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The Falcon jet fleet was further reduced in this period with the departure overseas of three aircraft. Former RAAF Falcon 20Cs VH-JSX, -JSY and JSZ have been parked at Sydney for twelve months awaiting a decision on their fate. On December 10th VH-JSX and -JSY, now registered N6555C and N6555L respectively, flew out of Sydney for Nadi en route to the United States. The third Falcon 20C, VH-MEI of Wilson-Neill, Dunedin also made the Pacific crossing in December. On the 29th it departed for the Falcon Jet modification centre at Little Rock, Arkansas where after refurbishment it will be sold. VH-MEI was originally delivered to Australia in July 1977 and was the last of its type in our region. Wilson-Neill had reserved ZK-WNL for the Falcon but these marks were never used.

Former Lloyd Aviation Learjet 35A VH-HOF has been sold in the United States as N16BJ. The Lear transited Luton Airport, north of London in early November while en routeGeneva to Keflavik. Meanwhile, IEPL Aviation, Sydney have sold their Citation 3 N133LE to a dealer in the United States.

Paul Terry International P/L, based at Albany, WA have imported a Cessna 550 to replace their PA42-400LS VH-PTG. The Cessna 550 N3986G msn 0657 is a new aircraft off the Wichita production line and was first noted on January 2nd flying from Albury to Sydney.

The Queensland Government have purchased Westwind II N95WW msn 395 to replace their BAe 125-800 VH-SGY. The Westwind flew into Brisbane on January 17th on completion of its transpacific ferry flight. Meanwhile VH-SGY is being advertised for sale.

Aeromil are to supply two Citation 500s for three years to the Parafield based Australian Aviation College. The first aircraft, VH-LGL, was delivered in mid January and was followed a few weeks later by VH-LJL. This second Citation 500 is the former N947CC which Aeromil imported in April 1990. In Traffic/November we published our annual listing of the Australia/New Zealand based bizjet fleet. One aircraft was omitted from the listing in error. This was Freeport Indonesia’s Cairns based BAC 1-11/401AK PK-PJF which was delivered to them in June 1987 as N117MR.

Antonov airlines World Record

Melbourne based freight operator Antonov Airlinestook ‘delivery’ of two An 124 aircraft in this period. It is certainly a reflection of the enormous changes taking place on the World political scene that allowed the following to take place.

On 25/11 Soviet Air Force An 124 ’21’ flew into Melbourne from Petropavlovsk Kamchatka in the Eastern USSR. On board were a full Soviet Air Force crew under the command of Lt General Kozlov. By 28/11 the An 124 had been painted with Antonov Airlines titles and given civil registration CCCP-82033. On 01/12 it was joined by a second Soviet Air Force An 124 ’09’ which flew into Melbourne from Singapore. This aircraft was also painted with Antonov Airlines titles and registered CCCP-82038.

At 2056 local on 01/12 CCCP-82033 taxied at Melbourne Airport at the start of a round the world flight which would take it over both Poles. During the flight the Antonov broke a number of world records for flight endurance and speed. The first sector was from Melbourne across the South Pole to Rio de Janiero, a distance of 13,359 kms. From Rio the Antonov continued on to Casablanca then across the North Pole to Vladivostok before the final leg back to Melbourne, where it arrived at 2127 local on 04/12. In all a total of 7 world records were established.

CCCP-82038 flew out of Melbourne on 05/12 bound for Christchurch, where it picked up 150 tons of meat. The Antonov then returned to Melbourne before continuing to Europe via Perth and Singapore with its load. Meanwhile, An 124 CCCP-82033 departed Melbourne on 11/12 for Moscow via Singapore and Madras. Certainly a most exhilarating period of aviation history at Melbourne Airport.

Two other An 124s visited our region in this period. Aeroflot CCCP-82024 was noted at Melbourne on 22/12 while operating a charter for German Cargo, while CCCP-82008 carrying the titles of Air Foyle and Cargolux landed in Brisbane on 13/01 while en route Darwin to Noumea.

Ipec Argosys Scrapped

The three Argosy aircraft belonging to IPEC Aviation were broken up at Essendon in early December (refer also Warbirds).

