Flight from Brisbane to Emerald

Today I was off to Emerald for the night then into Rockhampton for two nights returning home on Friday. My flight was a littler later than normal, this time the departure was at 9.40am so I made it to the airport in plenty of time. Knowing that the daily Emirates flight leaves at 8.20 I made sure I was there for that. I parked my car in the usual place, the 9th floor of the airport car park. There I saw Emirates had pushed back and Korean Air was taxiing out. My luck was running well this morning as instead of having to wait for them to taxi up past me to the runway 19 holding point, which was about another 10 mins for both of them, there was a runway change. So both Korean Air and Emirates both had a rolling start off 01. Here are a few shots I took from the car park.

FAR QANTAS IS VH-VZY CLOSEST ONE IS VH-XZK

 

KOREAN AIR A330-323 HL-8003 (CN 1590)

ROTATING OF 01

 

EMIRATES A380-861 A6-EEG (CN 116)

OFF TO AUCKLAND AS EK 434

After getting these departures and felling quite happy with myself I headed off to the terminal.

After checking in and getting my boarding pass, I went through security and headed for gate 2 on the lower deck. The aircraft for this flight was a Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 VH-QOX and I was sitting in 9A. Qantas Link aircraft are usually parked out on an open apron so we need to board a bus to get to the aircraft. We pretty well taxied right on time of 9.40; we taxied out for an Alpha 7 departure. We were 3rd in line so we didn't have to wait long. We lined up on 01 for a few seconds then we were off, we rotated at 9.47 and as the captain explained; due to the high volume of in bound traffic we were going to track west to Dalby, Chinchilla the we will turn right and head for Emerald. We climbed to flight 220 and the flight was very smooth and comfortable.

We started our descent in to Emerald and we passed over the airport itself giving me a great shot of the runway.





 





We then flew over the city of Emerald, made a few long slow left hand  turns and then came back in for a 06 arrival, touching down at 11.08. Once we landed I spoke to a cabin member and asked if I could get a photo of the cockpit, the lady went and asked and the guys were very happy to let me take a few photos. 





INSIDE QANTAS LINK DASH 8 VH-QOX

FLIGHT DECK OF VH-QOX

QANTAS LINK BOMBARDIER Q 400 DASH 8-402 (CN 4287)









 

 

Qantas 7474 "CLEAR TO LAND'' for the final time

QANTAS 747-438 VH-OJA (CN 24354)           File Photo

Qantas will retire its first-ever Boeing 747-400 today, Although Qantas has put several of its jumbo jets out to pasture in recent years, the aircraft making its last flight today is notable for being the Flying Kangaroo's first Boeing 747-438, delivered in 1989 as the flagship of the international fleet.

It was this jumbo – christened 'City of Canberra', with the registration VH-OJA and consignment number 24354 – which opened up the one-stop Kangaroo Route between Australia and London with Singapore as the sole stop-over.

OJA first flew on the 3rd July 1989 as a test flight with the registration of N6064P and was then delivered to Qantas 11th August 1989. Once in the hands of Qantas VH-OJA made a promotional non stop flight from London to Sydney to highlight the jumbo's long-range capabilities, completing the 18,000 klm journey in just under 20 hours.

The flight, with the flight number of QF7441  took place on 16th August 1989.
In order to maximise range, a special high-density fuel was used, the tanks were filled to overflowing and the aircraft was even towed to the runway holding point before starting engines. The engines themselves were specially chosen examples. Although the aircraft was fully fitted out inside, to save weight all non-essentials such as galley equipment etc were removed.
The flight departed runway 28R from London / Heathrow under command of Captain David Massey-Greene, Qantas Boeing 747-400 Project Pilot, with a flight crew comprising Captains Ray Heiniger, Rob Greenop and George Lindeman, with Captain Chet Chester from Boeing. In addition to the five pilots, there were two cabin crew and sixteen passengers aboard for the planned 19 hour 52 minute flight.

