Ident: VPBLK Type: B74S

Aviation Notable Activity
1

Hey everyone, my dad has a shop in Hayward and everyday I see planes doing their final to Oakland. The planes go right over us. I see a million Southwest 737s and good number of Fedex MD-10 and 11s and other airlines. Well today I heard a lot of noise and I looked up. And to my surprise I saw a 747. It was going to Oakland and was pretty low (KOAK is only 5 miles away). I was amazed by the wingspan. Much bigger than a 737. This was very interesting since I haven’t seen a 747 go to Oakland in over 5 years.

When I got home today I got onto FlightAware and looked it up ( flightaware.com/live/flight/VPBLK ). This flight looks odd to me. Well first, the Oakland arrival, the identification- VPBLK don’t know what airline or company that is. FA doesn’t show anything either. It also says departure from Singapore to OAK - diverted. Then a couple hours later it left oakland for vegas. And the other rare thing is the 747SP- I noticed it looked different for a 747.

So does anyone know/can find anymore info on this flight? I’m really interested. Until I looked on FA, I thought it was an Oasis Hong Kong Airlines flight since they’re supposed to begin flying to Oakland. Can’t wait for them start so I can see the 747 going to OAK at such low altitude.

By the way, how high are airlines at 5 miles out?
Thanks!

Oh ya, if this helps, the plane was white with a lot of light blue waves/lines.

2

Consulting This Approach Chart I’d say about 1700’.

As to the diversion to Oakland it may have been a fuel shortage, although you’d think a SoCal diversion would be more likely.

3

Could have been the Sands 747. By the way, this is a 747SP and not a regular 747.

See 747sp.com/History.asp?22805

4

Yup, the colors of the 747SP were just like the one from the pics in the forum Damiross linked.

And the diversion to Oakland is interesting since you would think they would go to SFO instead.

5

Why SFO? OAK is a better airport - less congested and weather is usually better.

6

Fuel’s cheaper too I believe. As for diverting to VCV - if you could make VCV on a flight from SIN, you could make LAS anyway :question: .

7

It wasn’t this one:

It’s this one:http://www.747sp.com/History.asp?21961
:wink:

8

I always like to get these things right so thank you for the correction.

9

Hopefully you’ll be lookin out for me one, or two…of these days…

10

Due into KBED 2330 local tonight 12/18, for quick turn and on to Tel Aviv…