Traffic

Hazelton terminated services to West Sale from August 10 due to poor loadings. West Sale was added to the Hazelton network in March ’93 with a daily service being operated on the triangular route Albury/West Sale/Traralgon-Morwell/Albury. Although West Sale has been dropped from the Hazelton network, Traralgon-Morwell retains its daily service to Albury.

Impulse took delivery of its sixth Beech 1900D at Sydney on August 3 after the aircraft N3230V msn UE-214 completed its trans-Pacific ferry flight from the United States. The Beech 1900D was later registered VH-IMS before entering service. Impulse introduced a new colour scheme to its fleet in early August with the Beech 1900D fleet being progressively painted by Eastern Australia Airlines at Tamworth. Beech 1900D VH-MML was the first aircraft to carry the new livery and it was closely followed by VH-IMS. The introduction of a sixth Beech 1900D into the Impulse fleet will allow it to operate this type exclusively on the NSW coast. Until the painting of the Beech 1900D fleet is complete, Impulse will continue to utilise its Beech 1900C-1 on coastal flights. Impulse also currently retains two Beech C99 aircraft in service with these aircraft operating the Newcastle to Canberra route and the Tamworth to Armidale, Coolangatta and Brisbane route. A further two Beech C99 aircraft are currently undergoing long term maintenance. Interestingly, Impulse is no longer operating services on the Sydney to Newcastle route.

Island Airlines plans to commence RPT services on October 1 connecting Flinders Island with Melbourne/Essendon, Traralgon/Morwell and West Sale. Island Air has been formed by interests associated with the Furneaux Tavern which is located on Flinders Island. Island Air is reported to have purchased PA-31-350 Chieftain VH-TAR from Chartair in Alice Springs, however before the Chieftain enters service it will be painted in Island Air colours as well as being reregistered. The Flinders Island to Essendon route has been vacant since February ’95 when Peninsula Airlines ceased operations. Prior to that, Airlines of Tasmania operated flights between the two ports for a number of years. Currently AusAir operates a daily service to Flinders Island from its Melbourne/Moorabbin base.

Tamair added the Sydney to West Sale route to its network from August 26 with a three times weekly (Mon/Wed/Fri) Metro III service. Tamair ceased operations to Gunnedah on August 31.

Trans Pacific Airlines has leased EMB-110P1 Bandeirante VH-BWC from Port Douglas Air to operate five return services weekly (Mon/Fri) from Cairns to Bamaga. Trans Pacific is scheduling its Dornier 228-212K VH-URU on five return services weekly from Cairns to Yorke Island (Mon/Fri) with two of these services originating and terminating in Townsville.

Yanda Airlines resumed services to Gunnedah from September 1.

Essendon Airport Celebrates 75 Years

Essendon Airport celebrated its 75th birthday in August and over the weekend of the 10th/11th the FAC held an open house. Star attractions to the event were the Douglas DC-4 VH-PAF of Pacific Air Freighters and the Lockheed C-121C Super Constellation VH-EAG of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society. The sight and sound of these magnificent aircraft, which were both very well displayed on the ground and in the air, brought back memories of a time at Essendon when both the DC-4 and the Super Constellation were part of the airline scene. If my notes are correct, it would appear that the Pacific Air Freighters DC-4 was the first of its type to land at Essendon for over 16 years, while the Super Constellation as a type had not been seen at Essendon for over 30 years.

The Douglas DC-4 had a long association with Essendon, having operated with Australian National Airways and Ansett-ANA from early 1946 until June ’71 when domestic operations moved to Melbourne/Tullamarine, and with Trans Australia Airlines from late 1946 until late 1969. After June ’71 there were no active DC-4s based at Essendon until the delivery to Air Express in August ’77 of the former Qantas aircraft VH-EDA and VH-EDB. Air Express continued to operate VH-EDA and VH-EDB out of Essendon until August ’79 when they were withdrawn from service and placed in storage. Later sold to Basler Air Services of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the two DC-4s departed Essendon for the United States in February and March ’80.

