Traffic

Vh-ebk is Fitted in a Domestic Seating Configuration Primarily for Operation on the Perth-melbourne and Perth- Sydney Routes, and Entered Service on August 13 Operating Qf485 From Melbourne to Perth.

747-438 Vh-ojk, Which Was Damaged in an Inflight Oxygen Bottle Explosion on July 25 While Operating Qf30 From Hong Kong to Melbourne Before Diverting to Manila, is Now Under Repair and Will Return to Service in November.

Jetstar Took Delivery of A320-232 Vh-vqd in Newcastle on July 20 After the Airbus Completed Its Ferry Flight Jq7992 From Toulouse via Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Darwin. On July 24 Vh-vqd Ferried From Newcastle to Sydney as Flight Jq7983 Before Entering Service the Same Day as Flight Jq611 From Sydney to Avalon.

A320-232 Vh-vqh Was Unveiled at Brisbane on July 16 in a Scheme Promoting the Australian Kangaroos and the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

A321-231 N585nk, Planned to Be Vh-vwx for Jetstar Before Its Intended Lease Was Cancelled Before Delivery, Was Noted at Dublin on July 26 Wearing Complete Jetstar Colours and Livery. The A321 Had Ferried in From Victorville, California, via Bangor, Maine, and Was Reportedly on Delivery to Atlasjet Airlines of Antalya, Turkey.

Jetconnect Had Planned to Withdraw 737-376 Zk-jno From Service in Mid July, but as of Late August the Aircraft Was Still Being Used as an Operational Spare.

Qantaslink Took Delivery of Dash 8-q402 C-fqxu at Brisbane on August 14 After the Aircraft Completed Its Delivery Flight From Toronto via Grand Rapids, Concord, Honolulu and Majuro. The Q402 Was Later Registered to Qantaslink as Vh-qok.

Qantaslink Has Withdrawn Its Remaining Dash 8-100s From Service, With the Last Aircraft Ferried to Brisbane for Storage and Disposal, as Detailed Below: Dash 8-102 Vh-tqn Ferried Into Brisbane on July 20 After Terminating Its Lease With Asia Pacific Airlines.

Dash 8-102 Vh-tqq Ferried From Sydney to Brisbane as Flight Qf6307 on July 28.

Dash 8-102 Vh-tqt Was Withdrawn From Qantaslink Service on July 14 After Operating Qf2013 From Armidale to Sydney, Before Ferrying to Brisbane the Following Day.

Dash 8-102 Vh-tqu Was Withdrawn From Qantaslink Service on July 15 After Operating Qf2077 From Mildura to Melbourne and Later That Day Ferried From Melbourne to Brisbane. It Was Later Sold to Skippers Aviation in Perth.

Dash 8-102 Vh-tqv Ferried Into Brisbane on July 24.

Dash 8-106 Vh-tqw Ferried Into Brisbane on June 21, and Was Later Sold to Skippers Aviation in Perth.

Australian Air Express Sold 727-277f Vh-vlh to Heavylift Cargo Airlines on August 18. The Aircraft Has Been Parked at Melbourne Since March 20 but Was Noted at Melbourne in Mid August With Its Australian Air Express Colours and Titles Removed.

Airline News

in This Issue We Report the Delivery of Fokker 100s to Air Niugini and Skywest.

Air Niugini Took Delivery of Fokker 100 P2-anq Msn 11451 at Port Moresby on July 30 After the Aircraft, Using the Callsign ‘fop451’, Completed Its Ferry Flight From Woesnsdrecht via Bangkok, Brunei and Biak. This Fokker Was a 1993 Production Aircraft Which Was Delivered in June of That Year to Tam in Brazil as Pt-mrj. Most Recently It Had Been Operated by Spanish Airline Gir Jet as Ec-ipv.

Airwork Placed 737-3q4(Qc) Zk-tlb Into Service on July 21 When the Aircraft, Using the Callsign ‘post 43’, Operated From Auckland to Christchurch.

Heavylift Cargo Belfast Rp-c8020 Departed Cairns for Learmonth, Medan and Stops to Malta as Flight Hvy501 on July 30. On Arrival in Malta It Took on as Cargo Bristow Helicopters Ec 225lp G-zzso. The Belfast Then Departed Malta as Hvy502 for Broome Where It Arrived on August 9. The Big Eurocopter is the First of Type in Australia and Was Offloaded in Broome and Later Registered to Bristow Helicopters as Vh-zfb (See Rotor Torque).

After Over-nighting the Belfast Then Returned to Its Home Base at Cairns.

