ZS-SPC: Maluti
Maluti shows the shortened 747SP, built for long routes. Its history includes service for South African Airways and a decade leased to Air Mauritius under another registration.
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Maluti shows the shortened 747SP, built for long routes. Its history includes service for South African Airways and a decade leased to Air Mauritius under another registration.
Aircraft identity
- Registration: ZS-SPC
- Variant: Boeing 747SP-44
- Serial number: 21134
- Former registrations: N8297V, 3B-NAG
- Operator history: South African Airways; Air Mauritius lease 1984 - 1994 as 3B-NAG; later Avia service; Air Namibia lease March - October 1999; returned to SAA
- Record status: Preserved
Aircraft history
| Date or period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 4 June 1976 | First flight under Boeing registration N8297V. Source |
| 11 June 1976 | Handed over to SAA; the delivery flight followed on 17 - 18 June. Source |
| 1984 - 1994 | Leased to Air Mauritius as 3B-NAG. Source |
| March - October 1999 | Leased to Air Namibia before returning to SAA. Source |
| 24 October 2003 | Last SAA commercial service, Johannesburg - Perth - Johannesburg. Source |
| 30 September 2006 | Ferried to Rand Airport for preservation. Source |
What makes this aircraft important
The museum also records Maluti's 1980 presidential flight and SAA's first Houston arrival in 1982. The handover date differs from the dates of its delivery journey.
Status and access
The official collection or venue record lists this aircraft at South African Airways Museum Society, Germiston. Interior access, tours and opening arrangements can change. Check the venue information before visiting.
Sources checked: 3 October 2026. Dates are as specific as the confirming source; an undated milestone is labelled as a period rather than given an invented day.
Related
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
|---|---|
| Variant | 747SP-44 |
| First flight | 4 June 1976 |
| Status | Preserved |
| Engines | 4× Pratt & Whitney JT9D |
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the primary and institutional references below.
- SAA Museum aircraft histories and dated records - South African Airways Museum Society
- Museum aircraft: Lebombo and Maluti - South African Airways Museum Society
- Preserved 747 airframes, serial numbers and former registrations - South African Airways Museum Society
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