Traffic

747-48E VH-OEB, withdrawn from service on June 2 (Traffic/July), was ferried from Los Angeles to Tupelo/Mississippi on June 6 where it will be parted out. The aircraft was cancelled from the Australian register on June 14.

787-9 VH-ZNI, which is planned for delivery to Qantas in early October, will reportedly be named ‘Longreach’

QantasLink A320-232 VH-VQS, as NWK6681, returned to Perth from Seletar on June 14 after completing planned maintenance (Traffic/July).

717-23S VH-NXE, as QF6200, departed Perth on June 17 for Port Hedland and Seletar for planned maintenance.

717-231 VH-NXK (Traffic/July) ferried from Townsville to Canberra as QF6201 on June 9 after being painted in the silver roo colour scheme.

717-231 VH-NXL ferried as QJE1796 from Brisbane to Townsville on June 21 and entered the Flying Colours hangar where it was painted in the silver roo colour scheme.

Dash 8-201 VH-TQG operated QLK712 from Brisbane to Townsville on June 8 and on arrival entered the Flying Colours hangar where it was painted in the silver roo colour scheme. It returned to service on June 23 when it operated QLK672 from Townsville to Sydney.

Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of an Air Tahiti Nui 787-9 and an Alliance Fokker 70, while withdrawn from service was an Air New Zealand A320-200. Departing the region was an Air Tahiti Nui A340-300 and an Airwork Flight Operations 737-300.

Air New Zealand withdrew A320-232 ZK-OKC from service on June 20 after the aircraft operated NZ888 from Sydney to Christchurch.

Air Tahiti Nui took delivery of 787-9 F-OVAA Bora Bora msn 62710/847 at Papeete on June 21 after the aircraft ferried in from Paine Field as THT947 on June 21. Later the same day the 787-9 entered service with the airline when it operated THT2 from Papeete to Los Angeles.

A340-313X F-OSUN has been withdrawn from service by Air Tahiti Nui. On June 26 the aircraft, as THT498, departed Papeete on ferry to Honolulu and Victorville where it was placed in storage.

Airwork Flight Operations 737-3B7 ZK-TLA, which had been in storage at Alice Springs since December ’18, was cancelled from the New Zealand register on June 7. The same day it was registered N933NZ to the Bank of Utah trustee at Salt Lake City and on June 14 the all-white aircraft, as flight JTN9128, departed Alice Springs for Toledo Ohio via Brisbane, Honiara, Majuro, Kalaeloa, Sacramento/McClellan and Detroit/Ypsilanti.

Alliance Airlines took delivery of Fokker 70 VH-NUO msn 11529 ex OE-LFI at Perth on June 24 after it arrived from Norwich, UK. The ferry flight was operated by Southern Cross as SXI1906 with the final legs into Perth operating via Kuala Lumpur and Surabaya.

Cobham/National Jet Express BAe 146-100 VH-NJV, parked at Adelaide, was cancelled from the register on June 5 as ‘destroyed’.

Cobham BAe 146-100 VH-NJR was withdrawn from service on June 27 after operating NC725 from Karara to Perth. Later the same day, the aircraft as NC5500 was ferried from Perth to Adelaide where, reportedly, it will be reduced to spare parts.

Skytraders A319-115 VH-VHD, call sign ‘Snowdrop 1’, departed Melbourne for Seletar on June 15 for planned maintenance while A319-132 VH-VCJ, call sign ‘Snowdrop 2’, ferried from Seletar to Darwin and Melbourne on June 14.

Virgin Group News

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines/VARA Fokker 100 VH-FWI, which had been at Seletar for planned maintenance, ferried from Seletar to Port Hedland and Perth as VOZ9942 on June 23.

Fokker 50 RP-C9943 previously operated by Skywest as VH-FNB has been sold to Leading Edge Air Services in the Philippines (Traffic/May). RP-C9943, which had been in storage at Seletar since December ’16, departed Seletar for Kota Kinabalu and Clark Field on June 5.

Regional Airline News

In this issue we report the delivery of Saab 340B VH-ZPB msn 340B-403 to Regional Express at Adelaide on June 17 after it ferried in from the US still carrying the colours of Penn Air which last operated the aircraft.