Skywest Airlines Took Delivery of Fokker 100 Vh-fnu Msn 11373 at Perth on August 22 After the Aircraft, Which Was Operating as ‘southern Cross 817’, Terminated Its Ferry Flight From East Midlands, Uk, via Heraklion, Al Ain, Colombo and Cocos Island.

Vh-fnu Was a Late 1991 Production Aircraft Which Was Delivered to Us Air as N893us in February ’92.

Prior to Service With Skywest the Fokker 100 Was Operated by Jetairfly of Brussels as Oo-tuf.

Fokker 100 Vh-fsw 11391 Was Registered to Skywest Airlines on August 14. Its Delivery Will Bring the Skywest Fokker 100 Fleet to Eight.

Virgin Group Fleet Update

in This Issue We Report the Delivery to Two E-190s to Virgin Blue and a 737-800 to Pacific Blue.

Virgin Blue Took Delivery of E-190-100igw Vh-zpe Bluephoria in Brisbane on July 3 and Placed the Aircraft Into Service on July 15 When It Operated Flight Dj756 From Brisbane to Adelaide.

E-190-100igw Vh-zpf Maiden Brazil Was Delivered to Brisbane on August 6 After the Aircraft Completed Its Ferry as Flight Dj9082 From São José Dos Campos via Curacao, Brownsville, San Jose, Lihue and Pago Pago. Vh-zpf Entered Service on August 15 When It Operated Flight Dj953 From Brisbane to Mackay.

E-190-100igw Vh-zpg Ella E-jet Was Registered to Virgin Blue on July 23 and is Being Delivered Out of Sequence for Reasons Unknown.

E-190-100igw Vh-zph Hastings Highness Was Delivered to Brisbane as Flight Dj9082 on August 18, Ferrying in Over the Same Routing as Taken by Vh-zpf. It Entered Service on August 25 When It Operated Flight Dj1231 From Brisbane to Rockhampton.

E-190-100igw Vh-zpi Allie Albury Was Registered to Virgin Blue on August 8 With Its Delivery to Brisbane Planned for Early September.

E-190-100igw Vh-zpj Will Be Named Bambino Blue.

Pacific Blue Placed 737-8fe Zk-pbk Maiden New Zealand Into Service on August 9 When the Aircraft Operated Flight Dj62 From Melbourne to Christchurch.

This Aircraft Was Delivered to Virgin Blue in Brisbane as Vh-vup on June 29, but Was Transferred to Pacific Blue Before Entering Revenue Service.

737-8fe Zk-pbl Canterbury Belle Was Delivered to Pacific Blue in Christchurch on August 29 With the New Production Aircraft Ferrying in From Seattle/boeing Field via Lihue and Nadi as Flight Dj9086.

This Aircraft Was Originally Planned for Delivery to Virgin Blue as Vh-vuq, but It Has Been Redeployed to the Pacific Blue Fleet. V Australia’s First 777-3zg(Er), Vh-vga, Was Rolled Out of the Paint Shop at Payne Field, Everett, on August 21.

Regional Airline News

Air New Zealand Link/ Eagle Airways Placed Beech 1900d Zk-ear Into Service on July 28 When the Aircraft Operated Flight Nz2181 From Hamilton to Nelson.

Air West Coast Ceased Rpt Services on August 1 With Dornier 228-202 Zk-vir Operating the Final Service, ‘air West 226’, From Wellington to Greymouth.

It Has Been Reported That the Dornier Will Be Exported to South America.

Aviation Services of Australia Metro 23 Vh-hpg Was Cancelled From the Register on August 6 on Its Sale in the United States.

On August 11 the Metro Was Registered N812ld to Aviation Consultants of San Antonio, Texas.

After Completing Its Freighter Conversion Pel- Air Express Saab 340a(F) Vh-ekt Ferried From Wagga Wagga to Albury on August 6 for Painting.

Pionair Adventures Convair 580 Zk-pal Ferried From Christchurch to Palmerston North on August 10 Where It Entered the Fieldair Hangar. On August 15 the Convair Was Cancelled From the New Zealand Register Before Being Registered Vh-pal on August 21.

However, It Will Continue to Operate in New Zealand.

Regional Express Took Delivery of Saab 340b+ N382ae at Wagga Wagga on August 11 After the Aircraft Completed Its Ferry Flight From Nashville via Yuma, Apia and Coolangatta. The Aircraft Was Later Registered Vh-zlo.

Bizjet News

the Local Bizjet Market Continues to Grow, and in This Issue We Can Report the Delivery of a Challenger 601, a Citation Ii, a Citation Ii/sp, a Learjet 45 and a Hawker 850xp.

