Record-breaking Qantas aircraft to get place in museum

The Qantas Airways 747-400 aircraft VH-OJA, which holds the world record for the longest ever commercial flight, will get a place in a museum, a statement released by the airline said Thursday.

The aircraft had flown non-stop from London to Sydney in 20 hours, nine minutes and five seconds in August 1989.

Qantas will donate its first Boeing 747-400, known as 'City of Canberra', to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) in March.

It will be the first aircraft in the world to be preserved for public display and the biggest by far to be on show at the HARS facility at Illawarra Regional Airport, Shellharbour.

The retired aircraft in early March will undertake its shortest-ever flight, from Sydney to Illawarra Regional Airport in Shellharbour, New South Wales, with an expected flying time of just 10 minutes.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said it was important for such an iconic aircraft to be on display as a reminder of the role Qantas has played in aviation history.

"Qantas has been responsible for a lot of aviation firsts and many of them have centred on endurance and reliability. The record breaking flight of this Boeing aircraft was a technical and symbolic achievement because it showed what was possible with the latest generation of aircraft and that spirit of innovation still drives us today," he said.

"We are excited that by gifting this newly retired aircraft to the HARS museum, we're helping create a local tourism attraction as well as preserving a bit of our past."