Changing the Guard in the West

[Greg Hyde]

Does anyone have any info on the changeover from VAR to Rex in WA ?

F50's VH-FNA,B,D & FSL have been withdrawn.

[Max C]

VH-ZRE and ZLF have positioned over to start the services.

[Stefan Perkas]

ZRZ is also over there.

[Robert.M]

ZRZ was in maintenance since late January before heading west a few days ago.

[Greg Hyde]

Thanks

Are the new birds still in ADL being prepared to enter service ?

[Robert.M]

ZXG is still in the maintenance hangar at Wagga.

[Greg Hyde]

From flightradar it's looks like:

ZRE 28/02/2016 RXA2375 Perth to Esperance 14:15 Local
ZLF 28/02/2016 RXA2131 Perth to Albany 16:05 local

will kick-off the REX WA services.

[Bob C]

Hi Greg

Saturday, 27 February saw the final flight of V A R A's F50s in W A.

VH-FNH, wearing Skywest colours, had the honours of the final flight which was a charter flight around the Perth area. A touch of irony perhaps as the only V A R A adorned aircraft (FNA) missed out ?

REX starts operations today from Perth to Albany and Esperance with three SAAB340Bs with VH-ZLF, ZRE and ZRZ.

And in another irony, the SAAB 340 was demonstrated to Skywest way back in 1994 when SE-KXA was based in Perth for several months. But the type was overlooked in favour of the F50. However, 22 years on, SE-KXA continues to fly in Australia as VH-SBA with REX.

[Greg Hyde]

thks Bob,

Sad with respect to the long history of F27/F50 service in WA dating back to MMA.

The real irony will be if SBA returns to WA to operate REX services.

[MarkR]

And in another irony, the SAAB 340 was demonstrated to Skywest way back in 1994 when SE-KXA was based in Perth for several months. But the type was overlooked in favour of the F50. However, 22 years on, SE-KXA continues to fly in Australia as VH-SBA with REX.

IIRC Skywest actually took on SBA and operated her for six months from July to Dec 1994, and the lease was in their name. Hazos took over the lease in 1999, after subleasing her in Dec1994.

[Bob C]

Hi Mark

I can't recall whether it was leased or under long term evaluation so you may be correct as I took a photo of SE-KXA wearing red/blue Skywest titles. But I do recall that it was in the news when there was a major medical emergency aboard one of its early flights.

[Stefan Perkas]

Thanks

Are the new birds still in ADL being prepared to enter service ?

VH-ZXK is scheduled to enter service Monday afternoon ops ZL4536/4537 ADL-WYA-ADL.

VH-ZXF is still tucked away in the hanger in Adelaide. There are a few problems with it, which I guess stems from it being in storage for a while.

[Greg Hyde]

From flightradar it's looks like:

ZRE 28/02/2016 RXA2375 Perth to Esperance 14:15 Local
ZLF 28/02/2016 RXA2131 Perth to Albany 16:05 local

will kick-off the REX WA services.

ZRE kicked off the REX service at 14:27 local followed by ZLF at 16:13.

ZRZ looks like an operational spare.

[Greg Hyde]

6 ex-VARA F50's have been ferried from Perth to Alice Springs for storage.

VH-FNA,FND,FNE,FNH,FNI,FSL

FNI is currently on the way to Alice.