It looks as though ZNB cruised at 26,000ft which was well below optimal level and did an orbit about 180 miles from MEL. Speed looked to be normal for the flight at around 500kts.

They planned to fly route T25 which flies east of ASP but flew well into WA for a lot of the flight. Maybe the weather was still an issue, particularly when flying at a lower altitude to avoid any further lightning.

It would have been dispatched with a permissible unserviceability and FL260 would be a restriction on that. The track would suggest they needed to remain clear of any icing conditions.

Any word when EBB & EBD will re-enter service given both Domestic & International capacities are returning as I'm guessing these aircraft will be needed shortly?

The mechanics in Melbourne did a quick job, as ZNB was on its way to London via Darwin within 24 hours. As I write, due at LHR in 3 hours.

Seems we have another QF9 delayed departure from Darwin - currently showing as 12 hours on the Qantas Flight Status webpage [ZNK being the aircraft].
The last two delays (7th & 13th) were updated to cancellations by following morning.

While ZNK and ZND were swapped in London, so that ZND operated a normal timetable QF10 back to Melbourne, ZNK then operated a delayed QF2 to Sydney.

Now ZNA operating QF1 has been delayed in Darwin - 15 hours on the Qantas Flight Status webpage.

It needed a service but the main reason for the altitude and route was fuel burn, she was filled for the LHR leg

QANTAS announced yesterday that it would be commencing flights to Bangalore, India from September, 2022 and Seoul from December, 2022, both four per week on A330s. Jetstar will also commence three flights per week to Seoul from November, 2022.

More details on the following link:

OQJ has ferried from Victorville to LAX

Thanks Greg. This leaves just six QANTAS A380s remaining at VCV - OQA,E,F,G,I,L.

A333 VH-QPF performed a 2:24 post maintenance test flight today, BNE BNE, as QF6102.
She last flew 07DEC21

Not forgetting the three 787-9s VH-ZNL,M & N.

With the ongoing disruptions to the 789s schedules both before, and more so since VH-ZNE was grounded on Saturday 9th, schedulers would have been grateful for an extra unit.

QPF did not waste time it is onto SIN as QF51

Are we not expecting that 2 x A380 will be staying at VCV for scrapping ?

I have heard rumour's that the 2 may actually come back into service?? Aand that the 3 789's in the desert may come back earlier.

Makes sense given current demand in international travel

The 3 x B789 are also at VCV

Flown direct from Boeing Everett

The FAA has put the brakes on 787 deliveries so depending on the status of the airframes, there could be a lengthy delay.

https://simpleflying.com/boeing-deli...s-by-end-2023/

Have the three B789s at VCV been delivered to QANTAS and are in storage or has delivery been deferred and will be affected by the FAA inspections.

What I am asking is, if QANTAS want the first one by July, 2022 will there be a hold up in them taking possession due to FAA inspections or as they are older frames are they not affected.

I believe that the 3 x B789 have not been delivered to QF.
The first flight was to VCV and into storage
Can't confirm at that Boeing testing is complete.
There has been NO customer acceptance testing
They have not been added to the VH reg.
One has an "All White" livery ( a logo jet that never happened)

Thanks for your insight, Greg.

I agree that no customer acceptance 'C' flights have taken place, so Boeing still 'owns' these three. However, while perhaps not registered, ZNL & ZNM have full VH registration markings ...

A fully painted VH-ZNM had a Taxi test on 16 Sep 2020 when its name "Mateship" was accidently revealed. It then completed a full B1 PAE-[MWH]-PAE flight on following day, before being flown to VCV for storage by Boeing a day later on 18 Sep.
http://www.paineairport.com/kpae18648h.htm

A fully painted VH-ZNL had a short B1 PAE-PAE flight on 12 Oct 2020, followed by a full B2 PAE-[MWH]-PAE flight two days later on 14 Oct, then on to VCV for storage by Boeing on 15 Oct.
http://www.paineairport.com/kpae18703e.htm

VH-ZNN with only a painted tail (NN on tip) and temporary reg of N1020K, had a Taxi test on 9 Nov 2020, followed by a full B1 PAE-[MWH]-PAE flight on 11 Nov, before being flown to VCV for storage by Boeing on 12 Nov.
http://www.paineairport.com/kpae18793t.htm

All three aircraft were initially parked in different areas at VCV compared to the Qantas A380s. I haven't seen any recent photos to confirm current locations.

