Traffic

Airline News

Australian Airlines took delivery of two more Boeing 737-476s in the reporting period to give them an operating fleet of four. VH-TJG ‘Eagle’ flew into Melbourne on July 7th and entered service on the 11th, while VH-TJH ‘Falcon’ arrived on July 15th and entered service on the 17th. After acceptance from Boeing in Seattle Australian Airlines then fly their Boeing 737-476s to Fairchild International Airport, Port Angeles, Washington, where Rogerson Hiller Aircraft are contracted to do a fuel tank modification. VH-TJG and VH-TJH both originated their Trans Pacific ferry from Port Angeles and were routed to Melbourne via Honolulu and Nadi. Australian Airlines’ fifth Boeing 737-476 VH-TJI ‘Swan’ is planned to arrive in Melbourne in September. Ansett Boeing 737-377 VH-CZO was redelivered to them in Melbourne on June 28th. VH-CZO was initially delivered to Ansett in October 1988, however in October 1989 it was flown to Phoenix, Arizona as a result of the pilots’ dispute. VH-CZO then entered service with America West Airlines as N114AW and it was still carrying its US registration when it returned to Melbourne. This now leaves VH-CZM/N113AW as the last remaining Ansett Boeing 737-377 operating on lease to America West. By the time thisis read East-West Airlines will have taken delivery of their first two BAe 146-300s. VH-EWI msn E-3171 and VH-EWJ msn E-3173 are planned for delivery in late August with entry into service in early September. Their arrival will usher in a new era for EWA along with a revised livery. Air Moorea took delivery of two more BN-28-26 Islanders in this period. Noted at Noumea on May 28th was G-BRGC msn 2220, while transitting Darwin on June 4th was G-BRFZ msn 2217. These aircraft have since been registered F-ODUQ and F-ODUR respectively with Air Moorea.

Meanwhile, DHC-6-200 N604MA msn 218 was noted at Cairns on June 21st. The Twin Otter was on delivery to New Guinea operator Milne Bay Air. Shortstop Jet Charter, based at Essendon put their beautifully restored Douglas DC-3 VH-OVM into service on July 10th. VH-OVM, which has operated all its life with the RAAF as A65-98, has been painted in a very attractive colour scheme and named ‘Arthur Schutt MBE’. Aircraft of the Mexican and Spanish Air Forces are rarely, if at all, seen in Australia, however we can report recent visits by both. At Canberra on June 22nd were three Mexican Air Force aircraft – TP-01/XC-UJM a Boeing 757, TP-05/XC-UJA a Boeing 727-100 and TP-06/XC-UJN a Gulfstream Ill. Spanish Air Force Boeing 707-368C 45-12 flew from Canberra to Sydney and onto Darwin on July 8th and from Darwin to Guam on the 10th.

Propjet News

Hawker Pacific have imported King Air 200 N200TK msn 88-660 and it joins King Air B200C N1563R msn BL-134 as stock aircraft at Bankstown. Hawker Pacific have also contracted to import a Beech 1900C-1 msn UC-136 and it is expected to arrive in November. After overhaul by Hawker Pacific at Bankstown the first of four Nomad aircraft have recently been delivered to the Philippine Air Force. The first two aircraft to depart were VH-SBY and VH-SDZ which were previously operated by the NTAW as N-22SLs, and have been in storage at Bankstown for a number of years. VH-SBY msn 86 was ferried out of Bankstown on June 28th and arrived in Manila on July 1st. VH-SDZ msn 87 departed Bankstown in late July. Both aircraft were brought up to N-22C standard before delivery and painted in standard Philippine Air Force camouflage. With the Philippine Air Force they will be allocated serials 86 and 87 respectively. The two remaining Nomads to be delivered later in the year are N-22B VH-CRI and N-22C VH-MSE. VH-CRI has been static at Bankstown since operating with the NSCA while VH-MSE was replaced in service with the RFDS by a King Air 200. Amann Aviation Commander 690 VH-NYC was ferried out of Darwin in late June bound for Singapore, so that may be another propjet lost from the Australian register. The Amann MU-28 VH-NYM and Jet Commander N159DP have taken up residence in the Darwin Aviation Museum’s new hangar. Though neither have flown for some months it seems strange that aircraft of their vintage are already being regarded as museum exhibits . At Essendon two of the Amann Turbo Commanders are being worked on in the General Aviation hangar. VH-N YE, which carries Air Tiwi Island markings, has been resident since May, while it was later joined by VH-N YG which still carries Coastwatch livery.