Saab 340B VH-ZPA, which was delivered to Wagga Wagga on November 25 (Traffic/January), entered service on June 19 when it operated ZL668 from Wagga Wagga to Sydney.

Air Caledonie ATR 72-600 F-OZKN as TRC7202 ferried from Noumea/Magenta to Nelson on June 25 for work to be carried out at Air New Zealand Regional maintenance.

Maroomba Airlines has leased Dash 8-102 P2-MCI from PNG Air and on June 25 the all-white aircraft departed Port Moresby for Cairns, Alice Springs and Kalgoorlie to Perth where it arrived on June 26. It is reported that the Dash 8-102 will be registered VH-AEP while in service with Maroomba Airlines.

Bizjet News

In this issue we report the delivery of a Gulfstream 650ER and a Global 6000 and the departure of a Challenger 604.

Gulfstream 650ER N16SA, which was delivered to Melbourne Essendon on May 11 (Traffic/July), operated its first flight since arriving in Australia on June 14 when it flew from Essendon to Sydney and return.

Global 6000 VH-UBH msn 9845k, which was registered to UP Aviation of Hawthorn Victoria on June 18, was delivered to Melbourne on June 21 after flying in from Montreal/Trudeau via Honolulu.

Learjet 60 N65LJ msn 243, which is fitted out to operate medevac flights, made a brief visit to Australia in this period. The aircraft, registered to EVA Air of Spring Hill, Florida departed Brooksville Florida on June 21 and arrived at Cairns on June 23 via El Paso, Oakland, Honolulu, Majuro and Honiara. It then left Cairns on June 25 for Darwin, Denpasar, Port Moresby, Honiara, Majuro and Honolulu where it arrived on June 27.

Learjet 36A N31GJ msn 022, which is registered to Maritime Sales and Leasing of Apalachicola Florida, was operating a medevac flight when it arrived at Brisbane on June 12 from Oakland, Honolulu and Majuro. The following day it left Brisbane for Pago Pago and Honolulu and its return to the continental United States.

Learjet 35A N81MR msn 35A-622, which was delivered to Jandakot on April 7 (Traffic/June), was cancelled from the USCAR on June 7 as exported to Australia. However, it was June 25 before, as VH-UJG, it was registered to RH Formula Aircraft of Jandakot and the operator Aus West Airlines (2010) of Jandakot.

RAAF Challenger 604 A37-001 msn 5521, which has been replaced by a Falcon 7X, has been sold in the United States. As ASY316 it departed Canberra on June 22 for Apia, Honolulu and Burbank where it was registered VH-OFA to SPA Leasing #3 of Sydney. The aircraft was delivered to 34 squadron at Canberra on July 01, 2002 after it ferried in from Honolulu and Nadi.

King Air B200 VH-EEL, which was operated by the RFDS (Queensland section), was sold on March 8 to CJ Aerospace of Taren Point NSW. The King Air, which had been resident at Cairns, departed to Toowoomba on July 1.

King Air B200 N625BW msn BB-1090, registered to TSC Government Services of Arlington Virginia, arrived at Cairns on June 4 from Apia, Suva and Honiara.

Ferry Flights

Agusta-Westland AW-139 G-VINC and AW-139 G-VINJ, which were delivered to Essendon on February 28 (Traffic/May), were registered to Babcock Offshore Services of Adelaide on March 11 as VH-NLT and VH-NLU respectively. Both aircraft finally departed Essendon on June 28 on a two day ferry to Karratha via Mildura, Whyalla, Ceduna, Forrest, Kalgoorlie, and Meekatharra.

Pazmany PL-2 ZK-TLP left Kerikeri for Lord Howe Island on June 10 before continuing to the Gold Coast and Port Macquarie on June 11. It was later seen at Rockhampton, Dysart and Jabiru before arriving at Darwin on June 20.

CT-4E ZK-PTB, previously operated by the RNZAF as NZ1986, departed Ardmore for Kerikeri on June 13 before continuing to Lord Howe Island, the Gold Coast and Archerfield on June 14.

