Afternoon Delight

I was back at the office today for most of the day and I was keeping an eye on the daily Etihad 787 that is due into Brisbane around 5.50pm. I noticed todays flight was due in at 5pm so after leaving work at 4.20pm I headed for the airport. As the flight got closer the arrival time started pushing back; it finally arrived at 5.21 pm. This the first time I have seen this aircraft in day light so it really made for an afternoon delight. Even though the sun had set I was really pleased the way the photos turned out.

ETIHAD 484 ARRIVING DIRECTLY FROM ABU DHABI

ETIHAD B787-9 A6-BLA (CN 39646)

FIRST FLIGHT WAS 8th DECEMBER 2014 MAKING THIS AIRCRAFT
8 MONTHS OLD

Below are some images I took while I waited for Etihad

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-VUD (CN 34015)

REX (Regional EXpress) SAAB 340B VH-ZLK (CN 340B-381)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-YIZ (CN 40702)

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VGR (CN 4257)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B767-319 ZK-NCL (CN 28745)

NEW ZEALAND 139 ARRIVING FROM AUCKLAND

QANTAS B737-838 VH-VYG (CN 33995)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-YIB (CN 37825)

QANTAS B737-838 VH-XZG (CN 39371)
TIGER A320 IN THE BACKGROUND

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-81D VH-YFE (CN 39414)

QANTAS LINK B717-200 VH-NXR (CN 55168)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-YIW (CN 40700)

 

FULL MOON RISING OVER BRISBANE

Gold Coast-Hong Kong direct flights coming soon

The Gold Coast is set for a new influx of cashed-up visitors with new direct flights to Hong Kong to be unveiled today. Tourism Minister Kate Jones last night confirmed Hong Kong Airlines would begin a link with the Coast early next year.
Hong Kong Airlines will operate for a period of 3 months (for the Chinese New Year) and its first Australian service will begin in January 2016 marking the first direct route from Hong Kong to the Gold Coast with connections through to Cairns three times a week.

Hong Kong Airlines (IATA: HX) is a Hong Kong-based airline, with its corporate headquarters in Tung Chung and its main hub at Hong Kong International Airport. It was established in 2006.
Hong Kong Airlines’ network currently covers almost 30 cities regionally, including Beijing, Shanghai, Sanya, Bangkok, Bali, and Okinawa.
Their current fleet consists of 25 aircraft, which includes
3 Airbus A330-300s,
9 Airbus A330-200s
8 Airbus A320- 232s,
and
5 Airbus A330-200 Freighters.
The airline also has 15 advanced Airbus A350 jets on order for delivery from 2018.

Has Malaysia 370 been found

                                    BREAKING NEWS 

Fragments of a wing washed up in the French island of Reunion could be wreckage from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, says aviation expert. A French aviation expert believes he may have found the wreckage of MH370 – the Malaysia Airlines flight which disappeared in March 2014.

(Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was a scheduled international passenger flight that disappeared on 8th March 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER with the registration 9M-MRO, was carrying 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers.)

Xavier Tytelman, a former military pilot who now specialises in aviation security, was contacted on Wednesday morning by a man living on the island of Reunion, in the Indian Ocean. The man sent Mr Tytelman a series of photos showing wreckage of a plane, which the Frenchman said could possibly be the missing jet.  "I've been studying hundreds of photos and speaking to colleagues," Mr Tytelman told The Telegraph. And we all think it is likely that the wing is that of a Boeing 777 – the same plane as MH370.  Police in Reunion examining the wreckage say that it looks like it's been in the water for around a year, which again would fit with MH370. We can't say for certainty, but we do think there is a chance that this is it. The plane vanished with 239 people on board in circumstances which have baffled investigators, and left distraught families searching for answers. Mr Tytelman believes that the Indian Ocean location makes sense for wreckage of the plane to have washed up. "The French police are now looking at it, and the Australians – who are in charge of the search – are interested too," he said. "We don't know how long it will take to get confirmation or a definite denial. But it's an intriguing development." Writing on his blog, Mr Tytelman said that the photos of the wreckage had aroused significant interest on the AvGeek website – a closed forum for pilots. He said that there was much discussion over a code part of the wreckage: BB670. "The code is not that of a plane number plate, nor that or a serial number on machinery," he wrote. But if the flaperon does indeed belong to MH370, it's clear that the reference will be swiftly identified. In a few days we will have a definitive answer." 

