Cairns Airport

Today I headed to the airport once again (I am sure my car can drive here automatically now) as I was heading off to Cairns for a few days of plane spotting. Tomorrow Philippine Airlines flies into Cairns for the first time and I want to be there to this inaugural flight.

I arrived at the airport at 6am for my 7am flight, my Jetstar flight 928 was leaving from gate 27 so I headed for the gate where our Airbus A320-232 was waiting. The aircraft for this trip was VH-VQE (CN 3495) we pushed back 20 minutes late at 7.19 and commenced taxiing at 7.23, we taxied out for runway 01 becoming airborne at 7.28am. For this flight I was in 6E, a middle seat so I couldn't get any photos from the plane. We climbed to 350 and our track this morning took us up over the Sunshine Coast; west of Rockhampton, over Hamilton Island and then into Cairns. We started our descent at 9.07 and landed on runway 15 at 9.30am. The flight up was bumpy in certain areas, and apart from the sleeping passenger next to me who hit is head hard on my shoulder three times, the flight was quite enjoyable 

I was meet at the airport by one of my customers, who has over the last 8 years become a very close friend. We went back to her business where I picked up their delivery van and ladder and then headed back to the airport for a day of spotting.

CESSNA 402 VH-THX (CN 402C0250)

AIRFAST INDONESIA MD 83 PK-OCS (CN 53124)

FRONT: QANTAS B 737-838 VH-VYA (CN 33762)
REAR: SILK AIR B 737-86A (CN 44228)

SILK AIR B 737-86A (CN 44228)

OK TEDI DASH 8 P2-NAZ (CN 316)

AIR NIUGINI FOKKER 70 P2-ANS (CN 11580)

JETSTAR B 787-8 VH-VKA (CN 36227)

HINTERLAND CESSNA 208B VH-MRZ (CN 208B1048)

JETSTAR B 787-8 VH-VKG (CN 36232)

SILK AIR B 737-86A (CN 44228)

ROYAL FLYING DOCTORS BEECHCRAFT B200 VH-FDL (CN BB-2021)

HINTERLAND CESSNA 208B VH-ETF (CN 208B1175)

AIR NORTH ERJ 170 VH-ANV (CN 17000280)

HEAVY LIFT ATR 42 P2-KSR (CN 194)

CESSNA 208B CH-CZF (CN 5056)

AIRFAST INDONESIA MD 83 PK-OCS (CN 53124)

CESSNA 207 VH-WOT (CN 00267)

NORTH QUEENSLAND AERO CLUB
CESSNA 172 VH-LHI (CN 17270101)

ROYAL FLYING DOCTORS BEECHCRAFT B200 VH-FDT (CN BB-1990)

BEECHCRAFT BARON 58 N2449M (CN TH-2449)

BEECHCRAFT BARON 58 N2450J (CN TH-2450)

20,000 Hits Thank You

Since this blog went live on the 1st January this year I didn't think it would be as popular as it is. Today I reached a figure I never thought I would see until well into the New Year.

20,000 hits, so I want to say "Thank You"
Thank you to all of you loyal readers that obviously check in regularly. Whether it is every day, every week or only once a month, thank you so much.

I try to keep it interesting and informative plus keep you informed with my travels.

Aviation is an obsession with me and I love showing you my work and with these number you obviously like seeing my work.
Once again thank you for following me and for your support.

Air New Zealand's band a 'World First'

I read this story and wanted to share it as I thought "well done Air New Zealand, what a great idea"

Air New Zealand has introduced a world first for children flying unaccompanied, giving parents and guardians the opportunity to follow the steps in their journey. Children travelling alone on Air New Zealand services will now receive an Airband™ at check-in as part of the service. The wristband is embedded with a chip which is scanned at key stages of the journey to trigger text notifications to up to five nominated contacts. 

Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience Carrie Hurihanganui says Airband is a great example of the airline investing in technology to enhance the customer experience. “We know that having your child travel on their own can be a nervous time for both children and their guardians. "While our staff have always taken great care of children travelling solo, we identified that there was an opportunity to enhance the experience for kids while at the same time giving caregivers further peace of mind and visibility of their journey.

