An hour at Sydney Airport

After a few busy and productive days in Sydney it was time to come home, my flight was at 4pm but I got to the airport about 2.15pm. I started off at the beach but decided to head to "Sheps Mound" for a while. All the photos were taken on my little pocket camera.

QANTAS B737-838 VH-VZS (CN 39358)

CATHAY PACIFIC B777-367 B-HNR (CN 60724)

EMIRATES A380-861 A6-EEQ (CN 141)

AIR CHINA A330-343 B-5977 (CN 1658)

TIGERAIR A320-232 VH-VNO (CN 4053)

QANTAS B737-838 VH-VYD (CN 33992)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA ATR 72-600 VH-FVQ (CN 1053)

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VQQ (CN 2537)

QANTAS A330-303 VH-QPJ (CN 0712)

AIR CHINA A330-243 B-6130 (CN 0930)

QANTASLINK B717-231 VH-NXQ (CN 55097)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-YFX (CN 41013)

QANTASLINK B717-2BL VH-YQU (CN 55180)

QANTAS A330-203 VH-EBL (CN 0976)

QANTASLINK DASH 8 Q200 VH-TQX (CN 439)

UPS B747-428 N580UP (CN 25632)

I returned my hire car and after clearing security I went straight upstairs to the Qantas heritage Museum, although you are shooting through thick curved glass it still is the best place for a full runway view inside the terminal.. Just as I walked in a SQ A380 was rotating in the distance..

QANTAS B747-48E VH-OEB (CN 25778)

JETSTAR TAILS WITH A TIGER IN THE DISTANCE

JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VQC (CN 3668)

ETIHAD A380-861 A6-APA (CN 161)

We taxied out right on 4pm and headed for runway 14L

SHEPS MOUND AND SYDNEY TOWER

M5 MOTORWAY GOING UDER THE RUNWAY

The flight itself was smooth and very comfortable but unfortunately that is were the comfort ended as I had a huge very intoxicated male in the middle seat who wanted more than his seat and arm rest.

Air China suspends Brisbane flights

AIR CHINA A330-243 B-6076 (CN 797)

On the 11th of December 2017, Air China commenced direct flights between Brisbane and Beijing for the first time. The flights operate four times per week, arriving in Brisbane at 3.10pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The return flights depart at 7.30pm the same day arriving in China early the next morning. The trip is made using Airbus A330-200. http://madaboutplanes.blogspot.com/2017/12/air-china-calls-brisbane-home.html

Not even 12 months in and Air China have decided to suspend flights out of Brisbane from September 2018 through to January 2019. This news has got the Queensland Government fuming and asking "WHY?" Air China says it is all due to a shortage of aircraft.

Brisbane - Sydney Trip

I cant believe how quickly these monthly trips come around, I was back at the airport this morning for my flight down to Sydney but this mornings flight had a little bit of excitement to it. I was coming down on their Airbus A330-202 which was a really nice change to the Boeing 737-838 we always get.

As it is winter here in Australia and it gets dark around 5pm, I don't visit the airports in the afternoon while I'm away so I only carry my small Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ57 pocket camera with me. Boarding commenced at 6.08am and I took my seat which was 53A, boarding the aircraft I noticed the registration badge on the door and I was on VH-EBC (CN 0506), this is the first time I have been on EBC. The last cabin door was closed at 6.34am and we pushed back from gate 20 at 6.37am. As we pushed back I noticed Qantas's latest B787-9 VH-ZNE parked at gate 23. (I flew on this two weeks ago from Melbourne - Brisbane)

QANTAS TAILS

QANTAS B787-9 VH-ZNE (CN 63391)

We began taxing at 6.41 and taxied out for runway 19.

LEFT: MINEROLOGY MD 82 VP-CBH (CN 53577)
RIGHT: MINEROLOGY MD 82 VP-CBI (CN 53581)

Approaching the Alpha One holding point we continued out onto 19 for a rolling start getting airborne at 6.46am.

SUNRISE OVER THE MOUTH OF THE BRISBANE RIVER

We did the usual left and right banks and then set course for Sydney, climbing to our cruising flt level of 400 (40,000 feet). The flight down was very smooth and comfortable except for approach.

We began our descent at 7.30am and landed on runway 34R bang on 8am.

SINGAPORE B777-312 9V-SWD (CN 34569)

SINGAPORE A380-841 9V-SKW (CN 251)

KOREAN AIR A330-323 HL-8002 (CN 1576)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA A330-243 VH-XFD (CN 1306)

EMIRATES A389-861 A6-EEH (CN 119)

QANTAS A330-303 VH-QPH (CN 0695)

Flight number 25 for the year was done and dusted.

Technical issues causes Malaysia flight to return to Brisbane

MALAYSIA AIRLINES A330-323 9M-MTK (CN 1388)     File Photo

Last nights Malaysia Airlines Flight MH134 was forced to return to Brisbane airport an hour after being airborne due to a technical fault.
The aircraft departed runway 01 at 11.31pm Brisbane time (9.31pm Malaysian time).
About 40 minutes later, MH134 pilot Captain Charles Chelliah announced that the flight was required to return to Brisbane airport after the airspeed indicators failed during take-off. Airlines cover pitot tubes during turnaround at Brisbane Airport to prevent obstruction by mud wasps.

The flight climbed to just over 10,00 feet and circled the airport before landing again exactly 1 hour later back on runway 01 at 12.31am Brisbane time (10.31 Malaysian time)
According to passengers on the flight they experienced a rough landing and the aircraft suddenly came to a stop on the runway.
In a post-landing announcement, Charles said the aircraft was unable to taxi on it own and was waiting to be towed to the terminal.
He also explained that the plane cannot be towed because the landing gear door is open.
According to a Malaysian passenger, passengers have remained calm and almost all of them were seen texting their family and friends about the incident.
At 1.32 am Brisbane time (11.32pm Malaysian time), the in-flight entertainment was been stopped and the aircraft still remained on the runway.

Aircraft Details
Airline: Malaysia Airlines
Code: MH/MAS
Aircraft Type: Airbus A330-323
Registration: 9M-MTK
Serial Number: 1388
Engines: 2 x PW PW4168A
First Flew: 31/01/2013
Age: 5 years 5 months
Test Registration: F-WWYT


Due to Brisbane airport being closed to take-off and landings the arriving midnight Emirates flight (EK 432) diverted to Melbourne.

Part of the story sourced from here
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/07/18/kl-bound-plane-forced-to-turn-back/