Passenger starts fire on board a Chinese airlines flight

Just read this amazing story and had to post, how did the passenger get gasoline on board an aircraft? Serious security lapse or something more sinister?

A male passenger started a fire inside an airplane with more than 100 people on board as it was landing on Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China on Sunday, July 26.

According to China News, the incident happened at around 1 a.m. on board Shenzhen Airlines flight ZH9648 carrying 95 passengers and 9 crew members as it was travelling from the eastern city of Taizhou in Zhejiang Province to Guangzhou.

Partially charred passenger seat.
Photo Credit: China.org

Using gasoline and a cigarette lighter, the unidentified passenger attempted to set a fire at the plane’s emergency exit door. Fortunately, alert plane crew members and some passengers spotted the man and subdued him. The pilot issued a distress call and the passenger plane was guided into the Guangzhou airport. Emergency slides were immediately deployed to evacuate the passengers and the crew members. The man who started the fire was taken into police custody. Two of the crew members who restrained the man sustained injuries and were later brought to a hospital for treatment. Photos that circulated online showed a partially charred passenger seat and a blackened. 

The unidentified man boarded the plane at Taizhou Luqiao Airport, which screens all travelers from banned substances such as lighters and flammable liquids. It was not clear how that man was able to bring the prohibited items onboard the plane. According to Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) of China, the incident points to a serious security breakdown at Taizhou Luqiao Airport. CAA officials said that an investigation is underway to find out the security lapse at Taizhou Luqiao Airport and the man’s possible motive. China bans the carrying of cigarette lighters and flammable substances, including spirits, aboard all flights.

Shenzhen Airlines confirmed the incident but refuses to give any other details.

China Eastern pledges new Brisbane-Shanghai flights

China Eastern says it will launch year-round flights between Brisbane and Shanghai if the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approves its joint venture with Qantas.

The ACCC has previously been lukewarm on the proposed hook-up, claiming it would be of "significant public detriment" on the basis that both airlines would have "increased ability and incentive to limit capacity and/or increase airfares on the Sydney-Shanghai route".

However reports that China Eastern has put year-round Brisbane-Shanghai flights on the table in a move to soften ACCC resistance over fears the tie-up would compress rather than expand travel options between Australia and China.

Sydney-Shanghai is the only route which Qantas flies to mainland China, with daily Airbus A330-300 services departing just an hour before China Eastern's own A330-200s on the same route.

Qantas also codeshares on China Eastern's Melbourne-Shanghai and Sydney-Nanjing-Beijing flights.

China Eastern has already indicated it would boost its own Sydney-Shanghai and Melbourne-Shanghai services to operate twice a day, albeit initially only during September and February. "but would be extended to year-round operations if the joint venture stimulated demand sufficiently" reports the AFR. 

Story from http://www.ausbt.com.au/china-eastern-pledges-new-brisbane-shanghai-flights

A few from my office today

Before heading to the office today I made sure I had my camera and the 500mm lens; I had the flightradar up on my iPad and as I saw each flight leave a walked outside and grabbed a photo.

EMIRATES A380-861 A6-EDM (CN 042)

QANTAS B747-438ER VH-OEG (CN 32911)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B777-300ER VH-VPF (CN 37940)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B777-200 ZK-OKA (CN 29404)

THAI INTERNATIONAL B777-232 HS-TJT (CN 34588)

Townsville to Brisbane Flight

I had one call to make this morning and that was with my biggest customer in Townsville; 3 hours later I was all done for the week; so after filling up the hire car with fuel I headed to the airport. On the way I couldn't help myself getting this image of the Chinook helicopters all lined up.

