Traffic

747-438 VH-OEG as QF2907 operated an Antarctic charter on February 10 with the aircraft departing from and returning to Melbourne.

747-438 VH-OEI as QF2904 operated an Antarctic charter on February 24 with the aircraft departing from and returning to Sydney.

747-438 VH-OJU as QF1360/1361 operated a return charter from Sydney to Avalon on March 2 where it spent the day at the 2019 Avalon airshow before returning to Sydney.

747-438 VH-OEB will reportedly be the next 747-400 to be withdrawn from the Qantas fleet in a move planned to take place soon.

787-9 VH-ZNG was damaged at Melbourne on January 25 after being struck by ground equipment.

It was then hangered while repairs were carried out. It was February 17 before it returned to service when it operated QF29 from Melbourne to Hong Kong.

QantasLink 717-23S VH-NXD completed its repaint in Townsville on February 1 (Traffic/March) with the aircraft then being ferried to Cairns from where it returned to service on February 2 when it operated QF1949 from Cairns to Alice Springs.

Effective July ’19 QantasLink will move its 717-200 fleet maintenance from Canberra to ST Aerospace in Singapore.

Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of an A321neo and A320neo to Air New Zealand while departing was an A320-200 of Air New Zealand and a 737-800 of Fiji Airways.

Air New Zealand took delivery of A321neo ZK-NND msn 8629 at Auckland on February 21 after the aircraft ferried in from Finkenwerder via Muscat, Kuala Lumpur and Cairns as NZ6095.

ZK-NND entered service with Air New Zealand on March 6 when it operated NZ739 from Auckland to Brisbane.

A320neo ZK-NHA msn 8715, which is the first of type in the Air New Zealand fleet, was delivered to Christchurch on March 2 after ferrying in from Toulouse via Muscat, Kuala Lumpur and Cairns as NZ6094.

A320-232 ZK-OJA was withdrawn from service in the early hours of February 2 after arriving in Christchurch from Brisbane as NZ804/01. On March 2 ZK-OJA as NZ6001 was ferried from Christchurch to Townsville for painting in an all-white colour scheme.

A320-232 ZK-OJG, which was withdrawn from service on November 15 and was later painted all-white (Traffic/March), was cancelled from the New Zealand register on February 15.

On February 17 now registered F-WTDD it departed Auckland for Pago Pago, Honolulu, Calgary, Keflavik, Toulouse and Tranzacal, France.

A320-232 ZK-OJN was withdrawn from service on February 3 after operating NZ804 from Brisbane to Christchurch.

Alliance Airlines Fokker 70 OE-LFI msn 11529 as SXI 1902 ferried from Bratislava to Norwich, UK on February 6 and there the aircraft changed its colour scheme from Austrian Airlines to Alliance.

It is reported that this Fokker 70 will be registered VH-NUO before delivery to Alliance in Brisbane.

Fokker 70 VH-QQX ferried from Brisbane to Wellington as QQ991 on January 19 and the following day commenced operations for Tauck tours as QQ993 from Wellington to Woodbourne.

Fokker 70 VH-NKU, which had been operating Tauck tour flights in New Zealand, ferried from Wellington to Brisbane as QQ990 on January 24.

Fokker 50 VH-FKV, which departed Adelaide on December 5 for planned maintenance in Seletar (Traffic/March), ferried into Brisbane on January 30 as SXI 1901 from Seletar, Surabaya, Darwin and Townsville. On February 6 VH-FKV ferried from Brisbane to Adelaide as UTY9103 and returned to service with Alliance on February 7 when it operated UTY3248 from Adelaide to Olympic Dam.

Fiji Airways withdrew 737-8X2 DQ-FJH from service on January 15 before ferrying the aircraft on February 7 as FJI2008/2009 from Nadi to Honolulu and San Bernadino/CA where the aircraft will reportedly be parted out. 737- 8X2 DQ-FJH Island of Gau was delivered to Air Pacific in Nadi on August 16 ’99.

Pacific Air Express operated two charters on February 5 with their 757-225PCF VH-PQA as PCF24/25 and PCF32/33 from Brisbane to Cairns and return.

Both flights were reportedly in support of the floods in North Queensland.

Virgin Group News

In this issue we report the transfer of a 737-800 from Virgin Australia to Tigerair.

Virgin Australia 737-8FE VH-YVA was withdrawn from service on February 23 with the aircraft then being prepared for entry into service with Tigerair.