Bizjet News

Fleet Support P/L, of Adelaide, took over the Australian Defence Forces support contract from Lloyd Aviation on July 1st. Fleet Support have now gathered together a fleet of five Learjet 35As, which are based at Nowra. These Learjets are VH-WFE and VH-WFJ from Norfolk Jet Aviation, VH-FOX from Airtex Aviation, VH-ULT from Pacific Aviation and VH-SLJ which was previously operated by Lloyd. The three remaining Lloyd Aviation Learjets VH-HOF, VH-LGH and VH-BIB are presently being advertised for sale by Aeromil.

Norfolk Jet Aviation’s two Learjet 35As, VH-WFE and VH-WFJ, were operated on contract as freighters to Wards Express. With the sale of these aircraft Wards have contracted to operate PelAir Westwind VH-KNS. The Westwind was rolled out of Aerospray’s hangar at Moorabbin in early July now wearing Wards Express’ very distinctive and attractive colour scheme.

Meanwhile, the Don Hodge Motors Cessna 550 VH- TF Y has been reregistered as VH-XDD and was noted as such at Bankstown on June 15th .

The Elders/IXL Boeing 737-33A N731XL, which was delivered to Melbourne last December, has returned to Orlando, Florida, where apparently the aircraft is being offered for sale.

Goodman-Fielder-Wattie, who operated their aviation division as Moana Airlines out of Nelson, New Zealand, have sold their Falcon 100 ZK-MAZ in Switzerland. The Falcon, which was based in Sydney with Australian Jet Charter, flew out of there on July 16th bound for Port Hedland and Singapore. With the sale of the Falcon 100, Goodman-Fielder have moved the operating base of their Falcon 200 ZK-MAY from Nelson to Sydney . In line with this ZK-MAY has been registered in Australia as VH-NGF. In July ‘Traffic’ we mentioned that Westwind N723R msn 272 has been registered to Ansett associate company TransPacific Enterprises and that it could be a candidate for the Australian register. Apparently this Westwind is one of three for Skywest Aviation to be used on their Coastwatch contract. To be delivered in the first quarter of 1991, the Westwinds will be registered VH-LLW, VH-LLX and VH-LLY.

Regional Airline News

Eastern Australia Airlines withdrew from the Tamworth/Armidale/Lismore/Coolangatta/Brisbane route on July 11th with Rockhampton-based Countryair taking over the following day. Eastern Australia have also withdrawn the Cessna 404 from service thus leaving them with an all turbine fleet. Cessna 404 VH-TMX was noted at Brisbane on July 14th still carrying Australian colours but with the Kangaroo removed from the fin . On the fuselage the Eastern Australia titles had been removed and replaced by Countryair.

Sunstate Airlines N-24A VH-BRP departed Maryborough on June 27th on delivery to Sydney Skydivers, who are based at Wilton. This group previously operated N-228 VH-DNM which was badly damaged earlier this year during a takeoff accident at Leongatha, Victoria. Sunstate have again leased the Skyport Shorts 330 VH-HUS and it was noted in service with them in late June. VH-HUS has evidently been leased to cover maintenance and repainting of Sunstate’s own Shorts 330 VH-KNQ.

Flinders Island Airlines ceased operations on May 25th due to financial problems with their fleet of nine PA-31s being parked around Moorabbin. King Island Airlines have since commenced services on the route from Moorabbin to King Island using some of the Flinders Island aircraft . PA-31-350s VH-PWA, VH-WGF and VH-WGI were all flying for King Island Airlines still carrying Flinders Island markings. On July 6th VH-PWAand VH-WGI were repainted with King Island Airlines titles.

Surprise arrival at Brisbane in mid June was Talair DHC-8-100 P2-GVA. Since its arrival the Dash 8 has remained static outside the new Flight West Airlines complex, however it will be interesting to see what becomes of this aircraft in Australia.

Sunbird Airlines EMB-110P2 VH-MWX was flown from Cairns to Perth in mid July where the Bandeirante commenced operations with Flightways. Gessna 441 VH-NIE has been withdrawn from service and by the time this is read should have left the country on delivery to West Star Aviation in Colorado.