Traffic

747-438ER VH-OEI as QF2907 operated a charter to Antarctica from Melbourne on December 31 with the aircraft returning to Melbourne on January 1 after about 13 hours in the air.

747-438ER VH-OEE as QF2906 operated a charter to Antarctica from Perth on- January 26 with the flight taking 12.5 hours.

747-438 VH-OJU ferried from Sydney to Hong Kong as QF6015 on December 31 for planned maintenance and on completion ferried from Hong Kong to Sydney as QF6016 on January 19.

Qantas started 787-9 operations between Melbourne and Hong Kong effective December 13 with 787-9 VH-ZNH operating the inaugural QF29/30.

The next three 787-9s on order for Qantas have been allocated line numbers 921, 929 and 941 and reportedly will be registered VH-ZNI, VH-ZNJ and VH-ZNK.

QantasLink 717-23S VH-NXD ferried from Townsville to Cairns as QJE6270 on January 13 and on arrival entered the Flying Colours hangar where it was painted in the silver roo livery.

Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of a 737 MAX 8 to Fiji Airways, an RJ-100 to Cobham and a Fokker 100 to Alliance.

Air New Zealand A321neo ZK-NNB, which was delivered to Air New Zealand in Auckland on December 5 (Traffic/January), entered service on December 13 when it operated NZ725 from Auckland to Melbourne.

A321neo ZK-NNC,which was delivered to Auckland on December 11 (Traffic/January), entered service on December 19 when it operated NZ992 from Auckland to Apia.

A321neo ZK-NND msn 8629, which will be the fourth of type in the Air New Zealand fleet, is planned for delivery in mid-February while A320neo VH-NHA msn 8715 is planned for delivery in late February.

A320-232 ZK-OJG, which was withdrawn from service on November 15 (Traffic/January), was ferried from Christchurch to Townsville as NZ6001 on January 3. It then entered the Flying Colours hangar where it was painted all-white before ferrying from Townsville to Auckland as NZ6002 on January 15.

Air New Zealand Link/Mount Cook ATR 72-500 ZK-MCB, which was withdrawn from service on July 15 (Traffic/January), was returned to service on December 19 when it operated NZ5180 from Christchurch to Palmerston North. The aircraft will be used spasmodically and now carries a hybrid scheme after having its ANZ titles, fern leaf and ANZ tail symbol removed.

ATR 72-500 ZK-MCO, which was withdrawn from service on October 29 (Traffic/January), has been sold to Air Chathams (see Regional News/Air Chathams this issue).

Airwork Flight Operations retired 737-3B7 ZK-TLA from service on December 27 after the aircraft operated AWK91 from Perth to Alice Springs where it was placed in storage.

Airwork 737-4Q8 ZK-PAU was then moved to Australia as a replacement and on December 28 it operated AWK92/94 from Auckland to Adelaide and Perth. It then entered service for Virgin Australia as VOZ9560/2/1/3 from Perth to Melbourne and Launceston return on January 2/3.

Alliance Airlines, which took delivery of Fokker 100 VH-UQN msn 11361 at Brisbane on November 26 (Traffic/January), placed the aircraft into service on December 17 when it operated QQ880 from Brisbane to Trepell.

Alliance registered Fokker 100 VH-UQF msn 11456 on May 25 2018, but it was December 10 before it departed Bratislava as Southern Cross 1821 on the first leg of its delivery flight to Brisbane. It was delivered in Alliance livery, arriving in Brisbane from Kupang and Townsville on December 14 and entering service on December 26 when it operated a flight for Virgin Australia as VOZ1243 from Brisbane to Rockhampton.

Alliance took delivery of Fokker 100 OE-LVL msn 11404 at Brisbane on December 26 2016 and placed it on the register as VH-UQY on January 19 2017. It never entered service with Alliance, however, as it was used as a source of spare parts and on December 19 2018 was cancelled from the register.

Fokker 70 VH-NUU msn 11532 was registered to Alliance on January 2. On December 10 the aircraft then registered OE-LFJ was ferried from Bratislava to Norwich, UK as SXI 1834.

Fokker 50 VH-FKO terminated its lease to Tauck tours in New Zealand during this period with the aircraft then returning to Alliance in Australia. It operated its final Tauck flight on January 6 as UTY541/990 from Auckland to Christchurch and return before departing Auckland on January 8 for Norfolk Island, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Fokker 70 VH-NKU was then leased to Tauck tours to cover their operations and on January 14 ferried from Brisbane to Wellington as UTY541. It entered service for Tauck on January 15 when it operated Wellington-Woodbourne-Te Anau-Wellington.