“We believe this is the first time this type of technology has been used by an airline anywhere in the world for the purpose of providing caregivers greater peace of mind when their child is travelling alone. "We have been trialling it across our network over recent months and the feedback from parents and guardians has been very positive with many welcoming the additional reassurance of knowing where in the journey their child is.”

Air New Zealand is the only carrier in New Zealand offering a service for children travelling alone. The airline’s new service applies to all children aged between 5 and 11 who’re travelling alone – but those aged up to 16 years can choose to opt in. 

The new service is being offered on a complimentary basis through until 3 February 2016. Bookings made from this date will incur a fee of $15 per child for each one way domestic journey, or $40 per child for each one-way international journey applies.

Sourced from http://www.aviationbusiness.com.au

Hobart to Brisbane (via Melbourne)

Well our short 4 day visit to Hobart has come to an end and it was once again time to head to the airport. Our first flight was at 9.40am so we checked in around 8.45; We boarded our QantasLink 717-200 QF1502 (VH-YQT) at 9.23am, our seats were in 21 C,D,E and F. Being on a stand alone bay we didn't need pushing back, so we began taxiing at 9.38am. We taxied out for a runway 30 departure, passing the C-17 that has called Hobart home for the last week or so, and we got airborne at 9.44am. 

Our track took us up over Launceston, over Wonthaggi and then into Melbourne. We climbed to Flt Lvl 320 and began our descent at 10.27. We landed on runway 34 Melbourne at 10.48am. Our next connecting flight wasn't until 3.10pm so we had just under 4 hours to do some serious plane spotting. 

FRONT: VIETNAM AIRLINES A33-223 VN-A381 (CN 1266)

REAR: AIR CHINA A330-243 B-5933 (CN 1471)

AIR INDIA B787-8 VT-ANJ (CN 36281)

SHANGHAI AIRLINES A330-243 B-6546 (CN 1303)

UNITED B787-9 N19951 (CN 36402)

CHINA SOUTHERN A330-232 B-5951 (CN 1536)

EMIRATES B777-31H A6-EGC (CN 35579) 

MALAYSIA A330-323 9M-MTJ (CN 1347)

UNITED B787-9 N19951 (CN 36402)

AIR CHINA A330-243 B-5933 (CN 1471)

SHANGHAI AIRLINES A330-243 B-6546 (CN 1303)

SINGAPORE B777-312 9V-SYF (CN 30868)

VIETNAM AIRLINES A33-223 VN-A381 (CN 1266)

ROYAL BRUNEI B787-8 V8-DLC (CN 34789)

QANTAS A380-841 VH-OQG (CN 047)

SCOOT B787-8 9V-OFC (CN 37120) 

AIR CALEDONIA A320-232 F-OJSB (CN 2152)

CHINA AIRLINES A330-302 B-18358 (CN 1346)

SPORTING THE "MASALU TAIWAN"LIVERY

CATHAY PACIFIC A330-343 B-LAI (CN 959)

ROYAL BRUNEI B787-8 V8-DLC (CN 34789)

B737-BBJ N836BA (CN 30756)

SICHUAN A330-243 B-6518 (CN 1082)

PERFORMED A MISSED APPROACH AND WENT AROUND

SICHUAN A330-243 B-6518 (CN 1082)

QANTAS A330-232 VH-EBK (CN 945)

Well the time had come to board our second flight home, this time it was a Boeing 737-838 VH-VYF. Our flight QF 624 was leaving from gate 1 and we began boarding at 2.45pm, we were sitting in two different rows for this flight home, my wife and eldest daughter were in 10 E and F and my youngest daughter and I were in 11 E and F. We pushed back at 3.07 and taxied for runway 27 at 3.14. We had a short hold as we became airborne at 3.19pm. Our track took us up over Wagga Wagga and  Tamworth; then we skimmed along the western side of the Gold Coast before landing in Brisbane.

We climbed to flt Lvl 390; we began our descent at 4.40pm and landed in Brisbane on runway 01 at 5.04pm. Because Queensland doesn't have daylight savings we had to wind our clocks back an hour making our arrival 4.04pm.