Traffic

747-438ER VH-OEG ferried from Sydney to Hong Kong as QF6015 on May 12 for planned maintenance.

747-48E VH-OEB returned to Sydney as QF6031 on May 11 after completing a Round the World charter for Constellation Journeys. The flight which commenced from Sydney on April 22 took the aircraft to Hanoi, Delhi, Kilimanjaro, Marrakech, New York, Havana and Tahiti.

A330-203 VH-EBN is the first of its type to be painted in the Qantas silver roo livery. On May 1 VH-EBN operated QF37 from Melbourne to Singapore where it was painted before ferrying to Brisbane as QF6013 (arrive May 18).

Qantas placed 737-838 VH-VZJ ex ZK-ZQE into service on May 30 with the aircraft operating QF798 from Brisbane to Cairns (refer Qantas/Jetconnect below)

Qantas 737-838 painted in the Silver Roo (2017) livery by Flying Colours in Townsville in this period were – VH-VZA April 7 to April 24 : VH-VZC April 13 to April 30 : VH-VZD from May 23 : VH-VZE ex Townsville on April 8 : VH-VZF from April 24 to May 9 and VH-VZM May 9 to May 24.
Qantas/Jetconnect withdrew 737-838 ZK-ZQE William Pickering from service on May 10 after it operated QF120 from Auckland to Brisbane. (refer Qantas 737-838 VH-VZJ above).

QantasLink/Network took delivery of A320-232 VH-VQU Red River Gum in Perth on April 13 after the aircraft ferried in from Seletar as JQ8996. VH-VQU entered service on April 26 when it operated QF2642 from Perth to Karratha.

Jetstar took delivery of A320-232 VH-XJE in Melbourne on March 27 (Traffic/May) then placed the aircraft into service on April 5 when it operated JQ576 from Melbourne to Brisbane.

Weststar General Aviation took delivery of 767-238 N2767 in Subang on May 13 and on May 21 the 767-238 which was operated by Qantas as VH-EAQ arrived in Perth from Subang.

Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of an A330-200 to Fiji Airways, Fokker 100 to Alliance and an ATR 72-600 to ANZ Link/Mount Cook. Departing were an ATR 72-500 of ANZ Link/Mount Cook and Beech 1900D x two of ANZ Link/Eagle while BAe 146-300 of National Jet Express was removed from the register.

AirCalin ferried A320-232 F-OZNC as AC1980 from Noumea to Darwin and Kuala Lumpar on May 22 for planned maintenance.
Air New Zealand continues to have engine problems with their 787-9 aircraft and as a result they have leased 777-212(ER) ZK-OKI and A340-313X 9H-SUN.

777-212ER ZK-OKI was registered to Air New Zealand on May 15 with the aircraft leased to cover 787-9 problems. 777-212ER ZK-OKI was built on order for Singapore Airlines as 9V-SVL and they operated the aircraft between November 26 ’02 and March 1 ’18.

A340-313X 9H-SUN has again been leased to Air New Zealand and on May 22 it was delivered to Auckland from Brussels and Mandalay. The same day 9H-SUN re-entered service with Air New Zealand when it operated NZ10 from Auckland to Honolulu.

787-9 ZK-NZE which has been grounded at Auckland since December 5 ’17 returned to service on June 1 when it operated NZ101 from Auckland to Sydney.

787-9 ZK-NZG was grounded at Auckland on April 18 after operating NZ178 from Perth to Auckland.

777-219(ER) ZK-OKD was ferried from Auckland to Singapore as NZ6004 on May 25 for planned maintenance and painting in the current Air New Zealand livery. ZK-OKD returned to Auckland from Singapore as NZ6005 on May 28.

767-319ER ZK-NCJ which was sold by Air New Zealand and placed in storage by its new owners at Alice Springs on February 13 ’17 was later registered N930WE. On April 21 767-319ER N930WE departed Alice Springs for Honolulu and Wilmington, Ohio prior to being converted to a freighter.

767-319ER ZK-NCG and 767-319ER ZK-NCI remain in storage at Alice Springs.