Fokker 50 VH-FKV departed Adelaide on December 5 on ferry to Seletar where it arrived on December 6 via Broome and Surabaya. The ferry, which was contracted to Southern Cross, operated as SXI 1839.

Cobham took delivery of BAe 146-300(RJ-100) T7-LWW msn E-3274 at Adelaide on December 1 after the aircraft ferried in from Summerside/Canada via Keflavik, Riga, Baku, Amritsar, Calcutta, Don Muang, Denpasar and Darwin. The RJ-100 was registered VH-JTE on December 17 with the owner/operator National Jet Express of Adelaide Airport. It was ferried then from Adelaide to Perth as JTE5501 on December 29 and entered service on December 31 as NC750 from Perth to Murin Murin.

Cobham leased BAe 146-200 VH-SAZ from Pionair Australia and on November 26 as Skyforce 902 it was ferried from Adelaide to Perth, entering service with Cobham on November 27 when it operated from Perth to Karara. The aircraft is also used on flights between Perth and Nova.

Fiji Airways took delivery of 737 MAX 8 DQ-FAD Island of Gau at Nadi on January 3 after the aircraft ferried in from Boeing Field and Honolulu as FJI2001. It entered service on January 7 when it operated FJI1931 from Nadi to Melbourne.

Samoa Airways has announced that they have leased a 737 MAX 9 with delivery planned in March. The 737 MAX 9 is reported to be N910BA msn 43339, an aircraft that was originally planned for delivery to Primera Air Scandinavia.

Virgin Group News

Virgin Australia A320-232 VH-YUD Port Beach departed Perth for Seletar on January 7 for planned maintenance. The flight, which operated as SXI 1920,was contracted to Southern Cross.

Virgin Australia Regional Fokker 100 VH-FNY, which ferried from Perth to Port Hedland and Seletar on October 23/24 for planned maintenance, returned to Port Hedland and Perth as VOZ9942 on January 1. It was expected this last-of-type operating for VARA in Skywest colours would change its colour scheme while in Seletar. This did not happen, however.

Fokker 100 VH-FNC ferried from Perth to Denpasar and Seletar as VOZ9940 on December 27 for planned maintenance.

Regional News

Air Chathams has added the former ANZ Link/Mount Cook ATR72-500 ZK-MCO to its fleet, and on January 7 it was test-flown at Nelson after being painted in Air Chatham colours.

Saab 340A(QC) ZK-CIY msn 340A-135 entered service with Air Chathams on January 11 when it operated flight 3C 650 from Auckland to the Kapati Coast. Then registered N135GU, it was delivered to Air Chathams at Auckland on January 9 2018 (Traffic/March 2018).

Airlines of Tasmania BN-2A-20 VH-OBL was destroyed on December 8 in an accident near Federation Peak in SW Tasmania. The pilot, who was the only person on board, was tragically killed.

Air Marshall Islands Dash 8-102 V7-0210 departed Cairns on December 8 for Port Moresby and Honiara after completing its planned maintenance with Hawker Pacific (Traffic/January).

Hardy Aviation took delivery of Cessna 208B/EX N8589T msn 208B5496 at Cairns on January 9 after the aircraft ferried in from Wichita via Santa Maria/CA, Hilo and Majuro.

On January 18, Cessna 208B/EX VH-UOL ex N8589T was registered to Hardy Aviation of Parap, NT.

Hevilift placed ATR 72-500 VH-FVH into service on January 1 when it operated HT773/774 from Brisbane to Middlemount and return.

Vortex Air took delivery of Beech 1900C N119WF msn UC-132 at Essendon on November 20 after it ferried in from Billings, Montana via the North Pacific ferry route (Traffic/January). The aircraft was later ferried to Moorabbin where it was registered VH-VAQ to Vortex Air on December 3.

Bizjet News

In this issue we report the delivery of a Global Express, Hawker 4000, Learjet 60, Learjet 35A, Citation M2 and a Pilatus PC-24.

Global Express VH-LBU msn 9148 was registered on December 17 with the owner Echo Asset IV of North Sydney and the operator Execujet Australia of Mascot, NSW. The aircraft then registered N889JA had been a regular visitor to Australia over the years.