Challenger 601/1a Vh-mxk Msn 3003, Which Was Registered to Maxem Aviation of Mount Hawthorne, Wa, on July 14, Was Delivered to Perth From Phuket on August 24.

Citation Ii Vh-cfo Msn 550-0669, Which Was Registered to Shazo Holdings of Brisbane on August 5, Had Earlier Been Delivered to Sydney/bankstown on July 29 as N699gs. The Ferry Flight Originated in Mena, Arkansas, and Was Routed via Billings, Ketchikan, Anchorage, Adak, Petropavlovsk, Sapporo, Cheju, Okinawa, Manila, Manado, Darwin and Brisbane.

Shazo Holdings Previously Operated Citation Iii Vh-sbu Which Departed Bankstown on July 5 on Ferry to Georgetown, Texas, Where the Aircraft is Being Offered for Sale.

Citation Ii/sp Vh-jmm Msn 551-0036, Which Was Registered to Marloss Aviation of Toorak, Victoria, on July 28, Arrived at Its Melbourne/ Essendon Base on August 16 From Bangkok/don Muang, Singapore/seletar, Subang, Broome and Ayers Rock.

Learjet 45 N45au Was Re-delivered to Australia on July 24 When the Aircraft Arrived at Coolangatta From Kansai, Guam, Cairns and Townsville. N45au Was Previously Registered in Australia as Vh-vvi With Agg Learjet P/l of Helensvale, Queensland, Before Departing the Country on May 23 ’07 on Its Sale in the United States.

Hawker 850xp N189ta Msn 258814 Was Delivered to the Tinkler Group in Brisbane on August 3, With the Aircraft Crossing the Pacific From Monterey, California, via Honolulu, Majuro and Honiara.

Other Bizjet News Concerns the Following: Melbourne/tullamarine Jet City’s Citation Excel Vh-xcj Changed Its Registration to Vh-xcu on July 30, Reportedly to Allow the Registration Vh-xcj to Be Used on a Citation X Which the Company Has on Order. In the Interim Until Delivery of the New Production Aircraft, Citation X N715vp Will Be Leased.

Citation Ii Vh-nsb Will Reportedly Be Delivered to Professional Jet in Sydney in September.

Cessna Aircraft Cessna 510 Mustang N968cm Has Undertaken a Demonstration Tour of New Zealand, Arriving in Wellington From Sydney on August 22.

Overseas Bizjets Global Express N624bp Registered to Bank of America, Oxford, Connecticut, Arrived in Brisbane From Singapore/ Seletar on August 19.

Global Express N1955m Registered to Mcdonalds Corporation of Oakbrook, Global Express Oe-iel on Approach to Perth. (Les Bushell)illinois, Arrived in Brisbane From Honolulu on July 19 and Departed for Auckland on July 21.

Global Express Oe-iel Operated by Tyrolean Jet Service of Innsbruck, Which Was Using the Callsign Tjs21, Arrived in Sydney From Male on August 2 and Departed Perth for Male on August 5.

Cessna 680 Sovereign N621cs Registered to Mclean Aviation of Fairfax, Virginia, Arrived in Sydney From Nadi on August 5.

The Sovereign Later Visited Kingscote, Ayers Rock and Hamilton Island Before Departing Brisbane for Auckland on August 15.

Embraer Legacy 600 N373rb Registered to Rbgt of Dover, Delaware, Was Noted at Sydney on August 18 Before Departing for Auckland on August 21.

Embraer Legacy 600 D-acbg Operated by Dc Aviation of Stuttgart, Which Was Using the Callsign Dcs824, Transited Darwin on August 4 While en Route From Singapore to Nadi.

Embraer Legacy 600 A6-dpw Operated by Global Jet of Luxenbourg, Which Was Using the Callsign ‘nlk201’, Arrived in Melbourne From Denpasar on July 30. After Over-nighting It Departed for Denpasar.

Falcon 900ex N977lp Registered to Mellon Bank of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, Arrived in Sydney From Nadi on July 19 and Departed Melbourne for Singapore on July 22.

Falcon 900 N247cj Registered to Key Equipment Finance of Cleveland, Ohio, Transited Darwin on August 11 While en Route From Yogyakarta to Nadi.

Falcon 7x Hb-jsz Operated by Dasnair of Geneva Arrived in Auckland From Hong Kong on August 19 Before Continuing to Brisbane on August 21. The Falcon 7x Later Visited Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Falcon 7x Xa-mar Operated by Aero Personal of Venustiano Carranza, Mexico, Arrived in Melbourne From Auckland via Canberra on August 26.