ANZ Link/Mount Cook registered ATR 72-600 ZK-MVR msn 1487 on April 13 before taking delivery of the aircraft in Christchurch on April 18. The ferry flight of ZK-MVR from Toulouse to Christchurch was contracted to Southern Cross as SXI1809 with the aircraft routed via Trabzon, Al Ain, Nagpur, Subang, Denpasar, Darwin and Brisbane. ZK-MVR entered service on April 26 when it operated NZ366 from Christchurch to Wellington.
ATR 72-500 ZK-MCF was withdrawn from ANZ Link service on May 6 after the aircraft operated NZ5716 from Invercargill to Christchurch. Prior to departure from Christchurch to Saigon on May 21 ZK-MCF as ‘Southern Cross 1820’ had its airline titles and Koru removed. Ferry routing from Christchurch to Saigon was via Brisbane, Mount Isa, Darwin and Kota Kinabalu and on arrival in Saigon ZK-MCF was then prepared for delivery to Novo Air in Bangladesh.

ANZ Link/Eagle have had Beech 1900D ZK-EAG later VH-OYW in storage at Bankstown since October ’16 however on April 12 VH-OYW departed Bankstown for the Gold Coast where after overnighting it continued to Apia and onward ferry to Peru.

Beech 1900D ZK-EAP later VH-OYZ which had been stored at Bankstown since October 15 ’16 followed to Peru on May 19 via the Gold Coast, Apia, Papeete and Easter Island.

Alliance Airlines took delivery of Fokker 100 VH-UQA msn 11499 ex OE-LVE at Brisbane on June 4 after the aircraft ferried in from Kupang and Townsville as SXI 1802.

Fokker 100 VH-UQA msn 11499 had earlier been registered to Alliance on February 5.

Fokker 100 VH-UQB 11483 ex OE-LVF was registered to Alliance Aviation on March 28.

Fokker 100 VH-UQF msn 11456 ex OE-LVH was registered to Alliance on May 25.

Fokker 70 OE-LFQ msn 11568 which was delivered to Alliance in Brisbane on March 31 (Traffic/May) was registered VH-NUZ on April 20.
Fokker 50 VH-FKO which has been operating passenger charters in New Zealand since September 13 last has returned to Australia and on May 11 VH-FKO departed Auckland for Norfolk Island, Brisbane and Auckland.

Fiji Airways took delivery of A330-243 S7-ADB msn 751 at Nadi on April 29 after it ferried in from Abu Dhabi on April 29 as flight SEY9778. Later registered DQ-FJO and named ‘Island of Beqa’ the A330-243 which is the fourth of type in the Fiji Airways fleet entered service on May 11 when it operated FJ411 from Nadi to Auckland.

737-8X2/W DQ-FJG departed Nadi on May 13 as FJI2007 for Cairns and Seletar for planned maintenance. DQ-FJG as FJI2008 returned to Nadi on May 26 from Seletar and Cairns.

National Jet Express cancelled BAe 146-300 VH-NJL from the register on May 17.
The previous day the cabin and cockpit section of the aircraft were removed for transport to the South Australian Aviation museum where they will be displayed.

Virgin Group News

Virgin Australia named 737-800/W VH-YWD Tinamirakuna at a ceremony held at Launceston on June 1.

E190-100IGW VH-ZPA which departed Brisbane on January 9 ’17 on ferry to Nashville was cancelled from the Australian register on April 4. On April 5 the ERJ190-100IGW was placed on the US register as N14800.

E190-100IGW VH-ZPB which departed Brisbane on November 28 ’16 on ferry to Nashville was cancelled from the Australian register on May 21 ’18. On May 24 the E190-100IGW was placed on the US register as N216NC.

E190-100IGW VH-ZPK was ferried from Nashville to Lake Charles/LA on May 18 for painting.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines took delivery of A320-232 VH-VNJ in Perth on April 7 after the aircraft which was previously operated by TigerAir ferried in from Clark Field and Darwin as Tiger 9003. VH-VNJ which had been painted in Virgin Australia colours while in the Philippines entered service on May 2 when it operated BHP mining charter VOZ9339 from Perth to Coondewanna.