I have no record of the final Qantas Super Constellation service out of Essendon, however in May ’63 the last Qantas Super Constellation departed Sydney for the United States. My notes do show that in August ’65 and March ’66 Essendon received visits from two United States Navy Super Constellations and to my knowledge these were the last of type to visit before the arrival of VH-EAG. US Navy NC-121K 145925 Paisano Dos, which was operated out of Patuxent River, Maryland by the OASU (Oceanographic Air Survey Unit) on Project Magnet, was noted at Essendon on August 8, 1965. 145925 was later retired in May ’73 to the Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona and a few years later it was broken up there. US Navy C-121J 131644 Pegasus 7, which was operated by VX-6 Squadron out of Quonset Point, Rhode Island, was noted at Essendon on March 15, 1966. On the nosewheel door of the aircraft were painted 13 penguins which signified that the aircraft had made 13 return flights to the South Pole as part of Operation Deep Freeze. On October 8, 1970, 131644 came to grief at McMurdo Sound when the aircraft was damaged beyond repair on landing after a flight from Christchurch. It is interesting to note that the NC-121K 145925 Paisano Dos replaced another aircraft of the same name which also crashed at McMurdo Sound, also after a flight from Christchurch.

We should make mention that in February ’73 Lockheed L-749A Constellation N7777G of Sunday Promotions, Houston, Texas visited Melbourne as part of a tour by the Rolling Stones. N7777G, however, flew into Melbourne/Tullamarine from Brisbane and, after staying for the best part of a week, continued to Adelaide and Perth.

Qantas Group Fleet News

Airlink took delivery of two BAe 146-200s, VH-NJQ and VH-NJU, in late September. Entry into service of the two BAe 146-200s, which were imported through National Jet Systems in Adelaide, brings the Airlink BAe 146 fleet to 12 (BAe 146-300 x 2, BAe 146-200 x 5, BAe 146-100 x 5).

Qantas took delivery of its 17th Boeing 767-338ER (VH-OGQ) at Sydney on August 17 after the aircraft ferried in from Seattle/Paine Field via Nadi as QF8531. VH-OGQ operated its first revenue flight for Qantas on August 23 as QF47 from Sydney to Wellington. Qantas has recently announced an order for a further Boeing 767-338ER aircraft with delivery planned for June ’97. Qantas Boeing 737-376 VH-TJD terminated its lease to Air Caledonie International on August 14 with the aircraft returning to Qantas operations the following day.

Qantas added Shanghai to its network from August 20 when Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGB operated the inaugural QF187. Shanghai is served twice weekly from Sydney (Tue/Fri) with the flight then continuing onto Beijing. Qantas flew its first direct service on the Melbourne to Johannesburg route on August 13 with Boeing 747-438 VH-OJR operating the inaugural QF63.

Qantas has been allocated traffic rights by the IASC to operate direct services from Brisbane to Jakarta and from Melbourne to Jakarta. Qantas plans to commence operating on these routes in mid-November. Qantas has also been allocated traffic rights on the Darwin to Timika route with flights expected to commence later in the year. It is reported that Qantas will use Airlink aircraft to operate the Darwin to Timika route.

Southern Australia originally planned to introduce its first BAe 146-200 into service on the Melbourne to Launceston route from October 27. This has now been changed and Southern will take delivery of both its 146-200s (VH-YAD msn E-2097 and VH-YAE msn E-2107) in mid-December with both aircraft planned to enter service on December 21. Southern will base one 146 in Launceston while the second aircraft will operate out of Hobart. The Launceston based aircraft will operate 30 return services weekly to Melbourne while the Hobart aircraft will operate six return services weekly from Hobart to Sydney, 12 return services weekly from Launceston to Sydney and a weekly return service from Launceston to Adelaide.

Ansett Withdraw Last Fokker F28-1000

Ansett Australia withdrew its last Fokker F28-1000 from service on July 28 after VH-FKE operated AN336/337 from Perth to Newman and return. The withdrawal from service of VH-FKE brings to an end the Ansett association with the F28-1000 which started in August ’69 when F28-1000 VH-MMJ was delivered to MacRobertson Miller Airlines in Perth. F28-1000 VH-FKE msn 11040 itself was delivered to MMA in Perth on September 27, 1971. On its retirement from Ansett service, VH-FKE had flown 67,665 hours and completed 65,307 cycles.