IPEC Aviation had been advertising the Argosys, VH-IPA, -IPB and -IPD, for nearly twelve months so it was well known in aviation circles that the aircraft were surplus and for sale. The last IPEC Argosy to fly was VH-IPB which departed Essendon in late April 1990 to operate on lease to Safe Air in NZ as ZK-SAL. September 22nd was to be the final time the ‘Whistling Wheelbarrow’ was heard in Australia, when ZK-SAL operated from Sydney to Essendon on its return ferry flight from New Zealand.

During November the three Argosys had their engines and all spare parts removed so the end was evidently close at hand. Over the years Essendon has seen a number of airliners end their days as they were quietly moved by truck to the local scrapyard. The end for the Argosys was to be much worse as they were literally torn apart by a machine that was moved in overnight. So it was at Essendon where the aircraft had spent many memorable years that the threeArgosys were reduced to a pile of rubble in front of the people who had worked on them over the years. Sad indeed!

Qantas Fleet Changes

Qantas took delivery of three new aircraft in late December and the same month announced the sale of nine of their Boeing 747-238B fleet to overseas leasing companies.

Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGG ‘City of Rockhampton’ was delivered to Sydney on December 14th as QF531/13 from San Francisco and Honolulu. This was the first time that Qantas had operated one of their Boeing 767s on a commercial service between the US west coast and Honolulu. Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGH ‘City of Parramatta’ was delivered to Sydney on December 23rd. VH-OGH was ferried from Seattle to Honolulu where it then picked up QF531 direct to Sydney. Boeing 7 47-438 VH-OJI ‘Longreach’ arrived in Sydney on December 24th after operating QF531/22 direct from Los Angeles. Qantas will take delivery of their tenth Boeing 747-438 VH-OJJ in Sydney on February 12th.

Qantas have announced the sale of nine of their Boeing ?47-238Bs (VH-EBH thru VH-EBP) to leasing companies in the UK and USA (refer Newsdesk). We have already mentioned that VH-EBH departed Sydney in late September for Santa Barbara and onward delivery to Virgin. Next to depart wasVH-EBK, which left Sydney on December 27th on ferry to Singapore. By the time this is read both VH-EBI and VH-EBM should have been withdrawn from service by Qantas in preparation for ferrying overseas.

Propjet News

The Mitsubishi MU-2 population in Australia has been further reduced by 2 with a further 2 waiting in the wings to depart the country.

Transcorp MU-2K VH-MUK departed Brisbane for Noumea on 21/12 as N290GC on sale to an operator in the United States. MU-2G VH-WMU of Western NSW Airlines was written off in a crash at Bathurst Airport on November 7th. lnterair’s MU-2G N771DP exVH-JER left Essendon for the US in late January and will be followed at a later date by sister ship N881DP ex VH-JES.

Cessna 441 VH-CCY of Flight West, now registered N446WS, departed Brisbane on 08/12 bound for the United States and delivery to West Star Aviation of Grand Junction, Colorado. Rockwell Commander 840 VH-BSO has evidently been sold in the US as it was noted at Honolulu in mid November. Commander 681 VH-NYE, which has been static at Essendon for some months in the markings of Air Tiwi Islands, finally departed in late December for Tamworth. T here VH-NYE has joined Commander 681 VH-NYG in service with Tamair.

Compass Airlines Commences Operations

Compass Airlines took delivery of two leased Al A300-605Rs from Monarch Airlines in this period. VH-YMK which previously operated as G-MONS with Monarch Airlines flew into Brisbane on 19/11 from Luton via Cairo, Bombay and Singapore. This aircraft operated Compass Airlines’ first revenue service on 01/12 when it flew from Brisbane to Sydney and Melbourne as YM331. VH-YMJ, which was previously with Monarch as G-MONR arrived in Brisbane on 30/11 Luton via Bombay and Singapore.

Air Niugini’s second Al A310-324 P2-ANG arrived at Port Moresby on 11/01 after it flew in on a revenue service from Singapore P2-ANG had previously ferried from Toulouse to Singapore via Karachi. Ansett Australia’s 9thA320-211VH-HYI was planned for delivery to Melbourne in late January. Unlike the previous A320s delivered to Ansett, VH-HYI was ferried to Australia via the US and Pacific as a result of the Gulf war.

