia. I joined this flight from Amsterdam via Zurich, Beirut, Bangkok, Singapore to Sydney.

Looks like SFO looking southish.

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