Tigerair ferried A320-232 VH-VNQ from Melbourne to Darwin and Clark Field on February 1 then cancelled the aircraft from the register on April 24 on its sale in India. On April 28 now registered to Indigo Airlines as VT-IHR the A320-232 was ferried from Clark Field to Bangkok and New Delhi.
A320-232 VH-VNG departed Melbourne on May 2 as TGG9002 on ferry to Darwin and Clark Field for planned maintenance before returning to Melbourne via Darwin as TGG9003 on May 15.

Regional Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of an EMB-145LR to JetGo while departing were two DHC-6-300 operated by Fiji Link.

Air Raratonga was planning to take delivery of Saab 340B+ N368CL msn 340B-368 in late May.

Fiji Link ferried ATR 72-600 DQ-FJX as FJA2003 from Nadi to Nelson on May 29 for planned maintenance with Air New Zealand Regional.

Fiji Link has terminated their lease on DHC-6-300 DQ-PSD and on March 23 it departed Nadi on ferry to the United States.

DHC-6-300 DQ-PSE has also terminated its lease and on May 25 it departed Nadi on ferry to Majuro, Honolulu and Santa Maria/California where it arrived on May 29.

Hevilift Australia (Fixed Wing) P/L of Brisbane became the registered operator of ATR72-600 VH-FVM effective April 23.

Hevilift (PNG) ferried DHC-6-300 P2-KSM from Cairns to Honiara on May 7 and after overnighting it continued to Tarawa.

JetGo took delivery of EMB-145LR N14923 msn 145318 at Brisbane on April 13 after the aircraft ferried in from the US via Nome, Petropavlovsk, Sapporo and Davao City however since its arrival the aircraft has remained static.

On June 1 JetGo was placed in voluntary administration. Location of their fleet at this time was as follows : EMB-135LR VH-JZG has been parked at Sydney since March 25 : EMB-135KL VH-ZJE parked Townsville since March 26 while EMB-135KL VH-ZJG has been parked Brisbane since April 14.
EMB-135LR VH-JGB and EMB-145LR VH-JGR are still operational and are available for charter.

Bizjet News

In this issue we report the delivery of a Global Express, Falcon 7X and a Learjet 31 while departing was a Global Express.

Global Express VH-OFX msn 9104 was registered on April 3 with the holder Mitchell Air of South Melbourne, Victoria and the operator Australian Corporate Jet Centres of Essendon Fields, Victoria. VH-OFX was delivered to Essendon from Halim on April 17

Falcon 7X N818TL msn 15 was delivered to Network Jets at Auckland on April 29 after arriving from Springfield/IL and Hilo.

Learjet 31 VH-LPX msn 31A-144 ex JA01CP was placed on the register on April 5 with the holder Astra Aerospace P/L of North Nowra, NSW and the operator GoJet P/L of North Nowra. VH-LPX was delivered to Nowra on April 22 after arriving from Ambon and Darwin.

Sovereign VH-VPL which was operated by Twentieth Super Pace Nominees of Southport, Queensland has been sold to Skyline Aviation of Napier, New Zealand. On May 19 VH-VPL departed Essendon for Napier where it was later registered ZK-RXD to Skyline Aviation on May 22.

New production Global 6000 C-FWVU msn 9817 which also carries the registration VH-YAI was noted at Montreal/Tredeau on May 10.

Global Express M-ATAR which was operated by Palmer Aviation has reportedly been sold. Ownership of the Global was transferred to FAI Asset Management on April 19 and on May 14 it was flown from Norwich, UK to Nuremberg, Germany. Global Express M-ATAR was cancelled from the Isle of Man register on May 25.

Global 6000 N796GL operated a demonstration tour of Australia in this period with the aircraft arriving Sydney from Xiamen on May 4. N796GL later visited Perth and Essendon before departing Brisbane for Shanghai on May 11

Citation M2 N902MZ also operated a demonstration tour in this period with the aircraft first noted arriving Darwin from Denpasar on May 5.