Falcon 2000 Vt-hdl Operated by Privilege Airways of Mumbai Arrived in Perth From Singapore on July 29 Before Continuing to Melbourne on July 31. From Melbourne Vt-dhl Departed for Wellington on August 3 and After Over-nighting Departed for Melbourne and Perth on August 4 and Singapore on August 5.

Gulfstreams Galore

Gulfstream 550 N550kf Registered to Kraft Foods of Northfield, Illinois, Arrived at Melbourne/essendon From Honolulu on August 12 and Departed for Jakarta/halim on August 14.

Gulfstream 550 N661cp Registered to Wachovia Financial Services of Charlotte, North Carolina, Arrived in Darwin From Kahului on August 7 and Departed Melbourne for Hong Kong on August 11.

Gulfstream 550 D-adcb Operated by Dc Aviation of Stuttgart, Which Was Using the Callsign ‘dcs120’, Arrived in Sydney From Beijing on August 11. D-adcb Remained in Sydney Until August 14 When It Departed for Bangkok.

Kiwi Aviation Holdings Gulfstream V N38nz Arrived in New Plymouth From Male on August 2. The Gulfstream Later Departed Wellington for Perth on August 7 and After Over-nighting Continued to Male.

Gulfstream V N534qs Registered to Nji Sales of Oklahoma City Departed Sydney for Honolulu on August 7.

Gulfstream V N596ga Registered to National Aircraft Leasing of Greenville, Delaware, Arrived in Canberra From Christchurch on July 22 and Departed for Guam on July 24.

Gulfstream V Ec-jyr Operated by Executive Airlines of Barcelona, Using the Callsign ‘exu2111’, Departed Sydney for Male on July 21.

Orient Wonder International Gulfstream 450 Vp-bmy Arrived in Darwin From Kuala Lumpur on August 3 and Departed Sydney for Darwin and Kuala Lumpur on August 10.

Gulfstream Iv N265sj Registered to Mokulele of Washington, Dc, Transited Darwin on July 30 While en Route From Denpasar to Hamilton Island. It Later Departed Sydney for Nadi on August 4.

Gulfstream Iv N366f Registered to Ica Global Services of Washington, Dc, Arrived in Perth From Seletaron August 4 and Departed Sydney for Darwin and Seletar on August 7.

Ferry Flights

Cessna T206h Vh-dnu Was Registered to Quarry Cats (Australia) P/l of Buderim, Queensland, on July 25 and Ferried Into Caloundra on August 16 From Noumea and Brisbane.

Cessna 172p Zk-jbp Departed Ardmore for Kerikeri and Norfolk Island on August 5 on Its Export to Fiji. The Cessna Continued to Nadi the Following Day.

Cirrus Sr22 N703cd Arrived in Auckland on July 23 From Santa Maria, California, via Honolulu and Pago Pago, Ferried Across the Pacific by Air Center One of Auckland.

Cirrus Sr22 9m-iab Was Noted at Archerfield on July 19 Along With Sr22 9m-iae.

New Production Pac 750xl Zk-jse Departed Hamilton for Brisbane on August 3 and After Over-nighting Continued to Darwin. The Pac 750xl Was on Delivery to Naturelink in South Africa and Was Later Cancelled From the New Zealand Register on August 12.

Pac 750xl Zk-xlg, Which Was Operated by Kairanga Aviation of Palmerston North, Departed Hamilton for Kerikeri and Norfolk Island on August 8 and Was Noted at Brisbane/ Archerfield on August 10.

The 750xl Was on Delivery to Skydive, Cairns, and Was Later Registered Vh-nzj.

Kiwi Air Cresco 600 Zk-ltp Completed Its Trans- Tasman Crossing on August 1 When It Arrived in Hamilton From Lord Howe Island.

Heavy Metal

Royal Air Force Lockheed L-1011-500 Zd-950, Callsigned ‘ascot 3666’, Arrived in Sydney From Auckland on August 13. The Tristar Departed Sydney for Auckland as ‘ascot 3667’ on August 15.

Volga-dnepr Antonov an-124 Ra-82044 Arrived in Perth From Kuala Lumpur as Flight Vda2160 on August 17. The Following Day It Departed Direct to Mcas Kaneohe in Hawaii as Flight Vda2161.

Volga-dnepr Antonov an-124 Ra-82074 Arrived in Perth From Ras Al Khaimah as Flight Vda2361 on July 22. After Over-nighting It Departed for Jakarta as Flight Vda2328.

