Traffic

Regional Airline News

Airlines of Tasmania Metro III VH-NEL was withdrawn from service on February 17 and the same day ferried to Tamworth for planned maintenance. As a replacement, Tamair Metro III VH-NEK arrived in Launceston on February 17 and later entered service with Airlines of Tasmania. Airnorth Regional has ordered three Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilias for delivery later this year. Aus Air EMB-110P1 VH-XFJ, which was purchased from Flight West on January 15, was noted at Moorabbin on February 14 now registered VH-OZG. Eastern Australia Airlines is to lease Dash 8 VH-XFT from Flight West Airlines for three months. The Flight West aircraft will be used to cover planned maintenance requirements on the remainder of the Eastern fleet. Executive Air has added the PA-31-350 Chieftain VH-DMV to its charter fleet. Flight West Airlines finally took delivery of EMB-120RT N274UE on February 21 and not on the date that we quoted in Traffic/March. Since registered VH-FNQ, this Brasilia brings to seven the number of the type in the Flight West fleet. Dash 8 ZK-NEW returned to Brisbane on February 8 on termination of its lease to Ansett New Zealand. Later restored as VH-XFT, the Dash 8 was leased to Eastern Australia Airlines for three months.

Kendell Airlines took delivery of the former Swedish Skyways Saab 340B SE-KVN at its Wagga Wagga base on February 7 after the aircraft ferried in from Darwin and Alice Springs. Later registered VH-KDV, the Saab entered service with Kendell in late February. Saab 340B SE-KVO, which will be operated by Kendell as VH-KDQ, was due for delivery to Wagga on March 8. Kendell plans to take delivery of a third Saab 340B from Skyways in early May and it will be registered VH-KDR. At the time of writing, however, this aircraft had not been defined, with the choice being between SE-KSI msn 223 and SE-KSK msn 229. King Island Airlines PA-31-350 Chieftain VH-KIJ was destroyed early in the morning of February 8 when it crashed while on final approach to Currie Airport on King Island. At the time, VH-KIJ was positioning from Moorabbin to uplift a load of crayfish for the Melbourne market. The pilot, the only occupant on the aircraft, was killed.

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