N902MZ later visited Ceduna, Archerfield, Sydney, Essendon, Maroochydore and Cairns before departing Darwin for Denpasar on May 13.

Pilatus PC-24 HB-VSF msn 105 which is the prospective VH-VWO for the RFDS/Western Operations was noted at Stans, Switzerland on May 3.

Pilatus PC-24 HB-VSG msn 106 which is the prospective VH-KWO for the RFDS/Western Operations was noted at Stans on May 3.

Falcon Air Falcon 20-F5 VH-PNY which had been in the US for maintenance arrived back into Sydney on May 15 from Guam and Cairns with the aircraft resplendent in an attractive new colour scheme.

In Prop-Jet news King Air 350i VH-ZPG msn FL-962 which was on delivery to the RNZAF departed Cairns for Brisbane on May 25 and after overnighting continued to Lord Howe Island and Ohakea where it became NZ2351.

King Air 350i VH-ZPE which was delivered to the RNZAF at Ohakea on March 23 (Traffic/May) was cancelled from the register on May 8 prior to it being allocated the RNZAF serial NZ2353.

Ferry Flights

Baron G58 VH-KJV departed Port Macquarie for Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island on April 19 before continuing to Kerikeri and Ardmore on April 20.

Cessna 208B/EX N5420C which had been on a demonstration tour of Australia (Traffic/May) departed Jandakot for Newman, Kununurra and Darwin on April 6 and after overnighting continued to Kupang.

Cessna 208 VH-NUQ msn 208-00550 which was registered to West Coast Seaplanes P/L of Broome on May 10 arrived in Broome from Denpasar on May 23.

Travira Air Cessna 208/FP PK-TVN arrived Broome from Kupang on May 20.

Cessna 172S VH-ZEJ departed Toowoomba on May 31 for Longreach and Darwin before continuing to Balikpapan on June 2.

Diamond DA-40 N360TX msn 40-723 arrived at Archerfield on May 28 from Denpasar, Darwin and Mount Isa.

Found FBA-2C3/FP N883MX which was crated into Hamilton was later noted at Ardmore on May 5.

Helio U-10 C-GZZL was noted at Jandakot on April 13.

PAC 750XL ZK-KDI msn 206 (Traffic/May) departed Hamilton on May 24 on the first leg of its ferry flight to Papua, New Guinea and delivery to the PNGDF. Ferry routing was via Ardmore, Kerikeri, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Cairns, Horn Island to Port Moresby where it arrived on May 29.

PAC 750XL ZK-KEJ msn 220 which was on delivery to Poland (Traffic/May) departed Hamilton for the Gold Coast and Toowoomba on April 7.

RAAF Pilatus PC-21 HB-HWM c/s PCH46P in company with PC-21 HB-HWN c/s PCH47C arrived at RAAF East Sale on April 23 after ferrying in from Stans, Switzerland via Denpasar, Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide. The two aircraft were later allocated the RAAF serial numbers A54-013 and A54-014.

PC-21 HB-HWO c/s PCH48R in company with PC-21 HB-HWP c/s PCH49T arrived at RAAF East Sale on May 21 after ferrying in from Stans via Denpasar, Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide. The two aircraft were later allocated the RAAF serial numbers A54-015 and A54-016 respectively.

PC-21 HB-HWT/A54-020 was noted at Stans in late May. The aircraft carried RAAF colours with the Roulettes stylized R on its tail.

PC-12/45 VH-ZWO which ferried from Sydney to Auckland and Fielding on November 10 ‘17 departed Fielding for Auckland on May 17. After overnighting VH-ZWO which still carried RFDS titles departed for Pago Pago, Christmas Island, Hilo and Van Nuys where it arrived on May 21.
Abel Aviation PA28-181 VH-BVN departed Archerfield for Lord Howe Island on May 19 before continuing to Kerikeri on May 20.

TBM-700 N700BK arrived in Darwin from Denpasar on May 5 before continuing to Archerfield on May 6. N700BK was later noted at Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Emerald Moree and Essendon where it arrived on May 14.

