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Other Boeing 737 news concerns the delivery to Solomon Airlines of its Boeing 737-4Q8 H4-SOL msn 25163. The Boeing, which has been leased from ILFC, ferried into Melbourne in late April and after preservice maintenance with Australian Airlines entered service in May. Australian Airlines themselves took delivery of its 10th Boeing 737-476 VH-TJN ‘Egret’ at Melbourne in early May after it ferried in from Port Angeles, Washington. On 25/12/91 former Midway Airlines Boeing 737-2K9 ferried into Christchurch from Pago Pago. This was as a result of Air New Zealand being awarded the contract to overhaul the Boeing, which had been purchased by ARAMCO (The Arabian American Oil Company). On 20/03 the Boeing 737-2K9 now registered N714A ferried from Sydney to Alice Springs on delivery to ARAMCO. Air Pacific will lease a Boeing 737-500 from GPA with delivery planned for 08/92. The aircraft concerned is Boeing 737-5YO DQ-FJB msn 26067. Ansett Australia took delivery of its 12th and final AI A320-211 VH-HYL at Brisbane on 11/04 after it ferried in from Toulouse, Dubai, Bangkok and Darwin.

Bizjet News

Hawker Pacific took delivery of its Beechjet 400A N8097V msn RK-26 demonstrator at Asian Aerospace ’92. The Beechjet was first recorded in Australia on 31/03, when it flew from Port Hedland to Yulara, before continuing the following day to Cairns and Port Moresby. A full Airtest of the Beechjet will appear in our August issue.

Hawker Pacific is also advertising for sale the Dick Smith Adventure Cessna 550 VH-KTK. Also flying from Port Hedland to Yulara on 31/03 was BAe 125-800B G-BTAB. Over the following week theBAe125 visited a number of ports in Australia and New Zealand, however on 07/04 while parked at Sydney Airport, G-BTAB was damaged in a collision with the Consolidated Press DC-8-62 VR-BMR. A further two Australian bizjets have recently been involved in incidents which have resulted in damage to the aircraft. On 04/02, Inghams Enterprise’s Cessna 550 VH-ING was extensively damaged by hail while inbound to Bankstown. At Darwin on 21/03 Skywest Aviation’s Westwind

VH-LLY sustained damage to its port wingand underside after a tyre blowout.

With Pacific Aviation restructuring its operations BAe 125-800B VH-LRH, which was part of its Sydney based charter fleet, has now moved to the Melbourne Jet Base. VH-LRH, which is presently registered to Continental Aviation Sales of Chicago, Illinois, was previously operated by Hancock Exploration, however it was replaced in service by the Canadair 600S VH-NKS. Two visiting biz jets of interest were BAe 125-800A N801AB ‘Manukapu’ ofAlexander & Baldwin, which was noted at Melbourne on 28/03 and IAE 1125 Astra N1125E of the Astra Jet Corporation which flew from Port Moresby to Jakarta on 23/02.

Propjet News

It is some months since we have managed to find some propjet news so it is pleasing to again see some activity in this sector of the industry.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, Victorian Division, has imported a third Beech King Air to add to its fleet based in NW Western Australia. On 16/04King Air B200 G-OJGA msn BB-1172 ferried fromDerby to Bankstown, where it will be converted for Flying Doctor use by Hawker Pacific. The King Air 200 will be delivered to the RFDS in Derby in 09/92 as VH-FDG and will replace in service PA31-31 0 VH-MWC.

Other King Air news concerns the Skywest/MBA King Air 200 P2-SMB which was ferried from Cairns to Alice Springs and Perth on 14/02. In mid 04/92 P2-SMB was noted parked at Jandakot evidently awaiting sale. Noted at Perth in mid 03/92 was King Air B200 RP-Cl577 however itis believed that this aircraft was visiting for maintenance.

Former Skybird Aviation PA-31T VH-HM A, which has been parked with Ian Baillie Aircraft Sales at Moorabbin for some months has been sold in the United States. VH-HM A was noted at Moorabbin on 24/03 carrying the US registration N607DD. The same day it was ferried out by Aviation Services International of Fairfield, California. Another pilot to recently depart Moorabbin for overseas was Commander 690B VH-PCD. This aircraft had been threatening to depart for some weeks before it finally disappeared in early 04/92. VH-PCD later transited through Port Hedland en route to Malaysia, where it was handed over to its new owner Wira Kris with whom it will be registered 9M-AZM.

Arriving at Brisbane on 30/03 on ferry from the US wasCessna 208 N9798F msn 00213. The Cessna Caravan was on delivery to the Queensland Police Air Wing and was later registered VH-PSQ. In 02/92 Air North purchased the former Flightways Cessna 441 VH-FWA. The preservice overhaul was carried out by Rossair at Parafield, while the Air North colours were applied by Douglas Aviation at Tocumwal. During its stay at Tocumwal in late 03/92 VH-FWA was reregistered VH-AZW

It would appear that Perth is becoming afocal point for Cessna 441s based in this country. A visit there in early 04/92 revealed no fewer than 9 of this type at Guildford and Jandakot -Air North VH-AZW, -AZY; Broughton Group VH-LBD; RFDS VH-YFD and Skippers Transport – VH-FMQ, -LBA, -LBC, -LBZ. Also noted was the former Norfolk Airlines VH-TFW