VH-YVA was scheduled on its final flight for Virgin Australia on February 23 when it operated VOZ965 from Sydney to Brisbane.

Later the same day VH-YVA was ferried from Brisbane to Townsville as VOZ9931 where on arrival it entered the Flying Colours hangar to be painted in Tigerair colours (see below).

Effective February 25 Alliance Airlines commenced operations for Virgin Australia between Brisbane and Port Moresby with Fokker 100 VHUQC operating the inaugural VOZ39/38.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines/VARA Fokker 100 VH-FNC returned to Perth from Seletar via Port Hedland on February 13 as VOZ9942 after completing planned maintenance.

E190-100IGW VH-ZPH, which was withdrawn from service on February 3 (Traffic/March ’18), was later registered N199NC to Nordic Aviation Capital and placed in storage at Nashville. Nordic Aviation have reportedly leased the E-190 to Helvetic Airways and on February 4 N199NC as ‘Jet Test 9038’ was ferried from Macon/ Georgia to Lake City/Florida for painting in Helvetic colours.

Tigerair has added a fifth 737- 800 to their fleet with the transfer of 737-8FE VH-YVA from Virgin Australia (see above). After being painted in Tigerair colours by Flying Colours at Townsville VHYVA was ferried to Melbourne on March 3 as VOZ9931.

Regional Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of two Cessna 208s to MAF.

Air Chathams placed ATR 72-500 ZK-MCO into service on February 8 when the aircraft commenced operations on behalf of Tauck tours. The Air Chathams flights replace those previously operated by Alliance Airlines with Fokker 50 equipment.

Casair took delivery of SA226AT Merlin IV VH-FUM msn AT-017 at Jandakot on January 30 after it ferried in from Port Vila via Brisbane and Ceduna.

The Merlin IV was previously operated by Air Taxi Vanuatu as YJ-AL4.

Mission Aviation Fellowship Cessna 208 P2-MAI 20800613, which was delivered to Mareeba on November 14 as N611MF (Traffic/ January), departed on February 11 for Horn Island and Mount Hagen and entry into service with MAF.

Cessna 208 N617MF 20800617 was delivered to MAF at Mareeba on February 22 after ferrying in from Mountridge/KS via Santa Maria/CA, Hilo, Majuro, Honiara and Cairns.

Cessna 208 N618MF 20800618 was also delivered to MAF at Mareeba on February 22 after ferrying in from Mountridge/KS via Santa Maria/CA, Hilo, Majuro Honiara and Cairns.

Cessna 208 N616MF 20800616 was planned for delivery to MAF at Mareeba in early March.

BN-2A-26 ZK-MCE changed its ownership from Mount Cook to Pacific Island Air on October 18 (Traffic/January) and on March 1 it departed Ardmore for Kerikeri and Port Vila. It is reported that the aircraft will be registered to Pacific Island Air as DQ-MCE.

BN-2A-26 ZK-MCD has also been registered to Pacific Island Air but as of early March it was still resident in New Zealand.

Vortex Air Beech 1900C VHVAQ was noted at Moorabbin on February 18 now carrying the titles ‘Bass Strait Golf’.

Bizjet News

In this issue we report the delivery of a Citation M2, Phenom 300E and a Pilatus PC-24, while departing was a King Air C90GTi. Citation M2 VH-YWS msn 525-0853, which was registered to Adome of Hamilton, Queensland on January 17 (Traffic/March), was delivered to Archerfield on February 5 after ferrying in from Balikpapan, Darwin and Roma.

Citation Bravo N28SP msn 550-1125 of Echo Aviation of Wilmington, Delaware arrived at Broome from Cocos Island on March 1. It however is no stranger to Australia having visited Adelaide on January 9 ’16.

Phenom 300E VH-UYX msn 50500502 was registered on January 22 with the holder Special Mining Services of Glenorie, NSW and the operator Flight Options (Australia) of Mudjimba, Queensland. The aircraft was delivered to Maroochydore on February 5 from Singapore and Broome.

Pilatus PC-24 VH-KWO was delivered to the RFDS/Western Ops at Jandakot on February 22 after completing its ferry flight from Stans via Hurghada, Seeb, Chennai, Seletar and Broome.