Volga-dnepr Antonov an-124 Ra-82078 Arrived in Perth From Bangalore as Flight Vda2095 on July 26. After Over-nighting It Departed Perth for Kuala Lumpur as Flight Vda2330. Ra-82078 Returned to Perth on August 2, When as Flight Vda2331 It Flew in Direct From Cape Town Before Departing the Following Day for Jakarta as Flight Vda2332.

Polet Flight Antonov an-124 Ra-82080 Arrived in Newcastle From Honolulu as Flight Pot923 on August 4.

After Refuelling It Then Continued to Brisbane as Flight Pot924. On August 5 Ra-82080, Again Using the Flight Number Pot924, Departed Brisbane for Honolulu.

Antonov Airlines Antonov an-124 Ur-82029 Arrived at Raaf Pearce From Male on August 15 Before Positioning Across to Perth on August 17 as Flight Adb102f.

Jasdf 747-47cs 20-1101 and 20-1102 Arrived in Sydney on July 30 and Departed for Haneda on August 3.

Martinair 747-412(Bcf) Ph-mpr Arrived in Auckland on August 4 as Flight Mph91 Fromamsterdam via Sharjah and Singapore. After Over-nighting the 747 Departed for Sydney as Flight Mph99.

Avenir 737-7bc/bbj Vp-bjj Was Noted at Sydney on August 17 and Brisbane on August 20.

737-7gc/bbj M-urus Operated by Global Jet of Luxembourg Arrived in Darwin From Phuket on August 3 Before Continuing to Cairns on August 9. M-urus, Which Was Only Delivered in July, Then Remained in Cairns Until August 16 When It Departed for Phuket.

World Airways Mdc Dc-10-30f N304wl Arrived in Darwin From Guam as Flight Woa9877 on August 6. After Over-nighting It Departed for Iwakuni as Flight Woa8822.

Usa 2008

Your Columnist Has Not Long Returned From His Annual Pilgrimage to the Eaa Airventure at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. While Travelling Across the United States I Noted a Number of Aircraft With a Connection to Our Part of the World.

Convair 340 N131cw Was Noted at Chino, California, on July 17 Where It Was Reportedly Being Prepared for Ferry to Australia. Also Noted at Chino and Also Destined for Australia Was Lodestar N41cw. On July 19 I Stopped at Albuquerque to See the Ex Raaf Lodestar N2786y Which Had Been Stored There for Many Years.

However, There Was No Sign of the Aircraft and Enquiries Revealed It Had Been Disassembled and Trucked Out.

At Fort Worth/meacham Field on July 21 I Noted Boeing 767-238(Er) N673bf, the Former Vh-ean of Qantas.

The Following Day at Mena, Arkansas, I Found Jetstream 41 N153km Which Still Carries the Colours of Origin Pacific Airways to Whom It Was Registered Zk-jsn. Also at Mena Awaiting Delivery to Australia Was Citation Ii N677gs, While in the Paintshop Was Citation Ii Vh-nsb, Which Was Also Being Prepared for Delivery to Australia.

Ga-8 Airvan N215av Was Parked at Cottonwood, Illinois, When I Visited on July 25 and This Aircraft Was Later Displayed at Oshkosh, as Was John Travolta’s 707-138b N707jt, Which Saw Service With Qantas as Vh-ebm.

Cessna U206/fp N7430n of Samaratin Aviation of Montrose, Colorado, Was Noted Operating Out of the Seaplane Base at Oshkosh on July 30. The Cessna is Planned to Ferry Across the Pacific in October to Wewak Where It Will Be Operate in Support of the Boram Regional Hospital.

On My Return Drive to Los Angeles I Stopped in at Alexandria, Louisiana, on August 5 and There Noted Cherry Air Lockheed C-130a N131ec, the Raaf’s Former A97-212. It Was Wearing a Military Grey Colour Scheme Which Had Been Applied for Its Part in the Film American Gangster.

At the Pima Museum in Tucson on August 11 I Noted United States Navy Convair C-131f 141025 Being Prepared for Delivery to Hars, While on Display Was Nomad N-22s N6328.

Twin Otter 300 N969ac, Which Was Once Registered P2-rdi and Vh-fnu, Was at Thermal, California, on August 12, While on August 13, My Final Day in the Us, I Noted Melbourne Based Gulfstream Iv Vh-cgf at Long Beach, While at Burbank Was 737-74u/bbj N66zb Which Was Resident at Auckland Until This May.

In All, a Profitable Trip.