On September the 6th 1989 OJA had its first revenue flight from Sydney - Melbourne and return as flight QF28 / 001, its first international flight was on 7th September 1989 from Sydney - Auckland return as QF 43 / 44 respectively.
On 22nd October 1994 OJA was wet leased to ANSETT  AUSTRALIA due to the fact that their 747-300 had crashed landed at Sydney airport four days earlier. (Ansett Australia collapsed originally on the 13th September 2001, it was bought back to life shortly but then collapsed indefinitely on the 4th March 2002)
VH-OJA was finally withdrawn from service in Sydney on the 14th January 2015 after arriving as QF64 from Johannesburg.
Today OJA will be making its very last flight ever (weather permitting) as Qantas is gifting the 747-438 to HARS (the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society) to go on display at Illawarra Regional Airport near Wollongong. On the ground at Illawarra, a 'mini air traffic control' station will be set up using walkie-talkies to communicate with the crew as they make an all-visual approach to the airport, while roads around the airport will be closed to avoid accidents caused by distracted motorists watching the low-flying slow-flying Boeing 747 as it comes in to land.
The Qantas pilots at the controls for VH-OJA’s retirement flight, which has been given the special flight number QF7474, have spent 25 hours in the simulator preparing for today’s landing at the aircraft’s new home. The aircraft should land at Illawarra Airport from the north (hopefully at the special time of 7.47) touching down on Runway 16 which measures a little over 1,800 metres in length.
Qantas had to get special approval from Boeing to reduce the tyre pressure from the normal 208 psi to 120 psi to reduce the impact on the runway, due to the fact that the outer engines will be hanging out over the grass, the pilots will not engage reverse thrust, they will just be relying on the brakes to pull them up. When OJA comes to its final resting place at Illawarra Airport; Qantas will only have six Boeing 747-400s and six Boeing 747-400ERs left in the fleet.

 

QANTAS B747-438 VH-OJA departed Sydney just after

6.30am (Sydney time) landing on runway 16 at Illawarra

at 7.57am, tens mins later than the planned time of 7.47

 

 

Malaysia 370 12 months on; Still no answers

THE MISSING AIRCRAFT WAS SIMULAR TO THIS ONE

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the disappearance of the Malaysian 777. Flight MH 370 was a scheduled international passenger flight that disappeared on 8 March 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport. Flight 370 last made voice contact with air traffic control at 01:19 local time when it was over the South China Sea, less than an hour after take off. The aircraft disappeared from air traffic controllers' radar screens at 01:21 local time.
Malaysian military radar continued to track Flight 370 as it deviated from its planned flight path and crossed the Malay Peninsula. Flight 370 left the range of Malaysian military radar at 02:22 while over the Andaman Sea, 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) northwest of Penangin in north western Malaysia. The aircraft was carrying 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers from 15 nations; six of those were Australians. .
After 12 months of extensive searches and many possible sighting of floating objects, Investigators have found no trace of the Malaysia Airlines 777 or it's 239 passengers.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament this week he could not promise the search effort, led by Australia at Malaysia's request, "will go on at this intensity forever".
At the time of its disappearance, and when the presumed loss of all on board are confirmed, Flight 370 would have be the deadliest aviation incident in Malaysia Airlines' history and the deadliest involving a Boeing 777, but sadly that honour now goes to Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 which was shot down over Ukraine with 298 people aboard in July 2014.
Flight 370 was operated by a Boeing 777-2H6ER, (CN28420), registration 9M-MRO.

This was the 404th Boeing 777 produced, it first flew on 14 May 2002 and was delivered to Malaysia Airlines on 31 May 2002. For the sake of the loved ones left behind, for the staff at Malaysia Airlines and for the tireless crew searching for the aircraft, I hope they find the aircraft very soon.                  GOD BLESS 

Virgin Australia launches Sydney-Tamworth flights

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA ATR-72 VH-FVI (CN 955)           File Photo

                                                                                                                                                         
Virgin Australia will go head-to-head with Qantas Link on yet another regional route this May, with the airline starting direct flights between Sydney and Tamworth.

Using an ATR-72 turboprop aircraft the airline will fly between the cities six times a week from Monday 25th May.

