Traffic

787-9 VH-ZNC which was delivered to Melbourne on January 24 (Traffic/March) operated its first Trans-Pacific service on February 10 as QF93 from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

747-438ER VH-OEF operated QF85 from Sydney to Hong Kong on February 6 before entering the HAECO hangar for planned maintenance.

A380-842 VH-OQD was ferried from Sydney to Dubai as QF6053 on February 25 for planned maintenance and a repaint.

737-838 VH-VYF operated QF974 from Brisbane to Townsville on February 21 and after unloading it entered the Flying Colours hangar where it was painted in the current Qantas livery. VH-VYF returned to Qantas service on March 9 when it operated QF969 from Townsville to Brisbane.

737-838 VH-VYK re-entered service with Qantas on February 21 as QF969 from Townsville to Brisbane after being painted in the current Qantas livery.

737-838 VH-VZB operated QF978 from Brisbane to Townsville on March 8 and after arrival was moved to the Flying Colours hangar where it was painted in the current Qantas livery.

737-838 VH-VZG (see Qantas/Jetconnect below) re-entered service with Qantas on February 23 when it operated QF798 from Brisbane to Cairns.

737-838 VH-VZH (see Qantas/Jetconnect below) was planned to enter service with Qantas by mid- March. VH-VZH was initially delivered to Qantas in Melbourne in October ‘09 however it never entered service with the parent company before being transferred to Qantas/Jetconnect as ZK-ZQC.

Qantas/Jetconnect withdrew 737-838/W ZK-ZQB from service on February 7 after it operated QF138 from Christchurch to Sydney. The same day ZK-ZQB was ferried from Sydney to Brisbane as QF6010 where the aircraft reverted to the registration VH-VZG prior to entering service with Qantas (see above).

737/838 ZK-ZQC Katherine Mansfield was withdrawn from Qantas/Jetconnect service on March 8 after operating QF124 from Auckland to Brisbane. In Brisbane the 737-838 reverted to the registration VH-VZH before entering service with Qantas (see above)
QantasLink took delivery of their first A320-232 VH-VQS Kangaroo Paw at Perth on February 24 after the former Jetstar aircraft ferried in from Seletar as JQ8996.

Fokker 100 VH-NHK as NWK6684 ferried out of Perth on February 10 to Port Hedland and Seletar where it was hangered for planned maintenance.

Jetstar withdrew A320-232 VH-VQS from service on January 31 after operating JQ515 from Sydney to Melbourne. The following day as JQ8993 VH-VQS ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar where the aircraft was painted in QantasLink colours.

A320-232 VH-VFF ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar as JQ8995 on March 6 from planned maintenance.

Other Jetstar aircraft undergoing maintenance in Singapore in this period included:

A320-232 VH-VGV ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar as JQ8997 on February 27.

A320-232 VH-VGY ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar as JQ8999 on February 3.

A320-232 VH-VQF ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar as JQ8997 on February 1.

A320-232 VH-VQJ ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar as JQ8993 on February 8 before returning to Melbourne direct from Seletar on March 6 as JQ8996.

A320-232 VH-VQL ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar as JQ8993 on February 24.

A321-231 VH-VWZ as JQ8995 ferried from Melbourne to Darwin and Seletar on February 1 before returning to Melbourne via Darwin on February 28 as JQ8998.

Jetstar Pacific has transferred A320-232/S VN-A561 to operations with Jetstar Asia as 9V-JSW.

Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of a BAe 146-300QT to Cobham while departing was an E190-100LR of Cobham and a Beech 1900D of ANZ Link.

Air New Zealand ferried 777-219ER ZK-OKB from Auckland to Singapore as NZ6002 on March 3 for planned maintenance and re-painting in the current Air New Zealand livery.

787-9 ZK-NZD which was grounded in Auckland on December 6 due to engine problems returned to service on March 7 when it operated NZ107 from Auckland to Sydney.

ANZ Link/Eagle Airways ferried Beech 1900D ZK-EAH into Bankstown on October 31 ’16 with the aircraft later being registered VH-OYX on December 12 ’16. VH-OYX then remained in storage at Bankstown until March 1 when it departed on ferry to Cairns and Biak and onward stops to Calgary..

Beech 1900D VH-OYV which departed Bankstown on January 24 (Traffic/March) was cancelled from the register on February 26 when sold in Peru.

Alliance Airlines took delivery of Fokker 100 VH-FGB in Brisbane on January 17 (Traffic/March) and placed the aircraft into service on February 6 when it operated QQ371 from Brisbane to Alice Springs and the Granites.

Cobham Aviation took delivery of BAe 146-300QT EC-MCL msn E-3154 in Adelaide on March 11 after the aircraft arrived from Denpasar and Darwin.

The BAe 146-300QT which was last operated by ASL Airlines of Belgium had departed Liege on March 7 on its ferry flight to Australia via Brindisi, Hurghada and Al Bateen.