Assuming Qantas activates customer acceptance on these three, the question then is whether with all 787 construction now at Charleston, will that acceptance still take place at Everett (PAE) ? Presumably ZNN would go to Portland first for completion of painting ?

Rumour and it's just a rumour that ZNN would be in One World Livery!

Do we know when ZNE will be back in service as it appears to be only a damaged engine cowling so shouldn’t be too difficult to repair?

Probably should also have noted that all flights by these aircraft used callsigns BOE280, BOE281 & BOE282 for ZNL, ZNM & ZNN respectively.

As QANTAS had two aircraft with One World markings, the retirement of OEF reduced this to one. Having ZNN with One World markings or livery would restore to two the aircraft with these markings in the fleet.

Based on Greg's and Peter's info, I'd expect to see at least one additional B flight for each before any C flights would occur, particularly given the extended storage period.

IIRC there's an arrangement in place between the US and Australia whereby aircraft built by Boeing for Australian customers do not need to wear N***** test registrations and so appear with their VH-*** straight out of final assembly (despite not being officially on the Australian register). I believe similar arrangements also exist between the US and other countries, too.

QANTAS operated a return flight to Apia yesterday (OF333/QF340) with A333 VH-OPJ routing BNE-APW-SYD. The aircraft arrived last night during thunderstorms with the APW-SYD leg taking seven and a half hours, which included holding. I am not aware of the reason for the flight.

Does anyone know when EBB & EBD will return to service given the current demand on both domestic & international travel?

ZNE is back in the air today, operating QF9 Melbourne to Darwin with a 3 hour delay (same delay as yesterday's QF9)

These recent pics on Jen Schuld's Twitter feed probably answer my question :

https://twitter.com/JenSchuld/status...291074/photo/1

https://twitter.com/JenSchuld/status...088129/photo/1

There are some numbers (could be right or wrong)

* Remove from storage (2wks) based on previous
* Return to Everett to complete B & C testing (2 wks)
* Handover to QF and ferry ( 1 wk)
* Pre-service checks and service entry (1 wk)

That's if :

* Return to Everett where they were built
* No issues of waking them up from storage
* Boeing can slot them in at anytime (Remember QF recently place a large Airbus order)
* There is not rework due testing (no waiting for replacement parts)
* ....

Looking at the best case, 6 wks before service entry.

Boeing are now looking at the second half of the year before deliveries recommence, and there is a significant queue ahead of QF

It is believed that these 2 aircraft are going to be converted to freighters

https://www.flightglobal.com/strateg...146742.article

Gavin, my reading of the Flight Global story was that they were saying that VH-EBB & EBD were still in storage, not necessarily that these two A332 would be the ones converted.

There is a separate thread on this site entitled, "More Freighters for QF." Below are three separate posts from this thread which gives more clarity on the potential A332's to be converted:

The return to passenger service of VH-EBB & EBD could easily be timed for the commencement of the freighter conversion process for VH-EBE & EBF.

From a reliable source

EBB and EBD are going into a C check in Brisbane in May and will be out after approx 2 months as this is a huge maintenance check and there are corrosion issues that need to be repaired.

There was a QF 73H which flew DRW-HKG on Monday (QF6028/VH-VXO). Any ideas?

C check most likely.

That’s not a c Check, which typically take three weeks, more likely a D check otherwise known as a C4 or c8 check.

I'd be pretty confident to say it's gone for maintenance, probably at HAECO. Both legs of the flight (SYD-DRW & DRW-HKG) used positioning flight numbers rather than charter or freight flight numbers, and it's very unlikely that VXO would be the operating aircraft if it were a charter or freight operation.