Wednesday, June 25, 2014

QantasLink Dash-8-200s VH-SDA & VH-SDE Retired and Sold


A well known plane spotting and enthusiast webpage has reported that a couple of favourite aircraft of mine - the two QantasLink Dash-8-200s that I travelled on quite frequently when I first moved to Clermont and flew home from Emerald to Brisbane most holidays - VH-SDA and VH-SDE have both recently been sold overseas and removed from the Australian aircraft register.


They were de-registered on Thursday 5 June and now currently sit idle at the 'North Pond' at Sydney Airport with all red tails and their titles removed.

QantasLink have three Dash-8-200s left - VH-TQG and VH-TQS - which are both currently based in Sydney operating to Lord Howe Island and Moree - while VH-TQX is currently based at Brisbane for flights to Biloela / Thangool and Charleville, as well as the weekend Lord Howe Island flights.




Information currently suggests that VH-SDA is now -re-registered as C-FEBU, while VH-SDE is now C-FEAQ.  Both aircraft are registered to the Avmax Group (Canada), who appear to be an aircraft leasing company.  There is speculation now that both aircraft could depart Sydney soon for delivery to another airline.  There is also speculation (unfortunately) that they could also be scrapped.

I hope not!  I have very fond memories of flying on VH-SDA and VH-SDE most holidays!

2 comments:

  1. Do you know whether these are the aircraft that were being used for Bne-Emd (or Rockhampton) flights throughout early to late 1980s?

    I think these were the aircraft that I used to fly out on to Emerald every holidays (first back when TAA and Ansett operated, and then Qantas/Sunstate), but can't be sure as I was pretty yooung and only recall that they were Dash-8s, but don't know more about them than that).

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    1. Hi - Research shows that SDA started service in 1998 while SDE started service in 2001 - both with Sunstate Airlines - both flying to Emerald amongst other destinations!

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