Sydney - Brisbane Trip (August Trip)

After three really busy days in Sydney, including not only interviewing for a new sales rep but choosing one as well, it was time to head home.
My flight was at 4pm and boarding was suppose to be at 3.40 but Qantas have been boarding early lately so I anticipated that in my arrival time. I headed off to the airport around 2.15pm and arriving at the airport 15 minutes earlier than I expected, I called into Sheps Hill (a viewing area at Sydney airport). The area; which before was just two solid dirt mounds and had a huge fence with a shipping container and old work equipment right in front of you;  had been closed for to the public for renovations and today was the grand opening of the new viewing area. I wanted to call in for a look and I tell you I wasn't disappointed. The area now has two high level concrete slabs with a protective glass wall and the huge fence has gone along with the shipping container and work equipment.

NEW VIEWING AREA AT SYDNEY AIRPORT

TIGERAIR A320-232 VH-XUH (CN 6749)

UPS MD11F N271UP (CN 48572)

EMIRATES A380-861 A6-EDO (CN 057)

QANTAS B737-838 VH-VXB (CN 30101)

SINGAPORE A380-841 9V-SKB (CN 005)

BRITISH AIRWAYS B777-336 G-STBH (CN 38431)

After 15 minutes there I had to leave, although I didn't want to but I had to drop my car back, get through security and get to the gate for my flight in time. I got to gate 5 with about 3 minutes to spare as they commenced boarding at 3.31. I took my seat which was 20F and the aircraft for this flight was VH-VZS (39358) This is the third time I had been on this aircraft; Sep 2016 15F and Jan this year in 11B. The last cabin door was closed at 4pm and we pushed back at 4.02. We taxied at 4.05pm and headed for runway 16L; when we got there we had a rolling start and we got airborne at 4.12pm.
After take off we banked to the left and made our way up the coast flying over Newcastle.

As we climbed to 370 we continued that heading until Lismore. I really enjoy getting this flight as you get complimentary beer or wine with your snack. At 4.48 we began our descent and once over the Gold Coast we banked hard left at headed in land to Archerfield, there we banked right and tracked down the ILS for a runway 01 landing, touching down at 5.18pm.

Happy 17th Birthday Virgin Australia

IATA	ICAO	Callsign
VA	VOZ	VELOCITY

Virgin Australia, formerly known as Virgin Blue, is turning 17 today.
Virgin Australia is Australia's second-largest airline behind QANTAS. With its base in Bowen Hills, (a suburb of Brisbane), the airline was founded by British businessman Richard Branson and former Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey. It was established on the 31st August 2000 with two aircraft operating on a single route, and suddenly found itself catapulted to the position of Australia's second airline after the collapse of Ansett Australia in September 2001. The airline has grown to directly serve 29 cities in Australia from hubs in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, using a fleet of Boeing 737-800, Boeing 777-300ER's and Embraer jets.

Virgin Blue also owned airlines like Pacific Blue; Polynesian Blue and V Australia but now all operate under the name Virgin Australia.
After several years operating as a low-cost carrier it improved its services recently and now offers meals, baggage and inflight entertainment as part of the ticket price on all flights.
In 2011 Virgin introduced new uniforms; new catering options on board; new wide body aircraft to compete with Qantas on Perth–Melbourne–Sydney services; and the concurrent introduction of business class in January 2012; together with a new livery and renaming of the brand from Virgin Blue to Virgin Australia.

Below are some of the liveries Virgin have had over the years.

VIRGIN BLUE B737-300 VH-VBY (CN 34323)

VIRGIN BLUE B737-81Q VH-VO1 (CN 30786)

VIRGIN BLUE B737-81Q (CN 30787)

PACIFIC BLUE B737-8FE ZK-PBA (CN 33796)

V AUSTRALIA B777-3ZGER VH-VPD (CN 37938)

On the 4th May 2011 Virgin Australia announced it will change its name and colour scheme, below are a few liveries that Virgin Australia kicked off with to celebrate the change .