Learjet 35A VH-LRN 35A- 450 was registered on January 25 with the holder Astra Aerospace of North Nowra, NSW and the operator GoJet also of North Nowra. The Learjet 35A then registered N950SP was delivered to Nowra on September 23 (Traffic/ November).

Learjet 35A VH-LJH msn 35A- 498 was registered on January 31 with the holder Astra Aerospace of North Nowra and the operator GoJet also of North Nowra. The Learjet then registered C-GTDM, was delivered to Nowra on June 7 (Traffic/November).

Learjet 35A N135DE, msn 35A-667 which was delivered to Jandakot on January 3 (Traffic/ March), was registered VH-KJG on February 4 with the holder Formula Aircraft of Jandakot and the operator Aus West Airlines (2010) of Jandakot.

King Air C90GTi VH-JJU msn LJ1943, which was registered to Venlock of Cloncurry, was cancelled from the register on February 6 after being sold in the United States. VH-JJU departed Archerfield on December 25 for Cairns, Biak, Cebu and Naha and was later noted at Petropavlovsk- Kamchatsky and Anchorage on January 20 before arriving at Tyler/Texas from Bozeman/ Montana on January 22. The King Air was registered N943SD to Rangeflyers of Wichita/Kansas on February 6.

RNZAF King Air 350i NZ2350 departed Ohakea for Norfolk Island and Amberley as ‘Kiwi 277’ on February 26 before continuing to Avalon on February 27. On March 1 NZ2350 departed Avalon for Amberley and Norfolk Island.

Avalon Bizjets

The 2019 Australian International Aerospace and Defence Exposition which was held at Avalon, Victoria from February 26 to March 3 attracted the following overseas and locally-based bizjets.

AMSA Challenger 604 VHXNF arrived at Avalon from Essendon on February 24 before returning to Essendon on March 4.

Learjet 31A VH-LPX registered to Astra Aerospace of North Nowra, NSW arrived at Avalon from Nowra on February 26 before departing to Essendon on February 28.

Citation Latitude N985BC of Textron Aviation which is based in Seletar arrived at Avalon on February 24 from Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney.

Citation CJ-3+ N46LW msn 525B0532 arrived at Alice Springs from Kota Kinabalu and Darwin on February 23 before continuing to Avalon on February 24.

Dassault Aviation Falcon 8X F-GCDP arrived at Avalon from Kuala Lumpur on February 24 and departed to Melbourne on March 3 and to Auckland on March 4.

Falcon 2000EX VH-WIO registered to Balmoral Air of Artarmon, NSW arrived at Avalon from Bankstown on February 25 where it joined Falcon 2000 VH-FJO of Falcon Jet Operations on display.

Phenom 500 N676EE arrived at Perth from Seletar on February 20 before departing to Adelaide on February 22 and to Avalon on February 24.

Phenom 300E VH-NSQ registered to Finico of Melbourne arrived at Avalon from Essendon on February 25 before returning to Essendon on March 1.

Gulfstream 650ER N650GF arrived at Avalon from Male on February 25 while Gulfstream 600 N600G arrived at Avalon from Kona on February 24. Gulfstream 550 N550GD arrived at Avalon from Hong Kong on February 24.

RFDS Pilatus PC-24 VH-KWO, which was delivered to Jandakot on February 22, had later moved to Avalon by February 26.

RFDS Pilatus PC-24 VH-VWO arrived at Avalon from Adelaide on February 25 where it joined PC-24s VH-FCM and VH-KWO on display.

Local visitors to Avalon were Global Express VH-SGA which was noted on February 26 and Citation Sovereign VH-ZEK on February 28.

Ferry Flights

Pacific Aerospace P-750 XSTOL ZK-KEH msn 218 (Traffic/March), which is fitted with a roller door for parachute jumping operations, departed Hamilton on February 5 for the Gold Coast, Longreach and Darwin. On February 17 it departed Darwin for Manado, Clark Field/Philippines and Changzhou/China.

Cowley Air Airvan 8 VH-OHN msn GA8-14-206 which was on delivery to Pelorus Air of Picton, New Zealand departed Archerfield on February 5 for Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Auckland and Blenheim where it arrived on February 7.

Diamond DA-42NG N566CB msn 42-N111 arrived at Broome from Lombok on November 17 before continuing the following day to Ayers Rock and Parafield.