Regional Airline News

Sunstate Airlines’ first DHC-8-100 VH-TND msn 36 ex N806 MXwas delivered to Sydneyin early 05/92. After overhaul at an airfield near Toronto VH-TND was ferried to the Los Angeles area for the fitment of ferry tanks. Unlike the two DHC-8-l00s for Southern Australia Airlines, which were ferried via the North Atlantic, the two Sunstate aircraft were delivered via the Pacific. The second DHC-8-100 for Sunstate VH-TNG msn 41 ex N807MXwas also planned for delivery to Sydney in 05/92. Sunstate originally planned to allocate the registrations VH-TNM and VH-TNS to their DHC-8s however this was later changed to VH-TND and VH-TNG respectively.

Southern Australia Airlines took delivery of its second DHC-8-100 VH-WZI msn14 ex N814CL at Mildura on 20/03 after the aircraft ferried in from Broome and Alice Springs. VH-WZI entered service with Southern on 28/03 on the Mildura to Melbourne route. With both DHC-8s VH-WZI and VH-WZJ now in service, Southern Shorts 360 VH-MVX has been parked at Mildura while a decision is made on its future. Meanwhile, Airlines of Tasmania Shorts 360 VH-TAO departed Brisbane on 31/03 for Wagga and Launceston on termination of its lease to Sunstate Airlines.

Cairns based charter operator Air Swift commenced scheduled services on 16/03 flying three return services weekly between Cairns and Hope Vale. The Air Swift RPT fleet consists of Cessna 310R VH-JOB, -JOF, Cessna 402B VH-JOG and Cessna 402C VH-JOC. Cessna 421C VH-JOA is also operated on a charter license. Air Link, Dubbo have sold its P. 68B VH-PFU. The Partenavia was noted at Moorabbin in late 03/92 carrying the markings of its new owner Oasis Air of Halls Creek

Cairns based operator Aqua-Flite ceased operations on 13/03. Two DHC-2 Beaver Floatplanes, VH-A AD and VH-IMR were operated on tourist charters from the Cairns wharf. VH-AAD is presently parked at Cairns Airport while VH-IMR was flown south to Bankstown on 20/03 wr-;re it made a spectacular arrival when landing on the Georges River.

Ferry Flights

Do228-200 D-CLOG ferried from Darwin to Townsville on 18/03 on delivery to Air Moorea in Tahiti. DHC-6-300 N502CS was noted at Perth, Jandakot in mid March but little else is known about this aircraft. Jayrow Helicopters at Moorabbin have terminated their lease on Union Helicopters’ Bell 205A-l C-GRVQ. The Bell, which was delivered to Jayrow in early 11/91, was trucked out of Moorabbin on 16/04 enroute to the Melbourne Docks.

Six ex RAN Grumman Trackers, which have been sold to Hookway Aviation, have now been flown from Nowra to West Sale. Noted atWest Sale in mid April in the care of Yungur Aviation Services were S-2E N12-153598 and -153604 and S-2G Nl2-152809, -152811, -152816 and -153578. Tracker fans will be pleased to see ‘their’ aircraft as the star of our Reflections series in this issue. Cessna 421C N7172G flew into Townsville from Honiara on 04/04 on completion of its transpacific ferr y. Later registered VH-XDL the Cessna 421C has joined the fleet of Skygold Aviation based in Townsville. GAF N-24AVH-FHR which has been parked at Camden for some months has been sold to Air Safari’s and Services (NZ) of Lake Tekapo as ZK-NMG.

Bandeirante Fleet Update

Aeromil delivered two more EMB-llOPls VH-LVJ ‘Kerman’ and VH-LVK ‘Kashan’ to The Iranian Postal & Telecommunications Aviation Services in late 04/92. Meanwhile, Lincoln Airlines based in Port Lincoln, South Australia has added EMB-llOPl VH-WPE to itsfleet. Previously operated by Hazelton Airlines VH-WPE was delivered in late 04/92 after being painted at Archerfield. Arriving at Tamworth in late April was Talair EMB-ll0Pl P2-RDU. The Bandeirante was ferried south from Goroka to be overhauled by Eastern Australia Airlines. Talair EMB-ll0Pl P2-RDS was written off in a crash near Goroka on 15/04 while on a flight from Mt Hagen.

Ansett Express Fokker 50 VH-FNB, which has been in storage at Melbourne since 07/91, returned to service on 21/03. VH-FNB was put back on line to allow the four Fokker 50s in the Ansett Express fleet VH-FNA, -FNC, -FND and -FNE to be overhauled and repainted at Melbourne. Also under overhaul at Melbourne is Ansett F27-200 VH-MMv. This Friendship which has been in long term storage is being prepared for ferr y to the UK in early May. Fornier Air New Zealand F27-500 ZK-NFH departed Christchurch on 02/04 for Auckland, Norfolk Island and Brisbane as PK-MFL on delivery to Merpati Nusantara Airlines. On 23/04 PK-MFM ex ZK-NFI followed over the same route. Air New Zealand F27-500s ZK-NAN and ZK-NAO were sold on 31/03 to Air Post Ltd, who operate a fleet of three Metro Ills for the New Zealand Postal Service.