Learjet 60 VH-ILJ msn 60-031 ex N841TP was registered in Australia on November 15 ‘18 with the owner Avgunn of Hamilton, Queensland and the operator Avcair of Lake Cathie, NSW. It was January 18 however before it was delivered to Brisbane from Tucson via Van Nuys, Honolulu, Majuro and Nadi.

Learjet 35A N135DE msn 35A-667, which is registered to Gateway Air Center of Merced, California has reportedly been sold in Australia and it was delivered to Jandakot on January 3 from the Gold Coast and Adelaide.

Hawker 4000 VP-CPP, which was reportedly on delivery to Palmer Aviation, arrived at Perth on January 18 after crossing the Pacific from Oakland/CA via Kona, Pago Pago and the Gold Coast. After overnighting in Perth it returned to the Gold Coast before operating a return flight to Sydney.

Pilatus PC-24 VH-FGM msn 119 was registered in Australia on December 3 with the owner Dalydine of North Beach, WA and the operator Pilatus Australia of Adelaide. VH-FGM was delivered to Adelaide on December 14 after ferrying in from Stans via Tbilisi, Al Maktoum, New Delhi, Chiang Rai, Subang, Denpasar and Darwin.

Global 6000 N599CH, which is operated by AVWest Aviation, has reportedly moved its home base from Perth to Christchurch.

Falcon N50EX N115MF, which arrived at Wellington from Honolulu and Apia on November 23 (Traffic/January), was on delivery to local operator Catley Aviation.

Citation M2 VH-YWS msn 5250853 was registered on January 17 with the owner/operator Adome of Hamilton, Queensland.

Citation Encore VH-VRL changed its registration to VH-ACC on November 6 with the registered holder /operator being Australian Country Choice Properties of Morningside, Queensland.

Citation 750 N680KG arrived at Maroochydore from Seletar and Darwin on December 26 before returning to Darwin and Seletar on December 28.

Smooth Route Citation Sovereign N338TM arrived in Perth from Denpasar on January 19 and departed to Seletar on January 22.

Textron Aviation Citation Sovereign N985BC demonstrator arrived at Darwin on January 17 and was later seen at Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle and Essendon.

Hawker 800XP2 VH-RIO operated its final flight for the RFDS/Western Operations on January 14 when it departed Cocos Island for Perth.

Gulfstream 280 N308KB arrived at Maroochydore from Seletar and Darwin on December 18 before departing for Darwin and Seletar on December 23.

In propjet news, King Air B200 VH-VJX msn BB-1944, ex ZK-DHP, and King Air B200 VH-VJZ msn BB-1949, ex ZK-PHP, were registered to the RFDS (Queensland section) on January 18.

Ferry Flights

Bell 430 P2-MUM arrived in Cairns from Innisfail on December 30 before continuing to Lockhart River on January 2.

Baron 58 VH-PWP departed Ardmore for Kerikeri on January 3 before continuing to Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island the Gold Coast and Bankstown on January 4. VH-PWP departed Bankstown on January 9 for Lord Howe Island and Kerikeri.

Cessna 208B/EX VH-JLK msn 208B5472 ex N20678 was registered to JJ Air of Sydney on December 18 after being delivered to Sydney on November 26 as N20678 (Traffic/January ’19).

Pegasus Air Cessna 208B PK-ICC, which was damaged in a landing accident at Ilaga on June 4 2016, departed Bankstown on December 8 for Maroochydore, Cairns and Merauke where it arrived on December 12.

Handel Aviation Cessna 210N VH-ZIO departed the Gold Coast for Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island on December 24 before continuing to Kerikeri and Tauranga on December 26.

Cessna 185 YJ-CCM arrived at Norfolk Island from Port Vila on January 2 before continuing to Kerikeri and Ardmore on January 3.

Cirrus SR-22 VH-EPG arrived in Auckland on December 29 after crossing the Tasman via Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. It was later noted at Wellington, Blenheim and Tauranga before departing Auckland on January 4 for Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands.

DHC-6-400/FP N153QS arrived in Brisbane from Noumea on January 1 and departed the following day to Cairns.

DHC-2 VH-BVA, which was operated by Kennedy Aviation of Gunnedah, has been sold in New Zealand. On January 8 it departed Albury for Taree and Lord Howe Island before continuing the following day to Kerikeri.

Diamond DA-42 N25HS departed the Gold Coast on January 9 for Noumea, Port Vila, Norfolk Island and Auckland where it arrived on January 18.

