New Deliveries / First Flights etc September 2011

[Stefan Perkas]

Evening all,

VH-VZS entered service today operating QF438 SYD-MEL. Now enroute SYD-ADL as QF765. It should return to Sydney later this evening from Adelaide as QF774.

[Max C]

Not exactly sure on the flights, but you can bet it will mimic the runs currently done by the Fokkers.

From different sources I've heard 2 are just the start, but could be up to 5.

[Rowan McKeever]

I'd love, as the 717's #1 fan, to see QLink take more than the confirmed 2, and to see 717s on CBR to anywhere!

Are there any suggestions about how they might link in to the existing 717 network? CNS-BNE or BNE-ADL?

[Jarden S]

They could also rotate through a BNE-ASP run and swap with the ones than come down from DRW. Is the current flight a 734? So a 717 maybe better suited to that route also.

They could also do a BNE-AYQ and MEL-AYQ the 2nd route has been done in the past. Also could reinstate the ADL-HBA and BNE-HBA which have been dropped and start a CBR-HBA and DRW-TSV service, so they could easily find enough work for 5 more frames as they are the right sized aircraft for so many of the long thin routes all over Australia.

[Rowan McKeever]

Something else I'd like to see them do is an extra ADL-CBR rotation... my experience is the current schedule runs pretty well full for both QF & DJ so perhaps a nicely timed 717 would work well?

[lloyd fox]

717'S now confirmed for BNE

Qantaslink expands investment in regional Queensland

Brisbane, 28 September 2011

QantasLink has announced a significant boost to its product, service, and schedule offering throughout regional Queensland.

QantasLink’s Executive Manager Narendra Kumar announced that the airline’s two additional B717 aircraft will be based in Brisbane. These new 115 seater aircraft will commence service from early 2012.

Qantas NEWS RELEASE today.

[Max C]

Back to the old days of NJS/Cobham doing the MKY and ROK flights.

Will free up Q400's do expand other ports, Roma is due to finish the airport upgrade in December.

[Nathan Bartlett]

VH-EBR is currently on delivery. Scheduled into SYD tommorro at 0630

[Brock Little]

YFH has made her first flight:

http://boeing-test-flights.blogspot....lia-first.html

VH-YFH B737-8FE Virgin Australia First Flight
L/N 3801 C/N 40996 B737-8FE VH-YFH VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
Dep RNT 09:27 PDT Arr BFI 11:37 PDT via MWH
Call Sign BOE805 Hex Code 7C7A3B Sel-Cal LP-DG

A new Wedgetail is hitting our shores too:
http://boeing-test-flights.blogspot....air-force.html

N358BJ B737-7ES Australian Air Force flown to Hickam AFB, Hawaii

L/N 1232 C/N 33542 B737-7ES N358BJ
AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE - Wedge Tail
Dep BFI 13:32 PDT Arr HIK 02:10z
Call Sign BOE089 Hex Code A402A7
To be registered A30-002
Photo Credit: Drewski (Photo taken of a previous test flight)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smartju...25285/sizes/o/ (Posted on blog on 16th September - should be here now or very soon)