TF-FLG Boeing 727-185C

This Boeing 727-185C (also recorded as 100C & 121C), construction number 19826, was manufactured in 1968. It was taken into service with Flugfélag Íslands on 18th May 1971 and was named Sólfaxi (Sun Horse). It was originally registered as TF-FIA, later changed to TF-FLG and in 1979 renamed to Heimfari (Going Home). The aircraft was taken out of service in September 1990 [1]. The image on this page dated 1980 shows the aircraft displaying the logo of Flugleiðir on the vertical tail fin. More can be read about the history of Icelandair on the TF-FIM page.

TF-FLG Boeing 727-185C © BBC Scotland

TF-FLG Boeing 727-185C © Baldur Sveinsson

An article in Morgunblaðið newspaper dated 22nd May 1971 [2] reports the arrival of Sólfaxi in Iceland:

The new jet arrived in Iceland at 11.15hrs on Ascension Day (Thursday 14th May) and shortly after arrival the naming ceremony took place at Reykjavík airport, where she was named Sólfaxi. Commander Anton Axelsson had piloted the jet home from Dallas, Texas. There was a large crowd at Reykjavík to meet the arrival and the aviation minister Ingólfur Jónsson spoke as did Bírgir Kjaran from the board of Air Iceland. Mrs. Sveinbjörg Kjaran named the jet and Lúðrasveitin Svanur played at the ceremony. Sólfaxi will start scheduled flights at the weekend.

The aircraft is a Boeing 727-100C, the same type as Gullfaxi, another jet belonging to the airline. It was previously owned by Grant Aviation Leasing Corporation of Pennsylvania in the United States and is capable of carrying 119 passengers. It is equipped with large cargo doors making possible the transport of containers and is powered by three supercharged engines with a combined power of more than 16 thousand kW. The cruising speed is about 960 km/h at an altitude of 10km on a typical journey distance between Iceland and Washington D.C. Sólfaxi was manufactured at Boeing’s production facility in February 1968.

She has flown under 6 thousand hours, compared with Gullfaxi, which has nearly 9 thousand hours flying time. The purchase price of the jet was 255 million kr. The airline has paid 15% and will pay the remaining balance over the next seven years. Also included in the purchase price was a quantity of spare parts. There is a condition in the acquisition that the seller shall be deemed to be the owner until the full payment is met.

The jet was delivered from Dallas, Texas as earlier stated. On their return journey they stopped in Middletown Massachusetts, and Bangor. In Middletown it was loaded with machine parts and cargo transport platforms, which were included in the purchase price.

As previously mentioned, the commander on the journey home was Anton Axelsson, accompanied by Pilot Halldór Hafliðason and the flight engineer Einar Sigurvinsson.

An image accompanying this article shows the commander of the trip, Aton Axelsson together with pilot Halldór Hafliðason. A second image shows the naming ceremony with a bottle of Champagne being broken over the nose of Sólfaxi [3]. The article may be viewed here.

The Aviation database [4] indicates that from 25th April 1991 the United Parcel Service Company based in Louisville, Kentucky USA registered and maintained the aircraft under ‘N’ Number 940UP until 31st August 2007.