Re: Australian Aviation Thread - September 2023

Up until the mid 2000s it was quite common for QF international flights to do an extra tag to a larger hub presumably for repositioning, not every day of operation but at least on some days. These were flown from international terminals with the Orange "D" sticker, as described by Chipmunk...

Re: What are your longest flights this year?

only short trips this year

longest: VA (Operated by Alliance) ADL-BNE, Fokker 100, 875nm

Re: How is the quality of Jetstar?

They’re fine, just watch your carry on, but even then it seems to random, sometimes they check, sometimes not. I haven’t had an issue OTP wise personally. They were having a lot of issues on their 787 fleet a while ago compounded by it being school holidays, which resulted in a lot of negative media...

Re: What 5th freedoms have you flown?

Only two

Emirates BNE-AKL
LAN AKL-SYD

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

If I were to speculate 7x 787-10, roughly J40Y300 for the more premium routes (SYD/MEL-SIN/HKG/HND) 10x 787-9, regional config (J30Y250-260?) to replace the last few A330-300 runs (ICN, BNE-SIN, HNL, PVG) and also replace longer A330-200 flights (India, BNE-LAX) maybe some expansion into India? This...

Re: What is BA’s strategy with SYD?

QF operates LHR-Australia (PER) non-stop on a 789 with a modern and comfortable 1x2x1 J seat. It also flys LHR-SIN-SYD on their premier A380 with the same modern J seat and a spacious F seat & cabin. Yet BA operates LHR-SIN-SYD on a 789 with their oldest and most outdated international J cabins...

Re: Saudi Arabia presents Riyadh Air

I saw a billboard advertising the airline at Time Square. It seems crazy to me that they would go all out with advertising at this stage given that the airline isn't going to start service until 2025. And then it will take some time before they have a network worth talking about. Or an airport wort...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

Or AB's owners are thinking about transfering there resources to there operation in Canada. I suspect this might be the case. Bonza’s biggest competitor might ironically not be any Australian carrier, but it’s Canadian sister carrier competing for resources. Especially as we’re coming into the nort...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

How come Qantas aren't re-using any old registrations from the past? They have re-used them before. There's also the entire suite of old TAA ones to re-use, for example. If I’m not mistaken most of the old triple alpha marks have been allocated, hence why CASA has introduced alpha numeric marks. Th...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

[twoid][/twoid] I think it'd be cool if they start with VH-A2... or VH-22... Cheers Read a while back the first was was supposedly VH-X4A. How come Qantas aren't re-using any old registrations from the past? They have re-used them before. There's also the entire suite of old TAA ones to re-use, for ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

Question for those who have been around forever. I found out today the the inaugural Qantas jet service to the US operated as flight EM 775. I have only ever known Qantas as QF/QFA. I'm guessing EM was derived from Qantas Empire Airways, but can anyone confirm whether this is correct, and also when...

Re: What airports in the US would benefit most from allowing international transit?

How does LAX/SFO transit work on the PAR-PPT flights? I’m assuming almost all passengers are French nationals, would they need a passport just for the US transit? Would they need to collect and clear their checked bags through US customs?

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

But when TK announced IST-SIN-MEL weren’t they saying they felt SG/AU was saturated enough and weren’t going to worry about 5th freedom traffic, and SIN would be tech stop only. As for PPP, I agree Jetstar is most likely for OOL. But for the interstate destination the way I read it implies a new des...

Re: Short-haul flights at high altitudes

Around 2005ish I was on a Virgin Blue 737-700 flight from ROK-BNE (280 NM) we went right up to FL410, cruising for a couple of minutes before descending. I recall the crew said something like it was to get over storms along the coast.

Re: UA20 diverts - Unruly passenger due to unavailability of preferred meal

Well at least this time the passenger showed some restraint and didn’t relieve themself on a galley cart… If all this over an in flight meal, imagine their reaction when they find out their flight is cancelled, or bags didn’t make it! But seriously though, I can’t believe members on this very forum ...

Re: What airline of the South Pacific is the most interesting ?

Interesting is very subjective However it would be difficult for me to narrow it down to one, but Air Kiribati’s island hopping operation on Twin Otter/Dash 8 would be up there, also domestic PNG ops in the highlands. 20 years ago it would have been without doubt the Peau Vava’u DC-3 operation in To...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

Re: A220 Naming How exciting!, great theme My six entries were: Perentie Cassowary Platypus Wombat Tasmanian Devil Curlew Dingo, Bilby, Barramundi, and Echidna just missed the cut. I tried to avoid obvious ones like Kangaroo and Koala, while still having a good variety in terms of type of animal, ha...

Re: Direct flights from France to Noumea

A while back in the very early 2000s maybe even late 90s, AF had an isolated A340-300 that used to do SYD-NOU shuttles, I don’t think it lasted for long. EDIT: These flights appear to have been short term replacements to cover for maintenance on SB aircraft. Also at one point UU had a short lived RU...

