A Broken Down ATR 72 Sees Virgin Australia send E-190 VH-ZPQ & B737-800 VH-YFI to Gladstone Airport

A great start to the week for plane spotting in Central Queensland was also highlighted at Gladstone Airport by the arrival of a pair of Virgin Australia jets on scheduled services from Brisbane.

On Tuesday 18 March, Virgin Embraer E-190 VH-ZPQ touched down at Gladstone during the afternoon from Brisbane as VOZ1713.

After turning around, it departed back to Brisbane as VOZ1718.

Then early on Wednesday 19 March, Virgin Boeing B737-800 VH-YFI touched down at Gladstone from Brisbane as VOZ1709.

After it turned around, VH-YFI departed back to Brisbane as VOZ1712.

The great pair of jets operating these scheduled services were as a result of Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) ATR 72-500 VH-FVI breaking down with an engine problem.  It had arrived into Gladstone late on Monday 17 March as VOZ1717 from Brisbane, but ended up spending all of Tuesday parked, with attention being paid to its starboard side engine.

VH-FVI departed Gladstone on Wednesday 19 March as VOZ9520 to Brisbane, from where it re-entered service for Virgin with a flight to Emerald.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters Jamie and Tash for capturing and sending through these awesome photos of a couple of great visitors to the industrial city this week!

Photos taken by Jamie and Tash  ©