Federal Election

[Greg Hyde]

Which aircraft has been chartered to cart around the pollies and press.

Alliance F70's have been leased in the chartered in the past.

Also is the PM using the new Falcon which arrived recently ?

[Neil L]

Both leaders have a BBJ and followed by two Alliance F-70's for the press as all seen in Launceston yesterday

[Andrew P]

I understood they had turned off the transponders so the planes would not show up on Flightradar24, so the journalists could not see where the planes were being flown and thus couldn't get a camera crew there in advance and also insufficient time to organize any protests.

[James Smith]

I looked up all the Fokker 70s in the Alliance fleet on Flightaware and two are listed as, "Not available for public tracking." It looks as though these are the press chartered jets which are following the two leaders. Am I able to list the F70s registration numbers here?

I'm not sure if the transponders are fully turned off as they would be needed for ATC but the tracking sites must be able to blank certain aircraft from appearing, via Mode Charlie perhaps? I imagine the same occurs with certain military and government VIP aircraft such as the BBJs.

[Greg Hyde]

Which were the two F70's ?

When the press are "bused" around the same thing happens. Bus leaves at a specific time, be onboard. No info is given regarding destination.

[James Smith]

The two F70s are JFE and QQX. Flightradar has the tracking of both aircraft on its site however, showing both aircraft in Launceston on 2 May.

[Nigel C]

Bill Shorten has A36-002, and this aircraft has carried the election winner for the past 2 elections.
Scott Morrison is in A36-001.

I understand Challenger VH-SCR has also been used for some press movements, although not full time like the Fokkers.

[Greg Hyde]

Thanks

JFB/JFE were used in the last two elections

[Radi K]

Also is the PM using the new Falcon which arrived recently ?

No. The Falcon is still doing training flights.

[Mick F]

I understood they had turned off the transponders so the planes would not show up on Flightradar24, so the journalists could not see where the planes were being flown and thus couldn't get a camera crew there in advance and also insufficient time to organize any protests.

Transponders would not be turned off. Flight Radar would just not be showing the aircraft.