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA ERJ 190 VH-ZPQ (CN 19000412)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-VUZ (CN 39921)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B777-3ZGER VH-VPE (CN 37939)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-NG VH-VUA (CN 33997)

As of April 2017, the Virgin Australia Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Aircraft	In Service	Orders						Notes
Airbus A330-200	6	—
ATR 72-500	6	—						Former Virgin Australia Regional Airlines aircraft Fleet to be reduced down to six by July 2017
ATR 72-600	8	—
Boeing 737-700	2	—
Boeing 737-800	76	—						Eighteen fleets are registered to Virgin Australia International Airlines Three are wet-leased to Tigerair Australia
Boeing 737 MAX 8	—	40						To be delivered between 2019 and 2021
Boeing 777-300ER	5	—						All registered to Virgin Australia International Airlines
Embraer E190	12	—						To be retired by the end of 2017
Total	115	40

Brisbane will be home for four QANTAS 787's

QANTAS A330-202 VH-EBV (CN 1365)                File Photo
QANTAS B747-438 VH-EOF (CN 32910)               File photo

QANTAS has announced it will base four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners at Brisbane (BNE) airport. The announcement was made on the 29 August 2017, at a media event presided by QANTAS Group CEO Mr Alan Joyce and Queensland Premier, Ms Annastacia Palaszczuk at Brisbane Airport.

The carrier has an initial order of eight 787-9s, with the initial aircraft to be based in Melbourne to operate services to London via Perth and non-stop to Los Angeles complementing the Airbus A380 services. The Brisbane based 787s are expected to arrive from mid-2018. QANTAS advises these aircraft will initially serve routes that are currently operated by the 747s, such as Brisbane to Los Angeles. The carrier is looking at new route possibilities for these aircraft from Brisbane such as new and existing services to the United States, Canada and Asia.

QANTAS Group CEO, Mr Alan Joyce stated “Queensland is the birthplace of Qantas and it’s fitting that we will base four of our Dreamliners in the state. The 787 offers a step-change for customers in terms of comfort and efficiency and we are pleased Queenslanders will be able to experience them direct from Brisbane. Each aircraft we base in Brisbane brings new jobs. One hundred and twenty of our Dreamliner cabin crew and pilots will be based in the city, with many choosing to settle in the state. A further 350 indirect jobs are expected to be created as a result.”

Qantas operates 58 return, direct international services each week from Brisbane to Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Noumea, Port Moresby, Singapore and Tokyo. The airline also operates more than 620 return services from Brisbane per week to 25 destinations across its domestic network and more than 390 return services per week to 20 destinations within Queensland.




Story sourced from here
http://www.airlinehubbuzz.com/qantas-to-open-boeing-787-base-brisbane/

Spotting at Bankstown Airport

I decided to head out to Bankstown Airport this afternoon for an hour or so before sunset.

PIPER PA-28R-200 VH MXT (CN 28R-7535197)

CESSNA 510 VH-NEQ (CN 510-0029)

CESSNA 152 VH-FMI (CN 15283751)

PIPER PA28-181 VH-JHW (28-7990187)

CESSNA 414A VH-DRN (CN 414A0093)

PIPER PA-31-350 VH-IJE (CN 31-7405463)

PIPER PA-28-181 VH-NRN (CN 2843063)

PIPER PA-28-161 VH-FTU (CN 28-7916592)
TOLD TO GO AROUND DUE TO AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY

DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA 40 VH-UNJ (CN 40.1073)

BEECH 76 VH-DVF (CN ME-176)

PIPER PA-28-161 VH-FTU (CN 28-7916592)

TED SMITH AEROSTAR PA-60-601 VH-JHG (CN 61P-0582-7963256)

AGUSTA WESTLAND AW 139 VH-TJH (CN 31721)

ETIHAD A380-861 A6-APA (CN 166)

PIPER PA-31-350 VH-AVF (CN 31-7852118)

AGUSTA WESTLAND AW 139 VH-TJG (CN 31743)

ALPHA AVIATION DESIGN R2160 VH-ZXI (CN 160A-0017)

De HAVILLAND CANADA DHC 2 VH-SWB (CN 1557)

CESSNA 510 N510MW (CN 510-0109)

RAYTHEON 1900D VH-OYZ (CN UE-439)

ATR 42-300 VH-TOX (CN 024)

DASSAULT FALCON 20 VH-PNY (CN 357)

RAYTHEON 1900D VH-OYX (CN UE-431)

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT B200GT VMRQ (CN BY-167)