Cobham has terminated their lease on E190-100LR VH-NJA and on February 24 it departed Perth on ferry to Warsaw where it arrived on February 27 via Port Hedland, Subang, Hyderabad, Al Bateen, Trabzon and Bournemouth. It is reported that the E190-100LR will next be operated by BA Cityflyer as G-LCYZ.

Pionair Australia took delivery of BAe 146-200QT G-OTIF at Bankstown on February 3 (Traffic/March) and registered the aircraft VH-SOF on February 12.

Virgin Group News

In this issue we report the departure of the last of 18 E190-100IGW aircraft operated by Virgin Australia.

Virgin Australia took delivery of 737-800/W VH-YWE Dreamtime Beach in Brisbane on January 31 (Traffic/March) then placed the aircraft into service on February 10 when it operated VOZ1210 from Brisbane to Canberra.

E190-100IGW VH-ZPH which was the 18th and final aircraft of type in the Virgin Australia fleet was withdrawn from service on February 3 (Traffic/March). On February 21 as VOZ9901 VH-ZPH departed Brisbane for Nashville via Apia, Honolulu and Van Nuys.

777-3ZG(ER) VH-VPD as VOZ9948 ferried into Brisbane from Singapore on February 27 after completing its planned maintenance.

777-3ZG(ER) VH-VPF as VOZ9949 ferried from Brisbane to Singapore on February 27 for planned maintenance.

A330-243 VH-XFD as VOZ9944 returned to Melbourne from Singapore on March 4 after completing planned maintenance.

A330-243 VH-XFE as VOZ9943 ferried from Melbourne to Singapore on March 5 for planned maintenance.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines/VARA have had ATR 72-500 VH-FVM in storage at Nelson since September 11 ’17. On February 7 VH-FVM as VOZ9943 ferried from Nelson to Brisbane and after over-nighting continued to Cairns where the aircraft is reported to be under preparation for delivery to Hevilift.

ATR 72-600 VH-FVZ which was damaged at Canberra on November 19 ’17 was ferried to Brisbane on January 24 for further repairs (Traffic/March).

VH-FVZ was ferried from Brisbane to Canberra as VOZ9924 on March 6 and returned to service on March 8 when it operated VOZ669 from Canberra to Sydney.

Tigerair reportedly withdrew A320-232 VH-VNJ from service on February 3 after it operated TGG416 from Perth to Melbourne. The following day VH-VNJ as TGG9002 ferried out of Melbourne to Darwin and Clark field in the Philippines.

A320-232 VH-VNQ has also reportedly been withdrawn from service and on February 1 it departed Melbourne for Darwin and Clark as TGG9002.

Regional Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of two DHC-6-400 to Fiji Link while a Saab 340B was delivered to Regional Express.

Air Tahiti ferried ATR 72-500 F-OIQU from Noumea to Cairns on January 31 where it remained until February 12 when it departed to Kupang, Johor Bahru and en-route stops to Toulouse/Francazal.

Fiji Link took delivery of DHC-6-400 C-FZVM msn 959 at Nadi on February 7 after it ferried in from Santa Maria/CA via Honolulu and Majuro. The DHC-6-400 was later registered to Fiji Link as DQ-FJQ.

DHC-6-400 C-FOAD msn 958 was delivered to Fiji Link at Nadi on March 6 with the aircraft crossing the Pacific from Santa Maria via Honolulu and Majuro. The DHC-6-400 was later registered to Fiji Link as DQ-FJR.

In Traffic/March we incorrectly reported that DHC-6-400 C-GVSW msn 961 was planned for delivery to Fiji Link.

Fiji Link ferried ATR 72-600 DQ-FJZ as FJA2001 into Nelson from Nadi on February 7 for planned maintenance at ANZRM. The ATR 72-600 as FJA2003 returned to Nadi from Nelson on March 1.

Hevilift reportedly took delivery of ATR 72-500 VH-FVM at Cairns on February 8 after the aircraft ferried in from Nelson, New Zealand – see Virgin Group news this issue.

Regional Express took delivery of Saab 340B N423XJ msn 340B-423 at Wagga Wagga on February 4 after the aircraft ferried in from Springfield/MO, Hutchison/TX, Lake Havasu City/AZ, Hilo, Apia, and Brisbane. N423XJ arrived at Wagga Wagga still sporting the pink colours of the Thai operator Nok Mini who had previously leased the aircraft. Saab 340B VH-ZXQ ex N423XJ was registered to Regional Express on February 9.
Saab 340B VH-ZXU which was delivered to Regional Express in Adelaide on October 15 (Traffic/December) entered service on February 21 when it operated ZL3281 from Wagga Wagga to Melbourne. VH-ZXU which was delivered in an all-white scheme has retained that look for its entry into service.

Bizjet News

In this issue we report the delivery of a Global Express, Challenger 604 and two King Air 350i while departing was a Gulfstream IV.

Global Express N880ZP msn 9104 which was on delivery to a local operator arrived at Essendon from Honolulu on February 12.

Global Express N889JA which has been a regular visitor to Albion Park was again noted visiting from February 12 to February 19.