Quest Kodiak N195KQ msn 100-0195, which is registered to Quest Aircraft of Sandpoint, Idaho and carries the tail markings of the Japanese company Sky Trek, arrived at Essendon on February 4 after ferrying in from Ujung Pandang via Darwin, Alice Springs and Broken Hill. N195KQ was later moved at Avalon where it was displayed at the Aerospace Exposition.

PA-24-250 HB-OVW in company with Flight Design CTLS CTLS HB-WYB departed Geneva for Verona on November 18 on the first leg of a round-the-world flight. On February 2 the aircraft arrived at Jandakot from Broome and Carnarvon.

Heavy Metal

Volga-Dnepr Airlines Antonov An- 124 RA-82044 as flight VDA1726 arrived at Melbourne from Kolkata on February 28. RA-82044 departed Melbourne on March 1 as VDA1727 to Darwin and after overnighting continued to Johor Bahru as VDA1728.

A318-112(CJ) B-55411 arrived at Melbourne from Macau and Darwin on February 6 before continuing to Hobart on February 10 and onwards to Darwin and Taipei/ Songshan on February 11.

A319-115(CJ) B-54111 arrived at Melbourne from Macau on February 6 before continuing to Hobart on February 10 and onwards to Darwin and Taipei/ Songshan on February 11.

AirBridgeCargo 747-8HV(F) VQ-BGZ arrived at Avalon from Hong Kong as ABW9340 on February 15 before returning to Hong Kong as ABW9241 on February 16.

Deer Jet 787-8 2-DEER arrived at the Gold Coast from Nanjing on February 8 before continuing to Sydney on February 17. The 787-8 departed Sydney for Hong Kong on February 18.

Icelandair 757-27B TF-FIW (Traffic/March), which carries the titles ‘Albert Ballin’ on its forward fuselage, departed Hobart for Adelaide on January 28 and later continued to Alice Springs and Perth from where it departed on February 4 to Jakarta.

Titan Airways 757-256 G-POWH as AWC2142 arrived at Perth from Halim on February 2 and the same day departed to Colombo.

Thomson Airways 757-28A/W G-OOBC as TOM935 arrived at Cairns from Apia on February 1 and departed to Angkor on February 3.

737-73W/BBJ 2-BASG (Traffic/ March) continued its tour of Australia and New Zealand in this period. On February 2 it departed Melbourne for Christchurch before returning to Sydney from Napier on February 7. It departed Sydney for Subang on February 8.

737-7BC/BBJ N835BA operated by the Boeing company arrived at Melbourne from Honolulu and Brisbane on February 27 and departed to Honolulu on February 28.

Swiftlite Aircraft Corporation 737-7EL/BBJ N90R arrived at Melbourne from Saipan as BWJ699 on February 18.

Avalon Heavy Metal

The following military aircraft took part in both the flying and static displays at Avalon.

Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130H NZ7005 callsign ‘Kiwi 290’ arrived at Avalon from Whenuapai on February 26.

RNZAF 757-2K2 NZ7571 callsign ‘Kiwi 459’ made a day trip to Avalon from Wellington on February 27.

RNZAF King Air 350 NZ2350 callsign ‘Kiwi 277’ arrived at Avalon on February 27 from Ohakea, Norfolk Island and Amberley, and departed March 1 again as ‘Kiwi 277’ to Amberley, Norfolk Island and Ohakea.

Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) Kawasaki C-2 68-1203 callsign JF121 arrived at Avalon from Cebu on February 25.

Royal Malaysian Air Force Airbus A400M M54-04 arrived at Avalon from Subang on February 25.

US Air Force B-52H 60-0007 Guardians of the Upper Realm which was using the call-sign ‘Baron 11’ arrived Avalon from Guam on February 22.

US Air Force B-52H 60-0060 callsign ‘Dune 1’ arrived Avalon from Guam in the early hours of March 2 before returning to Guam on March 3.

U S Air Force Boeing C-17A 55140, which had a March AFB and AFRC tail band, spent most of the week at Avalon.

US Air Force KC-135R 58-0085 callsign ‘Cabal 81’, which had a March AFB and AFRC tail band, arrived at Avalon from Yokoto AFB on February 25. It was joined by KC-135R 57-1459, callsign ‘Cabal 82’, which also had a March AFB and AFRC tail band.

Lockheed F-22 Raptor 04-4074 callsign ‘Pine 31’ arrived from Yokoto AFB on February 25 in company with Lockheed F-22 Raptor 05-4090.