Re: Your 2023 Booked/Flown Flights

Flown January Virgin Australia VA366 TSV-BNE B738 VH-VUW Virgin Australia VA326 BNE-MEL B738 VH-VUW Virgin Australia VA233 MEL-ADL B738 VH-VUS Virgin Australia* VA1395 ADL-BNE F100 VH-FGB Virgin Australia VA379 BNE-TSV B738 VH-IWX July Qantas QF751 TSV-BNE B738 VH-XZL Virgin Australia* VA375 BNE-TSV...

Re: Air Inuit to update fleet with 737-800 combis

Doesn’t AS have a few converted 73G combi’s flying? I don’t believe so, I think they had 737-400 combis, and later converted 737-700 to full cargo. With the -400s there was a fixed bulkhead around where the overawing emergency exits were. I’m not 100 sure of this, but I don’t think there was even a...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

A while ago not sure how long it lasted but definitely mid 00s pre A380 it was 3 Class (FJY) Pacific 747-400 (OEB/C/D, and the ERs) the whole way through. Then at one stage it was a A330-200 that rotated SYD-AKL-LAX-JFK and back with a different flight number for each sector. Then after that it went...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - June 2023

Thinking about it more, I think it might be one of markets where there is plenty of volume, but not necessarily good yields, after all they have flown it seasonally so would an idea how it performs, and now SAA have decided there are higher priorities in GRU. I’d imagine airlines like SQ, EK and QR ...

Re: Small airports that still have several intercontinental flights

TSV counts! at least today, we had a Omni B772 in from GUM on a military charter, earlier in the week we even had a Kalitta B744F pop in from HNL

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - June 2023

I don’t understand why QF just don’t compromise with PER and agree to operate JNB out of T1. Seems like such a pig headed attitude, especially when it’s a large unserved market. Talk about cut your nose off to spite your face.

Re: Aviation humor/jokes

Why is a certain well known whisky brand from Lynchburg, Tennessee the most favourite among pilots? Because of the rectangular bottle - it can't roll out of the flight deck during take off... Reminds me of a prank I heard about in an aviation magazine many years ago where a TAA crew (727?) purposel...

Re: KLM SUD 747s

I am wondering why other airline ( TWA , Pan Am , Lufthansa , Northwest etc ) who had big 747 fleets never converted them to a -SUD ? More passengers , better aerodynamics and more speed ? What’s the negative aspect of a -SUD ? Range limited. The -300 had the same maximum take-off weight as the -20...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - June 2023

Last night’s QF1079 ISA-BNE diverted to TSV last night, but from the FR24 it appears to have turned directly east after departure heading directly for TSV, rather than Southeast in the usual track towards BNE, as if TSV was planned prior to departure. But FlightAware shows the flight plan being file...

Re: Never have I ever (airport edition)

1. Gotten a haircut? No. 2. Gotten a massage? No. 3. Gotten a manicure/ pedicure? No. 4. Exchanged money? Yes. 5. Bought a postage stamp? No. 6. Bought film? No. 7. Picked up a paper timetable? I think so. It would have been back in the 90s as a child though. 8. Gone to an observation deck (not incl...

Re: The Little Known Fact thread

On strange 777 seating layouts, Lauda had a weird config where Y was 3-3-3 in the mid cabin, and 3-4-3 in the rear cabin. Not sure how long it was retained after the Austrian merger. Source: I picked up a Austrian/Lauda schedule booklet circa. 2005 from a travel expo which had a seat plan of the com...

Re: Smaller cities with 2 commercial airports

Melbourne must be up there with MEL, AVV, MEB, MBW. The later two have very limited RPT service, but RPT service nonetheless.

Re: Oldest surviving complete airliner?

There’s a Vickers Vimy on display at Adelaide airport which dates back to immediate post WW I, if not built burning the war itself. Edit: not an airliner. Otherwise not sure if they’re replicas but Qantas have an Avro 504 on display in SYD T3, and several 20s era biplanes at the QFOM in LRE, which w...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - May 2023

Re: Bonza I’ve been invited to an event at Sunshine Coast the first week of July. While it would have been convenient to fly TSV-MCY-TSV nonstop the base fare was $190 each way (understandable two months out for travel during school holidays) . While if you were flexible with times and dates QF/JQ/V...

Re: Your 2023 Booked/Flown Flights

Flown Virgin Australia VA366 TSV-BNE B738 VH-VUW Virgin Australia VA326 BNE-MEL B738 VH-VUW Virgin Australia VA233 MEL-ADL B738 VH-VUS Virgin Australia (Alliance) VA1395 ADL-BNE F100 VH-FGB Virgin Australia VA379 BNE-TSV B738 VH-IWX Upcoming Qantas QF751 TSV-BNE B738 Virgin Australia (Alliance) VA37...

Re: Your most extreme airports by Latitude and Longitude

North: Alta, NO (ALF/ENAT) 69°58’34”N South: Queenstown, NZ (ZQN/NZQN) 45°01’16”S East: Wellington, NZ (WLG/NZWN) 174°48’19”E West: Reykjavik/Keflavik, IS (KEF/BIKF) 022°36’20”W The centre point (and yes I spent way too much time working it out) 24°57’20”N 098°42’20”E In southern China near the bor...

