Traffic

Australian Airlines’ first Boeing 737-476 VH-TJE ‘Kookaburra’ flew into Australia on March 17th on termination of its Trans Pacific ferry flight from Seattle. Australian Cargo Boeing 727-77C VH-TBS ‘Ernest Giles’ was grounded in Perth on August 23rd as a result of the pilots dispute. The Boeing was owned by Air Nauru and leased to Australian Cargo and operates in Air Nauru colours with Australian Cargo titles. Air Nauru have recently sold VH-TBS and on January 21st it was flown from Perth to Melbourne. On arrival it was moved into the Australian Airlines hangar, where all Australian Cargo titles and the name ‘Ernest Giles’ were removed. At time of writing VH-TBS is parked in the Australian maintenance area awaiting the arrival of its new owner.

IPEC Aviation took delivery of their second DC-9 on February 1st, when DC-9-33F N941F msn 47193 flew into Essendon. Originally built on order for KLM the DC-9 was purchased last year by IPEC from Evergreen International. After overhaul and painting in IPEC colours N941F was flown from Evergreen’s maintenance facility at Marana, Arizona to Melbourne. As VH-IPC the DC-9 entered service with IPEC on February 21st. With both DC-9s now on the run IPEC operated their last Argosy flight in late March.

Qantas took delivery of Boeing 7 47-438 VH-OJD ‘City of Brisbane’ at Sydney on January 21st, when it flew in from London via Singapore as QF704/19. Boeing 747-438 VH-OJE ‘City of Adelaide’ followed a similar delivery routing before arriving Sydney on January 31st as QF704/29. On February 1st Qantas announced an order for one additional Boeing 7 47-438 and four Boeing 767-338ERs. The Boeing 747-438 VH-OJM will be delivered in September 1991, and will be the thirteenth of its type in the Qantas fleet. The four Boeing 767-338ERs, VH-OGI, VH-OGJ, VH-OGK and VH-OGL will be delivered between August and November 1991.

Both Ansett and Australia have terminated the leases on most of their overseas charter aircraft. Ansett were operating three Boeing 737-33As of America West Airlines and they have all returned to the United States. N168AW operated its last flight for Ansett on January 15th on the Hobart to Melbourne route. On the 18th it departed Melbourne for Sydney, Nadi, Honolulu and Phoenix. N167AW operated its last flight on February 5th from Coolangatta to Sydney. The following day it also departed on its TransPacific crossing to Phoenix. N166AW was the final America West aircraft to depart and it flew out of Melbourne on March 5th bound for Pago Pago, Honolulu and Phoenix.

Ansett Air Freight have also terminated their lease on the Arrow Air DC-8-62AF N791AL, which has been in Australia since August 28th. N791AL returned to Miami in mid February. Ansett have been operating BoHing 757-23As G-OOOI and G-OOOJ on lease from Air 2000. Both aircraft arrived in Australia in the colours of the Spanish operator Hispania but with no titles. Before the aircraft return to the UK Ansett painted them in the full Air 2000 colour scheme. G-OOOI was the first to be painted and it was rolled out of the Ansett hangar in Melbourne on March 3rd before re-entering service the following day. G-OOOJ then took its place in the hangar for its new paint scheme.

Australian Airlines have terminated the lease on Aeromaritime Boeing 737-33A F-GFUA. Last service operated was on March 25th from Cairns to Brisbane. On the 28th F-GFUA flew out of Brisbane bound for Paris. Trans European Boeing 737-3M8 OO-LTA was withdrawn from Australian service on March 13th with a planned departure for Brussels a few days later.

Bizjet News

The top end of the bizjet fleet continues to take a beating, though hopefully we have seen the end to this exodus of aircraft.

The financially troubled Bond Corporation has relinquished the leases on the two Falcon 900s it had in its fleet. VH-BGF has already returned to France, while VH-BGV was being advertised for sale in March by Australian Jet Charter. We have had no reports on the Bond Corporation Boeing 727-100 VR-BHK but presume that its lease has terminated and it has returned overseas.

Other Falcon news concerns aircraft leaving’ or about to leave our area. Former Qintex Falcon 20E VH-MIQ flew out of Essendon on January 23rd carrying French registration F-GHLN. Its destination was Paris, where it has joined the fleet of Leadair. ABE Jet Charter Falcon 20F VH-FAX has been sold in the United States and should have left the country by late March. Finally Falcon 100 ZK-MAZ of Moana Airlines, Nelson, is being advertised for sale.

The formerRAAF VIP jet fleet is taking longer than expected to leave the country. Falcon 20Cs VH-JSX, VH-JSY and VH-JSZ ex A11-078, A11-85 and A11-090 respectively, were to be flown to the UK in early January. This did not eventuate and at time of writing, mid March, they were still very much part of the Sydney scene. The Falcons have been sold to Pelair, an Australian freight and charter operator, however they are still expected to ultimately leave the country. The two BAC 111s A12-124 and A12-125 were to depart for the UK in late March. With A12-124 becoming G-EXPM and A12-125 becoming G-KROO, it is evident that someone has put some thought into their civil registrations. However whether you agree with these out of sequence registrations in what was once the most systematic system is another matter.

