This 747 SP "Sutter's Balloon" was in it's final days in service with Qantas when this image was taken in December 1999. This flight was departing for Nagoya in Japan. Qantas and South African were the last front line operators of this long-range variant, with Qantas 2 examples gone by 2001. Besides the range and 50,000 foot altitude capabilities, the SP claims the amazing feat of never suffering an accident.