Re: Your most extreme airports by Latitude and Longitude

North: Alta, NO (ALF/ENAT) 69°58’34”N
South: Queenstown, NZ (ZQN/NZQN) 45°01’16”S
East: Wellington, NZ (WLG/NZWN) 174°48’19”E
West: Reykjavik/Keflavik, IS (KEF/BIKF) 022°36’20”W

Prime Meridian: London/Heathrow, GB (LHR/EGLL) 000°27’41”W
Equator: Singapore/Changi, SG (SIN/WSSS) 01°21’33”N

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - May 2023

I don’t think the VA 2 class -700s are overwater equipped, as far as I know they’ve never operated anything other than AU domestic. Turns out VBY is in Abu Dhabi at the moment, not sure if this has anything to do with preparing it for CNS-HND runs. at 3152 nm it must be one of the longest 737NG flig...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - April 2023

It probably won't happen, but looking at the planned route, I'm wondering if it could be a nice publicity stunt to unexpectantly "divert" to PER. But it would probably would be a) arriving in PER too early in the morning, and b) would fall short on the target flight time for their experime...

Re: Where should I go in Oceania?

For 10-14 nights it’s doable but on the short side, do not try and rush yourself into doing too much. I’d pick two different places and split my time between them. I spent most of my life in Brisbane, recently having just left, and while it’s a great place to live, as a destination itself, I’m not s...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - April 2023

UA LAX-BNE schedule appears to be

UA283 LAX-BNE 357 2100 0515+2
UA284 BNE-LAX 257 1245 0800

Re: Largest and smallest airports you've ever flown out of

Largest: Depending on how you define “large” HND, LHR, AMS and CDG could all qualify. Smallest: Probably Aoraki/Mount Cook Glentanner, New Zealand (NZGT) on a scenic helicopter flight. By Fixed wing Grímsey, Iceland (GRY/BIGR). with a sub daily (at times) twin otter service to nearby AEY. Other smal...

Re: Your longest flights out of specific airports

My Current Hometown TSV: TSV-BNE 599nm JQ/VA Major AU/NZ Cities, sorted by length BNE: BNE-SIN 3316nm QF/SQ PER: PER-BNE 1952nm QF/VA DRW: DRW-SIN 1803nm QF SYD: SYD-PER 1773nm QF ADL: ADL-DRW 1411nm AN CHC: CHC-BNE 1349nm NZ AKL: AKL-SYD 1169nm LA CNS: CNS-ASP 785nm QF MCY: MCY-MEL 784nm VA OOL: OO...

Re: The LITTLE KNOWN FACT thread

While we’re on Australian DC-9s I can’t verify this but one website claims in 1965 the first 3 firm and 3 options for TAA (and presumably Ansett too) were for the -20 model which only SAS would end up buying. These orders were changed to the -30 model three weeks later. Now I know the -30 was the s...

Re: The LITTLE KNOWN FACT thread

What an interesting thread! Ansett Airlines Australia Boeing 767-200s were delivered with a flight engineer station due to Union pressures, so the only 767 with a 3 man cockpit. These were removed in later years. An even lesser known fact is the same union unsuccessfully tried to mandate a flight en...

Re: Largest and Smallest Aircraft You've Flown On

Largest: Airbus A380 - Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates.

Smallest: Tecnam P92 (Actually landed it too)

Smallest RPT: DHC-6 Twin Otter, BAe Jetstream J32 and Beechcraft 1900D, all 19 seaters but the twin otter has the lowest MTOW of the three.

Smallest Turbofan: Embraer 170 and Fokker 70

Re: Loudest and/or most festive flight you've been on

Not so much loud, but very festive In 2019 Qantas flew their 747s around domestically as bookable repositioning flights between Antarctic charters. As the 747s were close to retirement the word got out and these flights were very popular among avgeeks and parents wanting to take their children on a ...

Re: Airlines naming aircraft

Qantas historically named their aircraft after Australian cities and towns. A tradition that carried through from the 707s through to the 747s, 767s and eventually the 737-800s and A330s. Then Qantas went with Australian aviators for the A380 fleet, then the 787s are supposed to be “Australiana them...

Re: when was concorde going to be retired by BA and AF if it hadn't crashed?

I understand AF were looking to end its life, but BA were actually planning a full refurbishment of their jets to give it another stretch. This is all hypothetical ofc. Oil prices started to climb rapidly in the noughties making the economics of the jet very difficult. It could well have happened t...

Re: Specific aircraft that got you into aviation

vhqpa wrote:

I have a picture of me in front of the 727 before I boarded but I can’t find it at the moment.

Re: Emirates unveils first new livery in 24 years

I don’t hate it. I like that it’s just modest refresh rather than a drastic change.

I’m not sure if the titles are bigger or it’s just an illusion with the illustration of a 777-300 compared to an A380. Even compared to pictures of an A380 it doesn’t look too much bigger.

Re: Specific aircraft that got you into aviation

Definitely the Ansett 727s that used to visit Darwin in the Early to mid 90s. Australian/Qantas had already retired their 727s by then. I started school just down the road from the threshold of Runway 29 and remember them disrupting class and sometimes assembly every morning. Also my father and gran...