During its predelivery maintenance, VH-FKE had the Ansett titles removed from the fuselage while the tail of the craft was painted an all-over blue. On August 1, VH-FKE, with Captain Ray Hosking, the Ansett F28 Fleet Captain, in command and Captain Adrian Wilson in the right-hand seat, departed Perth for Darwin as AN4293 on the first leg of its delivery flight to Canadian Regional Airlines/Time Air of Calgary, Canada. From Darwin, VH-FKE routed via Manado, Manila, Taipei, Sendai, Sapporo, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Anadyr, Anchorage and Juneau.

In the Time Air fleet, VH-FKE joins two other F28-1000s which have seen service in Australia. These aircraft are C-FFKC, which flew with Ansett Australia as VH-FKC, and C-GTAH, which flew with the Department of Transport as VH-ATE. The departure of VH-FKE from the Ansett fleet now leaves the Australian F28-1000 population at just two. These are VH-ATD and VH-ATG, which are operated by AirServices Australia from their Melbourne/Tullamarine base.

Airline News

Air Caledonie International terminated its lease on Qantas Boeing 737-376 VH-TJD on August 14 after the aircraft operated flight SB112 from Noumea to Melbourne. Air Caledonie Boeing 737-33A F-ODGX completed its planned maintenance with Qantas the same day and returned to service operating SB113 from Melbourne to Noumea via Sydney. During its layup, F-ODGX was painted in a new colour scheme with the aircraft now sporting the titles AIR CAL IN on the fuselage.

Air New Zealand has recently used the ASTA Air Services facility at Avalon, Victoria for maintenance on two of its Boeing 747-219B aircraft. First aircraft to arrive at Avalon was ZK-NZZ which ferried in from Auckland on July 8. ZK-NZZ was followed by ZK-NZY which flew into Avalon from Sydney on August 3 on termination of its lease to Air Pacific. The Boeing 747-219B completed its stay at Avalon on August 20 when it ferried back to Auckland as NZ6124. ZK-NZY returned to Air New Zealand service on August 25 when it operated NZ121 from Auckland to Melbourne. On its return to service, ZK-NZY was still carrying the colours of Air Pacific, although its titles had been removed from the aircraft. Air New Zealand terminated its lease on the former Thai International Boeing 747-2D7B ZK-TGA in late July with the aircraft being ferried from Auckland to Wichita, Kansas for conversion to a freighter. ZK-TGA was originally leased by Air New Zealand from Atlas Air in early May.

Air Niugini planned to return Fokker F28-4000 PH-RRA to Fokker Aircraft Financing & Trading in early September on completion of its six-month lease. PH-RRA was originally delivered to Air Niugini in Port Moresby on March 3 and entered service on March 9 on flight PX90 from Port Moresby to Cairns.

Air Pacific terminated its lease on the Air New Zealand Boeing 747-219B ZK-NZY on August 2 after the aircraft operated FJ914 from Nadi to Sydney. ZK-NZY, which carried the colours of Air Pacific, commenced its lease to the Nadi-based carrier in August ’93. To replace ZK-NZY in its fleet, Air Pacific has leased Boeing 747-238B VH-EBR from Qantas for two years. Prior to the commencement of the lease, VH-EBR was painted in Air Pacific colours and reregistered DQ-FJE. On August 3, DQ-FJE operated its first revenue service for Air Pacific when it flew FJ913 from Sydney to Nadi.

Air Vanuatu is leasing the Air Marshall Islands Saab 2000 V7-9508 to operate a Tuesday service from Nadi to Port Vila and return. The weekly NF78/77 supplements the twice weekly Air Vanuatu Boeing 737-400 service on the route.

National Jet has been awarded rights by the IASC to operate services between Christmas Island and Jakarta and between Darwin and Lombok.