GippsAero Airvan 8 VH-BNG msn GA8-18-248 has been sold in New Zealand and on December 27 it departed Latrobe Valley for Essendon and Wellington where it arrived on December 28. The Airvan 8, which was on delivery to Golden Bay Air, was registered ZK-ZUG on January 11.

P-750 XSTOL ZK-KEG msn 217 was registered to Pacific Aerospace on December 11 and on December 19 it crossed the Tasman from Hamilton to the Gold Coast via Lord Howe Island. ZK-KEG, which was on delivery to China, arrived in Darwin from the Gold Coast and Longreach on December 20 before departing for Manado on December 29.

P-750 XSTOL ZK-KEH msn 218 was registered to Pacific Aerospace on December 13 while P-750 XSTOL ZK-KEI msn 219 was registered to Pacific Aerospace on December 11.

P-750 XSTOL B-OOCE msn 8002 made its first flight on December 15 after assembly in China by Changzhou Pan-Pacific Aviation.

JAARS Quest Kodiak P2-SIB 100-008 arrived Cairns from Port Moresby on January 9 and after overnighting returned to Port Moresby.

New Tribes Mission Quest Kodiak P2-NTZ 100-118 arrived in Cairns from Port Moresby on December 27 before returning to Port Moresby on January 9.

Pilatus PC-21 HB-HWY, callsign PCH58C, and HB-HWZ, callsign PCH59N, were delivered to RAAF Base East Sale on December 10 after ferrying in from Stans, Switzerland via Kupang, Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide. The PC-21s were later allocated the RAAF serial numbers A54-025 and A54-026.

Osaka Holdings PC-12/45 N575PC arrived in Brisbane from Auckland on January 2 and was later noted at Ayers Rock on January 5 before departing Broome for Seletar on January 8.

Commander 500S VH-XWD msn 3257, ex ZS-JRG, was registered on December 6 to Grollo Aviation of Black Rock, Victoria and on December 17 it arrived at Essendon from Seletar and Broome.

Heavy Metal

A318/CJ 9H-UEC as MLM318 arrived in Melbourne from Subang in the early hours of December 18 before departing to Kuching on December 21.

Ukraine Air Alliance Antonov An-12B UR-CGW as UKL4082 arrived in Melbourne from Jakarta on December 14 and the same day departed Melbourne as UKL5000 for Honiara and Majuro.

Motor Sich Airlines Antonov An-12BP UR-11819 as MSI6549 arrived in Melbourne from Surabaya on January 18 before returning to Surabaya as MSI6550 on January 20.

Thomson Airways 757-28A G-OOBC, which was operating as TOM 934, arrived in Cairns from Apia on January 6 and departed to Siem Reap on January 7.

Polaris Aviation Services 777-212ER N777UK arrived in Canberra from Auckland and Sydney on December 28 and departed Canberra on December 30 to Sydney and Honolulu.

Ethiopian Airlines 767-3BG(ER) ET-AMF as ETH8705/7 transited Darwin in the early hours of December 26 while en route from Bangkok to Nadi. As ETH8799 it later transited Darwin on December 27 while en route from Nadi to Singapore.

Icelandair 757-27B TF-FIW, which was operating as ICE1900, arrived in Sydney from Denpasar on January 20 before departing to Christchurch on January 23 and Hobart on January 26.

RDV Leasing 737-75T/BBJ N260DV arrived in Cairns from Honolulu and Port Moresby on December 30 before departing to Port Moresby and Honolulu on January 6.

Business Aviation Services 737-73W/BBJ 2-BASG arrived in Sydney from Seletar on January 17 before continuing to Brisbane on January 18 and Perth on January 26.

Conair RJ-85 N366AC ‘Bomber 163’ arrived at RAAF Richmond on November 28 from Abbotsford via Oakland, Honolulu, Majuro and Honiara. N366AC remained in the country until January 8 when it departed Richmond for Brisbane, Honiara, Majuro and Honolulu.

EMB-135BJ/Legacy 600 T7-MPI arrived in Essendon on January 5 from Halim and Darwin and was still resident at Essendon as of late January.

EMB-135BJ/Legacy 600 PK-TFS arrived Sydney from Kupang on January 4.

RAAF AP-3C A9-661 was registered N661MK to MHD Rockland Services of Starke Florida on December 11 before departing Edinburgh on December 14 on ferry to Pago Pago, Kona and Keystone Airpark, Florida.

Meanwhile RAAF AP-3C A9-665 was registered N665BD on December 7 before departing Edinburgh for Pago Pago on December 12.