Airvan 8 VH-MFM of MAF arrived Darwin from Gove on May 16 and after overnighting continued to Dili.

PA-46-310P Malibu/Jetprop DLX CC-AQZ arrived Darwin from Kupang on May 13 before returning to Kupang on May 15.

Heavy Metal

French Air Force A340-211 F-RAJB/81 as Cotam 2 arrived Sydney from Singapore on April 30 and departed to Noumea on May 3.

French Air Force A330-200 F-RARF/240 as Cotam 1 arrived Sydney from Singapore on May 1 before departing to Noumea on May 3.

French Air Force Falcon 7X F-RAFA/68 as Cotam 5 arrived Sydney from Singapore on May 1 and departed to Noumea on May 3.

K5 Aviation A319-115/CJ D-APGS call sign ‘Kay 51’ arrived Sydney from Narita on April 24 and departed to Honolulu on April 27.

Antonov Airlines An-124 UR-82027 as ADB2405 arrived Newcastle from Johor Bahru on May 2 before departing on May 3 to Melbourne and Papeete as ADB257F/ADB2457

Ukraine Air Alliance An-12BK UR-CAH as UKL5020 arrived Perth from Halim on May 20 before returning to Halim as UKL5021 on May 21.

Ukraine Air Alliance An-12BP UR-CAK arrived Sydney from Surabaya on April 7 and the same day departed to Darwin and Jakarta. UR-CAK later arrived Perth from Halim on April 11 before departing to Padang on April 12.

Emirates 777-31H A6-EMQ as UAE2546 arrived Alice Springs from Dubai on May 4 and on arrival it was placed in temporary storage.

Omni Air International 777-2U8 N828AX as OAE309 arrived Darwin from Guam on April 21 before returning later the same day to Guam.

Vim Airlines 777-212(ER) VP-BDR arrived Brisbane from Alice Springs on April 23 and departed to Rio on April 24.

United Arab Emirates 787-9 A6-PFE as Amiri Flight 5 arrived Sydney from Christchurch on May 7 and departed to Canberra and Singapore on May 9.

Atlas Air 767-375ER N649GT as GTI8277 arrived Darwin from Guam on May 23 before returning to Guam as GTI8276 on May 24.

Talos Aviation 757-23N M-RISE arrived Port Hedland from Al Maktoum on May 1 before departing to Kuala Lumpur and Al Maktoum on May 3.

US Government 757-23A/C-32B 24452 call sign ‘Finny 72’ arrived Cairns from Pago Pago on May 13 and departed to Paya Lebar on May 15.

737-800A/P-8A A47-007 was delivered to the RAAF at Edinburgh on May 4 after arriving from Boeing Field, Honolulu and Pago Pago.

Donghai Airlines 737-800 B-7100 as EPA62234 commenced operations into Darwin from Shenzhen on May 30.

737-7BC/BBJ N835BA arrived Sydney from Boeing Field and Honolulu on June 3 before continuing to Melbourne on June 5.

Beijing Airlines 737-79L/BBJ B-3999 as BJN99 arrived Sydney from Guangzhou on May 4 before returning to Guangzhou on May 5.

Avjet Corporation 737-7EG/BBJ N8767 arrived Perth from Nadi on May 4 and departed to Dubai on May 6.

ACM Air Charter 737-7AU/BBJ VP-BJZ arrived Sydney from Xiamen on May 25 before continuing to Adelaide on May 27 and Fuzhou on May 28
United States of America 737-7AFC/C-40C 05-0932 call sign Spar 24 arrived Cairns from Halim on May 29 and departed to Wellington on May 31.

Air Bridge Cargo 737-46Q(SF) VQ-BVF as VAS9262 arrived Canberra from Halim, Darwin and Alice Springs on April 17 and after overnighting departed to Alice Springs, Darwin and Subang.

Western Global MD-11F N546JN as WG8449 arrived Darwin from Honolulu on April 12 before departing to Guam as WG449 on April 13.