Pacific Island News

Air Post Fairchild Metro III ZK-NSS was noted clearing customs at Brisbane on August 12 with the all white aircraft being reported as sold in Australia. Milne Bay Air took delivery of BN-2B-28 P2-MCA in late August. The Islander was previously operated by Formosa Airlines as B-12222 and was first noted in Cairns as such on June 27.

OK Tedi Mines Beech King Air 200 P2-SML was noted in the General Aircraft Maintenance hangar at Essendon on July 27. The King Air had been sold by OK Tedi to Pearl Aviation in Darwin and was later placed on the Australian register by GAM as VH-OYA.

Southwest Air EMB-110P1 P2-SWF was noted at Brisbane on July 28 with the aircraft being en route to Archerfield for a planned maintenance layup.

The Tongan Air Force took delivery of its first aircraft on May 4 when Beech G18S N9644R msn BA-483 ferried into Tongatapu from Pago Pago. The veteran aircraft was last operated out of Nome, Alaska by Olson Air Services and will be used to patrol Tonga’s territorial waters.

Transmile Air Services of Kuala Lumpur Cessna 208B Caravan N500TH night stopped in Brisbane on July 25 while en route from Malaysia to New Zealand. N500TH, which as the registration suggests was the 500th of its type built, was being ferried to New Zealand where local agents Flightline Aviation hosted a demonstration tour.

Cessna 208B VH-OZH has been operated by Australian Jet Charter as a demonstration aircraft since it was delivered to its Sydney base. AJC however have sold the Cessna 208B to J D Drilling of Chinchilla in SE Queensland with VH-OZH departing on delivery on August 13.

Bizjet News

Melbourne’s Crown Casino has announced that they will be adding a second Gulfstream IV to its fleet. Crown Casino’s first Gulfstream IV entered service in June ’95 with the aircraft initially being operated as HB-ITZ, however the following September it was registered in Australia as VH-CCC. The delivery of a second Gulfstream IV to Crown Casino will bring the Melbourne-based Gulfstream jet fleet to five aircraft (Gulfstream III x 1, Gulfstream IV x 4). While on the subject of Gulfstreams, it is worth mentioning that the Irish Air Corps Gulfstream IV serial number 251 was an interesting visitor to Sydney on July 24.

AirServices Australia has purchased IAI Astra SP N91FD msn 045 in the United States, with the Astra having since been registered VH-FIS and being the first of its type in Australia. Initially, VH-FIS will be ferried from the United States to Germany where the aircraft will be fitted out with its flight calibration equipment. On completion of the installation of the equipment, it is reported that the Astra will be registered in Germany for test purposes, however the Astra will again become VH-FIS before its delivery to Australia.

McRoss Developments of Sydney reverted the registration of its Beechjet 400A from VH-LAW to VH-BJD on July 25. This was done to allow McRoss to use the registration VH-LAW on Hawker 800XP msn 258286, which they have ordered for delivery in late September. Hawker 800XP N291XP flew into Brisbane from Nadi on August 2 and the following day it was demonstrated to a prospective buyer.

Australian Jet Charter Cessna Citation III VH-OZI, which was operated on contract work out of Sakhalin, Russia, was cancelled from the register on August 8 as being sold in the United States. To replace the Citation, Australian Jet Charter has purchased Jetstream 31 VH-OZD in the United States. However, due to the delayed delivery of the Jetstream, in the interim AJC leased Citation II VH-IWU.

Pel-Air Aviation Learjet 36A N136ST was at Moorabbin in mid-August undergoing Australian certification, and during its layup the Lear was placed on the Australian register as VH-SLF. Jet City Learjet 24D VH-BSJ, which was replaced in service earlier this year by Lear 35A VH-JCR, was noted in the Interair hangar at Essendon in mid-August. VH-BSJ is reported to be a candidate for overseas sale.

Boeing 757-23A N680FM of Freeport McMoRan, which was operating on charter to City Power, flew into Melbourne direct from Honolulu on August 22. N680FM was built on order for Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services and was delivered to them in December ’90 before being sold in May ’91 to Freeport McMoRan.