Alice Springs Grave Yard Tour

On 27 May 2011 it was announced that Alice Springs Airport had been selected to be the first large-scale aircraft "boneyard" outside the United States, with the first aircraft for storage to arrive early in 2012.
The facility, which commenced operation in June 2014, is operated by Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Ltd. APAS chose Alice Springs because its dry, arid climate is perfect for aircraft storage and preservation. The facility will store commercial aircraft not in use, as well as those planes that have been decommissioned from service and which will be stripped of parts to be re-cycled, such as engines, electronics and wiring.
After talking to an airport worker through the fence I asked "how do I go about getting an airport grave yard tour"? and I was pointed in the right direction. After sending an email and following it up with a phone call I was very pleasantly surprised to find out my request for an airport tour was granted.
After arriving at the airport and attending the airport management centre; where I gladly showed my personal details; I was met by the manager of operations. Gowned in a safety vest and issued with a VIC (Visitors Information Card) card we were off to car 20 were we drove around the airport visiting the tarmac area's, passing hangers like the Royal Flying Doctors and Alice Aircraft Maintenance hangers. From there we proceeded out to the touchdown markers at the end of runway 12 were we stopped again for a photo. We then proceeded to the grave yard stopping many times for a photo. I was also allowed to get out of the car and walk around underneath one of the six 767's stored there. You can clearly see on some of the 767's they have their wheels and engines wrapped and even the windows covered. It takes time to do this so the others will get done as soon as they can. I was told even the seats inside are all covered in cling wrap and there are mats down on the floor. Well after about 35 mins of pure bliss it was back to the terminal where I had to say my goodbyes and sadly hand back my safety vest with the words "Alice Springs Airport" on the back.

I proceeded back to my hire car to get my luggage and then checked in for my Qantas Link flight to Darwin.

 

VH-VMV VULCANAIR P-68C (CN 435)

 

 

VH-FMZ PILATUS PC 12 (CN138)

 

VH-FVE PILATUS PC 12 (1221)

 

VH-FMW PILATUS PC 12 (123) IN THE HANGER FOR MAINTENANCE

 

RUNWAY 12 "CLEAR FOR TAKE OFF"

 

OUR AIRLINE 737-300 VH-INU (CN 23684)

 

VH-OGO B767-338 STANDING PROUD IN THE DESSERT SUN

 

VH-OGR (CN 28724) ALL DRESSED UP WITH NO PLACE TO GO

 

UNDER CARRIAGE AND ENGINE OF VH-OGO

VH-OGU 767-338 (CN 29118)

 

VH-OGS 767-338 (CN 28725)
 

 

VH-OGT(CN 29117) AND VH-OGM (CN 25575)  HAVING A CHAT

 

9V-TRQ SINGAPORE REGISTERED TIGER A 320-232 (CN 5228)

 

9V-TRB SINGAPORE REGISTED A319-132 (CN 3801)

 

Alice Springs Airport

Alice Springs Airport (IATA ASP, ICAO YBAS) is a regional airport 13 km south of Alice Springs. The airport is 545 metres / 1,789 feet above sea level, and it has two runways. 12 / 30 (which is the main runway) is 2,438 metres / 8,000 feet long and can accommodate a Boeing 747 or 777. The smaller 17 / 35 runway is 1,133 metres / 3,717 feet long. The only scheduled flights using the airport at the moment is Qantas and Qantas Link. Tiger Air were servicing the airport from Melbourne and Sydney but pulled out around April last year.

Virgin Australia will start flying into Alice from this March doing a Darwin / Alice / Adelaide (and vice versa) run three times a week using a Boeing 737. 

Alice Springs has a history no other airport can boast about, on 15th November 1972 it was notably involved in Australia's first domestic airline hijacking, and later in January 1977 a suicide attack by a former airline employee claimed the lives of four people on the ground and seriously injured four more.

Below are some images I managed to get in the short time I was there.
This afternoon I boarded another flight this time from Alice to Darwin.

The flight, Qantas 1938, was due to depart at 5.15 Alice time. The aircraft for this leg was a Boeing 717-200 VH-NXO and I was seated in 16A.... The emergency exit row.

We got away 10 mins late and we got our "runway 12....clear for take off " at 5.25, like most flights this one was very smooth and comfortable. We landed runway 29 at Darwin at exactly 10 past 7 Darwin time and taxied to bay 4.