Challenger 604 VH-SCR msn 5557 ex C-GXMP was registered on February 15 with the owner Bezza Holdings P/L of Cottesloe, WA and the operator ACJC (Australian Corporate Jet Centres) P/L of Essendon Fields, Victoria. Challenger 604 VH-SCR arrived in Sydney from Oakland, Hilo and Apia on March 8 before continuing to Perth on March 10.

Gulfstream IV VH-TXS which was operated by Revesco Aviation of Belmont, WA was cancelled from the register on March 1 when sold in the United States as N316VP.

Falcon 900 VH-PPD has changed its registered owner and operator to Trepang Services P/L of Parap, NT.

In propjet news we report the delivery of two King Air 350i aircraft while two RFDS King Air B200 have been removed from the register.

King Air 350i VH-ZPF msn FL-897 ex RP-C1834 which was registered to Hawker Pacific on February 6 was delivered to Bankstown on February 23 after ferrying in from Manado via Darwin and Mount Isa.

King Air 350i N125KA msn FL-1125 arrived at Brisbane on February 17 from Subang, Darwin and Mount Isa. Earlier between February 11/12 N125KA ferried from Bangor/Maine to Goose Bay, Keflavik, Luxembourg and Heraklion.

King Air B200 VH-MVL which was operated by the RFDS/South Eastern was badly damaged on landing at Moomba, South Australia on December 13 ’16 so it was no surprise when it was cancelled from the register on February 2 as ‘destroyed’.

King Air B200 VH-MVY which was operated by the RFDS/South Eastern was cancelled from the register on February 2 as ‘withdrawn from use’.
The RFDS announced at the Singapore airshow that they had ordered two King Air 350i and two DHC-6-400.

Ferry Flights

Textron Aviation Cessna 208B/EX N5420C msn 208B5420 arrived Darwin from Kupang on March 4 and departed to Normanton and Cairns on March 6. Earlier between February 18 and March 3 N5420C was noted at Majuro, Guam, Manila, Seletar and Denpasar.

Cessna 208B VH-FHY 208B0764 arrived Perth from Cocos and Colombo on February 3. VH-FHY which was registered to CGG Data Services of West Perth on January 2 was earlier recorded ferrying from Ottawa to St Johns on January 25 and from Cork to Belgrade on January 28.

Cessna 182T VH-AOD crossed the Tasman on March 4 when it flew from Archerfield to Lord Howe Island and Kerikeri before continuing to Ardmore on March 5.

HARS F27-500 VH-EWH msn 10596 ex ZK-PAX which was previously operated by Airwork departed Auckland on February 25 for Norfolk Island and the Gold Coast. After over-nighting VH-EWH continued its ferry to Albion Park.

P-68C ZK-SMB arrived at Archerfield on March 5 after crossing the Tasman from Kerikeri, Lord Howe Island and the Gold Coast.

PA46-600TP (M-600) N858SG arrived Perth from Lombok and Port Hedland on February 27 at the start of a demonstration tour of Australia.

Between March 4 and March 9 N858SG was noted at Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Adelaide, Mount Gambier, Essendon, Griffith, Scone, Canberra and Sydney.

PA46-350P (M-350) N453MA arrived Jandakot from Halim, Port Hedland and Perth on February 22 at the start of a demonstration tour of Australia.
Sikorsky S-92A VH-IPZ msn 920073 which was registered to Helicopters New Zealand on February 19 arrived at Broome on February 27 after ferrying from Perth via Carnarvon and Karratha.

Heavy Metal

Airbus A350-1000 F-WLXV which had been on display at the Singapore airshow arrived Sydney from Bangkok as AIB358 on February 10. F-WLXV operated a local demonstration flight from Sydney as AIB107 on February 12 before departing later the same day to Auckland as AIB359.

Volga Dnepr Antonov An-124 RA-82077 as VDA2358 arrived Perth from Kaohsiung
on February 20 and departed as VDA2359 to Tokyo/Narita on March 10.

Ukraine Air Alliance Antonov 12BK UR-CAJ as UKL5049 arrived in Cairns from Bandar Seri Begawan on February 2. UR-CAJ later departed Palembang for Port Hedland as UKL5020 on February 10 before continuing the following day to Johor Bahru as UKL5021.

RAAF 737-800/P-8A N872DS msn 63191 which is the prospective A47-008 operated its first flight on February 28 from Renton to Boeing Field as ‘Boeing 188’.

737-7EL/BBJ N90R as BWJ699 arrived Sydney from Shanghai on February 3 before departing to Hong Kong on February 5. N90R returned to Sydney from Shenzhen on February 22 and after over-nighting departed to Shanghai.

TAG Aviation Asia 737-7JR/BBJ N999TY as TBJ95 arrived Sydney from Clark, Philippines on February 15 and departed to Queenstown on February 18.

Deer Jet 737-73W/BBJ B-5273 arrived Melbourne from Wuhan on February 17 before returning to Wuhan on February 23
Dehong South Asian Airlines 737-7ZW/BBJ B-5818 arrived Melbourne from Bandar Seri Begawan on February 20 before continuing to Auckland on February 22 and Sydney on February 24. B-5818 departed Sydney for Darwin on February 26 and Kunming on February 27.