In spite of the losses from the top end of the bizjet fleet, numbers are being maintained by the arrival of several Cessna Citations. North Broken Hill took delivery of the first Citation V in our region in late February, when N26643 msn 041 arrived at Moorabbin. VH-NTH has been reserved for this aircraft. Another Citation V noted in this period was N520CV msn0020. This, however, was a Cessna demonstrator which visited a number of Australian airports after attending Asian Aerospace. N520CV flew out of Brisbane for Honiara on February 24th on its return to the United States. Cessna 500 N946CC msn 0206 now registered VH-LGL was noted at Sydney Airport in early March. This long wing Cessna 500, which is fitted with a Branson fuel tank, will be used by Aeromil as a corporate demonstrator. Cessna 500 N947CC msn 0123 was imported by Aeromil in March. lcena Aviation has registered their second Cessna 500 VH-ICX and not VH-ICN as we previously suggested. This Cessna 500 arrived in the country last September as N4646S msn 0051. Finally Neilson and Moller continue to fly their Cessna 500 as N70454 even though they have reserved VH-NMW.

Propjet News

Hawker Pacific has sold King Air B200C N15588 msn BL-133 to the NSW Department of Health and it will be registered to them as VH-AMS. King Air B200C N1563R msn BL-134 has recently been imported by Hawker Pacific and it was noted in their hangar at Bankstown in early March. The Victorian branch of the Royal Flying Doctor Service took delivery of King Air 200C VH-KFN at Derby on February 13th. This aircraft was imported iri March 1989 as N200LG msn BL-31 and has since spent time being outfitted by Hawker Pacific at Bankstown. King Air 200 P2-FNL was reported enroute to Maroochydore to Cairns on March 10th though we have no identity for this aircraft at time of writing.

Cessna 441 N4490C msn 0081 was delivered to Parafield on January 11th. Cessna 441 N441MM msn 0030 which we reported in the March issue of ‘Traffic’ has been registered VH-OCS. Flightways, Perth have added Cessna 441 VH-LBZ to their fleet. Though a new registration VH-LBZ is in fact the former VH-HWD of Air North. Cessna 441s VH-NIE and VH-TFW of Norfolk Pacific have also been noted flying with Sunbird Airlines out of Cairns.

Meanwhile, the fuselage of PA31T VH-TNP was noted on the back of a low loader at Bankstown in early March. MU-2L VH-MUA of Great Western Aviation was destroyed in a crash near Meekatharra on January 26th. MU-2L VH-MVU of interior is evidently to return to the United States as it was noted at Essendon on March 8th being painted as N71DP.

Islander Fleet Changes

The recent sale of two Islander aircraft to Sunbird Airlines reminds us of the popularity of this type with operators in our region over the last twenty years. Agents for the Islander in Australia and the South Pacific are Monarch Aviation based at Bankstown. They have recently sold two BN2B/21 Islanders to Sunbird Airlines in Cairns with the first being delivered on December 13th. This aircraft VH-INB msn 2177 ex G-BLDT was used by Monarch on an extensive demonstration tour last year. Sunbird have traded in Islanders VH-MET and VH-OCH though the latter will be retained until May when the second BN2B/21 arrives. Sunbird Airlines’ other Islander VH-SBD was damaged beyond repair in an accident on Yorke Island in January.

Missionary Aviation Fellowship/MAF took delivery of a fourth Islander when JA5268 msn 759 arrived at their Mt Hagen base on January 11th. MAF/Australia took delivery of Islander JA5193 msn 140 at Ballarat last July. Since registered VH-UBD, this aircraft has recently,joined their commuter fleet operating out of Gove in the Northern Territory. Flight West Airlines added Islander VH-XFF msn 763 ex P2-ISP ofTalair to their fleet in December while another Talair Islander P2-ISS msn 081 was delivered to Vanair in Port Vila in January.

Ferry Flights

Commander 500S N5007H msn 3117 arrived in Brisbane from Honiara on January 3rd. The Commander continued to Essendon, where it has since been registered VH-UJM with General Aviation Maintenance.

PA31-350 N630B msn 7652173 ferried from Honiara to Brisbane on February 19th. The Chieftain was later noted in the Winrye Aviation hangar at Bankstown. PA31-350 N8517Q msn 7305056 was noted at Parafield on February 9th.

Cessna 402C N402GL msn 0419 flew into Brisbane from Honiara on January 29th. Eventual destination was Mafair’s hangar at Ballarat. The Cessna was previously operated by Alpha Air, Los Angeles and has become VH-NGC with Ngaanyatjarra Air, Alice Springs. Cessna310R N2630Cwasnoted at Parafield on February 9th, while at Bankstown on March 2nd were two others of the same type, N31HS and N36860. Cessna Caravan N9733F was noted at Essendon on February 23rd Carson Helicopters S-61N N4240S has been parked at Cairns since late December. Noted in the Pacific Aviation hangar at Bankstown in early March was SA365C3 D-HHII msn 5034. T he Dauphin was being uncrated and reassembled before delivery to the Newcastle Surf Life Saving Club.