QANTAS VH-XZA B737-838 (CN 39367)

QANTAS VH-VZZ (CN 39445)

ALLIANCE F28-1000 (CN 11357)

ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR PILATUS PC 12

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

ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR VH-FVE PILATUS PC 12

QANTAS LINK B717-200 VH-NXN (CN 55095)

My Flight to Alice Springs N T

My flight, Qantas 507 VH-VZV (CN 34189) pushed back right on time at 6.45 am bound for Sydney.

We departed on Runway 19 at Brisbane and the flight down was very smooth and comfortable and took just over the hour. Hour and ten to be exact.

Once we started our descent and we passed through 8,000 (I'm guessing) we went I M C. We didn't break back out until probably 3,000 feet and once we broke out I could see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera house out to my left as we made our approach for 16L.

As we taxied for for Bay 7 I had the opportunity to get some photos of the internationals movements on my little pocket camera, a Nikon Coolpix 3600.

I had about an hour and twenty on the ground in Sydney before boarding another Qantas 737-800 VH-XZE (CN 39369) to Alice Springs. Again we pushed back right on time at 10.40 Sydney time but we had to wait about 10 mins at the holding point for departure from 16 R.

This flight is usually three hours twenty but we touched down on runway 12 at Alice Spring tens ahead of schedule.

The flight was very smooth and very comfortable and after watching 6 episodes of the Big Bang Therory the flight went very quickly.

As we taxied in I could very clearly see the 5 QANTAS 767's there along with 2 Singapore Tiger Air A320's and and Our Airline 737.

I also noticed a 737 BBJ sporting the Rego 20203 and after I did the ol' Google search I discovered it belonged to the United States Air Force.

VH-VZV B737-800 (CN 34189) MY FLIGHT TO SYSDNEY

 

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

 

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

 

ETIHAD A6-EHI A340-600 (CN 929)

 

SINGAPORE 9V-SYH B777-312 (CN 32317)

CHINA AIRLINES A380-841 (CN 054)

 

MY QANTAS FLIGHT TO ALICE QF 790 VH-XZE B737-800 (39369)

QANTAS A380-841 (CN 047)

 

AIR ASIA X A330-343 9M-XX0 (CN 692) TAKEN FROM INSIDE
 THE PLANE AS WE WERE HOLDING WAITING OUR TURN.

 

QANTAS B 747-400 VH-OJM (CN 25245)

THE QANTAS 767'S AT ALICE SPRINGS AIRPORT

 

US AIRFORCE BOEING 737 BBJ WITH THE REGO 20203 (CN 33500)
 

20203 SEEN HERE DEPARTING ALICE SPRING FOR DARWIN

Sunday Morning at Brisbane Airport

I arrived at the airport at 5.30 am this morning in anticipation for the last Garuda airlines but as I was there I thought I would take a few of the early morning arrivals. Driving past the QANTAS hangers I noticed this 757-200, (which I saw in Alice Springs a few months ago) sitting there. I was later informed it would be going out today to Singapore.

VQ-BTF B757-23A (CN 24923)

A6-EDC A380-861 (CN 016)

HL-8001 A330-323 (CN1556)

VH-VOZ B777-300ER (CN 35302)

9V-STS A330-343 (CN 1157)

9M-XXP A330-343 (CN 1481) AIR ASIA X OVERFLYING
BRISBANE FOR THE GOLD COAST AT 11,500FT.

VH-OJS B747-400 (CN 25564)

B-LAG A 330-342 (CN 895)

ZK-TLD B 737-300SF(CN 23706)

B-6547 A330-200 (CN 1309)

A6-EDC A380-800 DEPARTING BRISBANE FOR AUCKLAND

ZK-PBB B737-800 (CN 33797) VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
USE THESE AIRCRAFT FOR THE NEW ZEALAND ROUTES AND
THESE AIRCRAFT HAVE ZK- REGISTRATION

ZK-ZQF B737-800 (CN 34204) QANTAS USE THESE AIRCRAFT
FOR THE NEW ZEALAND ROUTES AND THESE AIRCRAFT ALSO
SPORT THE ZK- REGISTRATION

ZK-PBM B737-8FE (CN 36601)

P2-PXC B737-86Q (CN 30290)

RP-C8611 A320-214 (CN 3455)

Last Drinks for Garuda Indonesia

As previously mentioned on this blog (Sat 10th Jan) Garuda would be pulling out of Brisbane on the 1st February 2015. The honours went to PK-GMX a Boeing 737-800 as seen here arriving for the last time this morning on runway 19. There were no fan fare or water canon salutes from the fire fighters on their arrival. We will miss Garuda gracing our sky's up this way.

PK-GMX Boeing 737-8U3 (CN 38070)