Australian Airlines took delivery of Boeing 737-476 VH-T JJ ‘Heron’ at Melbourne on 15/12. VH-TJJ was ferried from Seattle to Melbourne via Honolulu and Another Boeing 737 to enter our area in this period was N161FN. Previously operated by Eagle Air of Iceland this Boeing 737-212 flew into Christchurch from Nadi on November 10th. The Boeing had been ferried from the US for maintenance at Air New Zealand before delivery to an Alaskan based operator.

Eastwest Airlines’ fifth BAe 146-300 VH-EWM arrived at Tamworth on 05/12. The aircraft entered service on 11/12 as EW352 from Brisbane to Mackay and Cairns. The last two Eastwest F27-500s to be leased to Jersey European Airlines, VH-EWV and VH-EWW, flew out of Tamworth on 10/12 bound for Exeter, UK.

Ansett ExpressAirlines, born out of Ansett NSW, commenced operations on 28/11 (refer article this issue). First aircraft to carry the full Ansett Express colour scheme was F28-3000 VH-EWF. As Eastwest took delivery of their BAe 146-300s, further F28s were transferred to Ansett Express. F28-3000 VH-EWG was delivered on 30/11 and initially flew in Eastwest colours with Ansett titles before being painted in Ansett Express colours in late December. F28-4000VH-FKO finished flying with Eastwest on 13/12 and commenced operations with Ansett Express the following day in an all white scheme. Ansett Express are also operating all nine remaining F50s in Australia in a variety of colour schemes.

Regional Airlines News

The Metro 111 continues to prove itself a popular type in New Zealand with the delivery of an eighth and ninth to Air Nelson and two to Airwork (NZ) for freight operations.

Metro 111 N2751N msn AC-765 flew into Nelson from Pago Pago on 21/11 on delivery to Air Nelson with whom it later entered service as ZK-NSI. Metro 111 N27251 msn AC-767 which was the prospective ZK-NSJ followed over the same route on 05/12. In this period Air Nelson also took delivery of their fourth Saab 340A when former Crossair aircraft HS-AHN arrived from Brisbane and Norfolk Island on 04/12. The Saab later entered service with Air Nelson as ZK-FXD.

Airwork (NZ) took delivery of three Metro 111’s in this period. Two of the aircraft were delivered in the markings of their previous operator NFD of Germany. D-CABF was noted at Brisbane on 04/12 while D-CABG transited Brisbane on 02/01. It is believed that these aircraft have been registered ZK-POA and ZK-POC respectively. The third Metro 111 delivered to Airwork was Air Nelson’s ZK-NSS and it has been reregistered ZK-POB.

Meanwhile, Flight West Airlines took delivery of their second EMB-120 Brasilia on 15/11 when VH-XFV flew into Brisbane from Honiara. The Brasilia entered service on 19/11 named ‘John Campbell Miles’. FERRY FLIGHTS

Highlight of this period was the arrival in Darwin of Grumman Mallard C-FWAF msn J-54. First noted there on 12/12 after completing its transpacific crossing, C-FWAF was believed on delivery to the Paspaley Pearling Company who operate Mallards VH-LAW and VH-OAW out of Darwin and Broome. Latest information however suggests the Mallard may only be in the country for a few weeks and that it will continue on to Thailand.

Commander 500U N374JP msn 1690-22 and Commander 500S N70343 msn 3264 arrived in Brisbane from Honiara on January 4th. Both aircraft continued on to Archerfield the following day. Also noted at Archerfield on 13/01 was newly imported Cessna 421B N74HG msn 0537. PA31-350 ZK-CGS, which was previously operated by Air Nelson has been static at Archerfield since late 07/90 after it ferried in from New Zealand. Interestingly ZK-CGS flew out of Archerfield on 04/01 bound for New Zealand via Lord Howe Island. PA31 N42BR msn 7712021 flew Honiara to Brisbane on 24/11 in company with Ayres S-2R N3104U. A second Ayres S-2R N3091G was noted at Brisbane on 29/12