Cessna 208B N567TD msn 208B5517, registered to Gateway Air Center of Merced CA, was delivered to Bankstown on June 8 after completing its trans-Pacific ferry flight from Merced via Honolulu, Apia, the Gold Coast and Redcliffe.

Cessna 208B N9023W msn 208B2317, also registered to the Gateway Air Center, arrived at Wanaka on July 1 from Merced via Honolulu, Apia and Auckland.

Murphy Rebel ZK-DKZ departed Kerikeri for Norfolk Island on June 24 before continuing the following day to Lord Howe Island and the Gold Coast.

Pilatus PC-21 HB-HWN call sign PCH73B, which was on delivery to the RAAF at East Sale, arrived there on June 25 after ferrying in from Kupang via Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide.

Vulcanair P68R VH-VRI departed Archerfield on June 19 for the Gold Coast and Norfolk Island before continuing to Nadi on June 20. It left Nadi on June 21 on return to Norfolk Island and the following day continued to Lord Howe Island and Sydney.

Heavy Metal

Royal Thai Air Force A319-115(CJ) HS-TYR/60202, call sign RTAF207, arrived at Melbourne from Don Muang and Darwin on June 17 before departing to Canberra on June 19. It departed Canberra on June 21 for Darwin and Don Muang.

Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 RA-82078, which was carrying Bristow Helicopters Australia Sikorsky S-92A VH-ZUH, Sikorsky S-92A VH-ZUJ and Sikorsky S-92A VH-ZUO, arrived at Prestwick, UK from Karatha on June 4.

US Marines Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey 168220 VMM265/EP8220, call sign Hacksaw 12, was noted at Rockhampton on June 26.

Atlas Air 747-47UF N477MC as GTI8477 arrived at Brisbane from Elmendorf AFB and Amberley on July 3.

Kalitta Air 747-4B5(F) N715CK, as flight CKS9517, arrived at Newcastle from Honolulu on June 21 and departed the following day as CKS518 to Nadi and Prince George, British Columbia.

Atlas Air 767-31A(ER) N662GT, as flight GTI1874, arrived at Darwin from Guam on June 1 and the following day returned to Guam as GTI8367.

Atlas Air 767-38E(ER) N641GT, as GTI8335, arrived at Brisbane from Honolulu and Nadi on July 3.

Sultan of Johor 737-82ZE/BBJ2 9M-III arrived at Perth from Johor Bahru on June 11 before returning on June 17.

SAS Institute 737-7BC/BBJ N7600K arrived at Melbourne from Haneda on June 12 before departing to Sydney on June 13.

US Navy C-40A/737-7AFC 166695, call sign ‘Convoy 7424’, arrived at Rockhampton from Clark, Philippines on June 26.

China Eastern Legacy 650 B-3099 transited Darwin on June 11 while enroute from Port Vila to Hong Kong.

Legacy 500 N712EA arrived at Melbourne from Subang and Darwin on June 14.

Adani Legacy 650 VT-AML arrived at Townsville from Halim on June 24 and departed to Seletar on June 25.

HARS Fokker F27-500 VH-TQN msn 10680 ex ZK-POH, which had been in storage at Ardmore, was ferried across the Tasman in the period under review. It left Ardmore for Norfolk Island and the Gold Coast on June 25 before continuing to the HARS facility at Wollongong on June 26.

US Navy Grumman C-2A Greyhound 162154 call sign PSWD30, in company with US Navy C-2A Greyhound 162165 call sign PSWD 31, departed Darwin for Townsville and Amberley on June 26.

US Marines Lockheed KC-130J 168074/QD, call sign Sumo 90, arrived at Darwin from Kadena on June 25 before continuing the following day to Rockhampton and Amberley.

US Marines Lockheed KC-130J 169532/QD, call sign Sumo 89, arrived at Darwin from Kadena on June 22.

US Navy Lockheed KC-130T 163311/RU, call sign Convoy 3463, arrived at RAAF Pearce on June 18 from Brisbane and, after overnighting, departed for Brisbane on June 19.

US Marines Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion 161262/YJ-02 arrived at Rockhampton on June 26 in company with CH-53E Super Stallion 161532/24.