Pacific Aviation at Essendon have had three former National Safety Council of Australia helicopters in storage since last year. All have recently been sold. Bell 212 VH-NSJ was airfreighted out of Tullamarine in sections during March on delivery to Rotortech in Canada. Bell 212 VH-NSN was trucked out of Essendon in early March for shipment to Dubai, while Bell 205A VH-NGN was airfreighted out of Tullamarine in late March bound for France. Also stored at Essendon since June 1989 were Do228-200s VH-NSH and VH-NSZ of the NSCA. By the time this is read they will have been allocated US registrations for ferry to the Dornier plant in West Germany.

Beaver floatplane RP-C738 of Paradise Air was noted being uncrated at Coolangatta in late January. In January 1989 Grumman Goose ZK-ENY msn 1145 arrived in Australia from New Zealand. Since then the Grumman has spent most of its time at Moorabbin. In February it took to the air again now registered VH-ENY. AT R42 F-GEGD transmitted Townsville on March 10th enroute Darwin to Noumea.

SAAB340 Fleet Increases

As deregulation approaches commuter operators are investing in larger and more sophisticated aircraft.

T he Saab 340 recently celebrated its fifth year in airline service in Australia. Recent orders announced by Kendell and Hazelton Airlines could bring fleet numbers to nine by this time next year. Kendell Airlines, who operate four Saab 340As, took delivery of a fifth aircraft in mid March. VH-EKT msn 085 was previously operated by Air Limousin, France as F-GGBJ.

Meanwhile, Hazelton Airlines have ordered two Saab 340Bs for delivery in late 1990 with options on a further 2. Options have also been taken on two Saab 2000s. In the interim Hazelton will lease 2 Saab 340As from the manufacturer to allow them to commence operations on newly awarded routes from Sydney to Albury, Griffith and Narrandera. The first Saab 340A is due to be delivered to Cuda! in late March. Hazelton have reserved the registration VH-OLG for this aircraft N69LP msn 069 which was previously operated by LAPA, Argentina. Hazelton’s second Saab 340A which is due for delivery in April is believed to be from the United States.

Airlines of Tasmania took delivery of their Shorts 360-200 VH-TAO at Launceston on February 22nd. Previously operated by the Atlanta based Atlantic Southeast Airlines the Shorts 360 was delivered to Hazelton Airlines maintenance base at Cudal still carrying its US registration N635KC msn SH-3647. After receiving its Australian certification the all white aircraft was flown to Essendon for painting in Airlines of Tasmania’s new colours. Another Shorts recently painted in a new scheme was Sunstate’s VH-MVW. It was rolled out at Tullamarine on February 19th after being painted in Australian Airlines colours with Sunstate titles.

The Bandeirante fleet in our region continues to grow with the arrival of another two aircraft. Moorabbin based Aus-Air have added a second EMB-110 to their fleet. Arriving from the UK on January 21st was EMB-110P2 G-EIIO msn 201. T he Bandeirante still carried the markings of its previous operator National Commuter Airways. Aus-Air will put the Bandeirante into service as VH-OZF on their routes from Moorabbin to Devonport or Launceston. Aus-Air held a ceremony at Moorabbin on February 14th where their other Bandeirante VH-CRG was named ‘City of Moorabbin’.

T he Australian agents for Embraer, Aeromil, have imported another Bandeirante. In ‘Traffic’ March 1990 we incorrectly quoted this aircraft as N692RA msn 240, when in fact it should have been EMB-110P1 N301A msn 248. Delivered to Brisbane in late February as N301A the Baildeirante was later added to the fleet of Sunbird Airlines in Cairns as VH-SBH. Sunbird are part of the Norfolk Pacific Group and at present there is quite a bit of juggling going on with the Bandeirante fleet. Sunbird operate EMB-110P1s VH-FCG and VH-FCK on commuter and charter work out of Cairns. Last September they took delivery of EMB-110P2 VH-MWX, which was previously with Countryair. VH-MWX has since joined the fleet of Queensland Pacific Airlines and to replace it Sunbird have added EMB-110P1 VH-KIO, which was operated by Norfolk Pacific as a freighter on a Security Express contract. In ‘Traffic’ March we also mentioned that Eagle Air of Hamilton, New Zealand had taken delivery of EMB-110P1 XC-COY msn 214. Now registered ZK-MAS this brings the working Bandeirante fleet in our region to thirty six units.

New Zealand commuter operator Air Nelson has added two Metro Ills to its fleet. Arriving at its Nelson base from Pago Pago on February 1st was N7063X msn AC-542. T his aircraft has since entered service as ZK-NSX. In late March the prospective ZK-NSY was delivered to Nelson. In Australia Kendell Airlines are the main Metro operator with seven aircraft in their fleet. Last July Eastern Pacific Airlines of Brisbane imported Metro II VHEPB to be used on general charter work. In January VH-EPB was working out of Cairns on lease to Falcon Airlines. In mid March it commenced operations for Jetcraft, Brisbane flying on the Queensland coast for Security Express. Jetcraft are planning to import their own Metro II N342PL msn TC-343 and for this aircraft they have reserved VH-UZY.