Excluding Saturdays, VA1091 will depart Sydney at 1:55pm and arrive Tamworth at 3pm and then depart at 3:30pm as VA1092 and returning to Sydney at 4:35pm.

Qantas Link currently flies up to six return services each day between Sydney and Tamworth using a variety of Dash 8 aircraft.

Tamworth will be the third NSW destination alongside Albury and Port Macquarie to be serviced by Virgin’s turboprop ATR-72's.
As mentioned in a post I put on last Monday; Tamworth will also be serviced by Jetgo from Brisbane
Flights to Tamworth, operated by a 36-seat Embraer E135, will initially run once a day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during March, departing Brisbane at 9.30 am and returning at midday.
Its three days a week service would move to double daily from April 6 when more check-in counters become available at Brisbane Airport.

Aussie Troop Carriers

The Australian Air force for years have been using wet leased aircraft from Hi Fly to transport our troops when travelling overseas.
Hi Fly is a European airline based in Portugal, they are a FAA approved, EASA and IOSA certified company who operates 14 last generation fly-by-wire aircraft: 1 x A310; 1 x A321; 6 x A330´s and  6 x A340´s exclusively available for wet lease worldwide. Wet leasing (supply the aircraft with crew, maintenance and insurance) is Hi Fly's core and sole business.
Over the years we have see different aircraft pass through Brisbane as they move troops around.
When these aircraft fly for the Air Force they use the call sign "Aussie"

Hi FLY A340-322 CS-TMT (CN 096)       HERE 2006

Hi FLY A340-313 CS-TQM       HERE 2010

Hi FLY A340-300 OY-KBM (CN 450)     HERE 2011

On the 6th of January this year a Qantas 747-400 (VH-OJM) was used to transport troops from Sydney - Singapore via Brisbane and Darwin, the same aircraft returned to Sydney via Darwin and Brisbane on the 8th January.





QANTAS 747-438 VH-OJM (CN25245)

Then on the 20th January 2015 Air Tahiti Nui took over flying

the troops around.

This aircraft has been into Brisbane 8 times since the start and

today is the first time I have actually got a chance to see it

come in.

Air Tahiti Nui; with the call sign AUSSIE Five (ASY5)

departed Darwin at 7.32am (Darwin) and arrived runway

01 in Brisbane at 11.35 (local) 

AIR TAHITI NUI A340-313 (CN 668)

ASY 5 RUNWAY 01 CLEAR TO LAND

 







 



Playing with a Full Moon

With summer now behind us, night time comes a little earlier everyday, (by 6.40 it is dark) so soon we will miss the chance to get a daylight photo of the daily Emirates flight arriving from Auckland. Being a full moon I thought I would take the opportunity while I can so I took my family for a drive to a park where I knew we would get photos of the beast tracking down the ILS for a runway 01 landing. The light was fading fast and I thought I might have missed out altogether. it was nice to see aircraft flying over and under the moon. 

 

VIRGIN B737-8FE VH-YIS (CN39926)

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA DOUBLE PLAY

VIRGIN B737-8FE VH-YIJ (CN 39924)

EMIRATES A380-838 A6-EDM (42)

 

The below photos were taken by my daughter who I

call my little Co-Pilot, she loves planes as much as her Dad

 

Tuesday Movements

Working around the airport area today I managed to grab a few shots this afternoon on my home, then later that evening, my little co-pilot and I went to a park near our house to get the afternoon arrival of the Emirates A380 coming in from Auckland.

DASSAULT FALCON 900EX N146EX (CN 146)

ALLIANCE AIRLINES FOKKER 100 VH-FWH (CN 11316)

JETSTAR A 320-232 VH-VFL (CN 5489) WITH THE SLOGAN
 ''HELPING LITTLE ATHS REACH FOR THE STARS''

QANTAS RETRO ROO B 737-839 VH XZP (CN 44577)
LOVE LOOKING AT THIS PLANE

AIR NEW ZEALAND A320-232 ZK-OJO (2663)

EMIRATES AIRBUS  A380-838 (CN 138) 

BANKING OVER WAYPOINT GLENN  FOR A 01 ARRIVAL

NO PRIZES FOR GUESSING WHO THIS IS