The aircraft rolled out of the paint shop with a complex livery as the latest addition to Qantas’ longstanding Flying Art Series. Qantas worked with Leading Indigenous Australian design agency, Balarinji, the Copyright Agency and Tjungu Palya Art Centre to reproduce senior Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker’s painting Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa (Two Sisters Creation Story) for the aircraft.
After arriving in Australia, VH-X4A completed 69 check / training flights on the eastern seaboard before completing a special 'inaugural flight' to Ayres Rock and then to Melbourne (Tullamarine) in February 2024. It subsequently entered service on the Melbourne-Canberra-Sydney triangle route in March 2024.
The Qantas Group has ordered 29 A220s to replace the Boeing B717 fleet on regional routes around Australia under the QantasLink brand and operated by National Jet Systems.
Each A220 will seat 137 passengers, including 10 in business and 127 in economy class. It has double the range of the B717, at 6,000 kilometres, while burning 25 per cent less fuel per seat and generating less noise.
Nice!
Sincere thanks to Sydney plane spotter Bernie P for allowing us share his wonderful photos of a wonderful aircraft!
All photos taken by Bernie Proctor ©
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