After checking in and clearing security I headed to the café to buy some lunch. I then proceeded upstairs to the departure lounge where I had my lunch and watched the runway for movements.
I apologise for tinted colour images as these; apart from the below Alliance; were all taken inside the terminal behind tinted windows.

ALLIANCE F28-100 VH-FKJ (CN 11327)

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE C 17 GLOBEMASTER

A41-208 (CN F-183)

REX (REGIONAL EXPRESS) SAAB 340B VH-ZLJ (CN 340B380)

PEL AIR (REX GROUP) SAAB 340A VH-EKT (CN 085

QANTAS B737-838 VH-VXM (CN 33483)

Time had come when my QANTAS aircraft (above) was ready for boarding; so I headed down to gate 3; the aircraft today was VH-VXM and my seat was 5F. We started boarding at 2.08 pm and at we pushed back at 2.27 pm. We commenced taxiing three minutes later at 2.30 and taxied out for runway 01 Townsville; we held at the hold bar for around 30 seconds before lining up for take off. We were airborne at 2.34 pm after a few slow right hand turns headed south for Brisbane climbing to flt lvl 370.  We were informed by the captain that we would be landing on the smaller runway in Brisbane and that we would have a long taxi to the gate; this got me a little excited has I have never ever landed on runway 14/32 before. But it turns out that didn't take place as we landed on 01.

RUNWAY 01 IN TOWNSVILLE

The flight; like most flights I take; was very smooth and comfortable; we began our descent at 3.39pm and we flew abeam the city before landing on runway 01 in Brisbane at 4.03pm.

BRISBANE CITY

Due to another aircraft on our bay we had to hold on a taxiway for 14 mins arriving at gate 21 at 4.17pm

QANTAS B737-838 VH-XZP (CN 44577)

As I was getting off the aircraft I was talking to the captain and I mentioned the shorter runway option and was told ATC changed their plans. I was then invited into the cockpit where I was told I could take a seat it I liked; we then sat there for a few minutes talking plane talk and me living the life I only dream about..

 

Day 2 in Townsville

The best thing about my job; apart from travelling around the northern half of Australia for free; is I get to listen to the aircraft scanner all day and I have the radar up on my phone as I drive around. So when I am in places like Cairns or Townsvile or even Darwin I can see what is coming and going. The Hi Fly A330 was in today but unfortunately due to business appointments I missed it. I did manage to get a few different things today including an Airforce A330 MRTT.

This was the sun rise this morning from my balcony, I saw the sun break through a tiny break in the clouds so I grabbed the opportunity while I could. The morning was very dull and looked like rain coming in but by 10am the clouds cleared and the day was perfect.

CESSNA 510 CITATION VH-KXM (CN 510-0387)

QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT RESCUE BELL 406 VH-ESD (CN 36026)

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIRFORCE A330-203  MRTT

A39-003 (CN 969) CALLSIGN DRAGON 16

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-YFI (CN 41000)

TAFE QUEENSLAND ROBINSON R44 MK II VH-YDK (CN 12386)

WEST WING AVIATION CESSNA 208B VH-BAM (CN 208B-1220)

WEST WING AVIATION CESSNA 208B VH-TIY (CN 208B-0649)

ALLIANCE F28-100 VH-XWN (CN 11278)

BEECH 200B VH-NSN (CN BB-1552)

CARE FLIGHT LEAR JET 45 VH-VVI (CN 262)

CALL SIGN AMBULANCE 451

ALLIANCE F28-100 VH-XWS (CN 11314)
THIS AIRCRAFT HAS JUST RECENTLY BEEN PAINTED AS IT WAS ALL WHITE