Great Photos of Pel-Air Aviation SAAB 340A Freighter VH-KDB at Rockhampton Airport

Since 1992, Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd (Pel-Air) has been providing the Australian express freight industry with a broad range of aircraft and services.  Freight operations are conducted both domestically and internationally on behalf of major freight forwarders.  Pel-Air’s current freight charter fleet comprises of  three converted SAAB 340A freighter aircraft each with a 3,500 kg capacity per aircraft.  They are registered VH-EKT, VH-KDB and VH-KDK.

In Central Queensland, Pel-Air provides a return Brisbane to Mackay via Rockhampton freight service most weekdays.  One of their SAAB 340A freighters makes a pre-dawn departure from Brisbane as PFY7416 and arrives into Rockhampton Airport before continuing further north to Mackay Airport as PFY7418.  The aircraft generally remains parked at Mackay Airport until late afternoon / early evening when the return service to Brisbane via Rockhampton Airport operates as PFY7415 / PFY7417.

At Rockhampton Airport recently, local photographer Russell P was on hand to capture an 'unscheduled' visit by one of Pel-Air's SAAB 340A freighters registered VH-KDB.  It had arrived into Rocky early in the morning as scheduled but didn't depart as planned; instead remaining parked for the day before it is pictured departing to Mackay Airport in the early evening.

Of interest, this SAAB 340A, VH-KDB, was delivered to Kendell Airlines at Wagga Wagga in New South Wales in December 1991 at the conclusion of a flight from Amsterdam in The Netherlands.  It operated with Australia's largest regional airline until 2001 when Kendell Airlines' parent company, Ansett Australia collapsed.  This grounded the entire fleet of Kendell Airlines aircraft and soon after, Kendell Airlines was placed into administration.

VH-KDB in 1992  (George Gaidzkar / https://www.flickr.com/)

In 2002, Kendell Airlines, and fellow Ansett subsidiary, Hazelton Airlines, were sold to a consortium known as Australiawide Airlines, from which Regional Express Airlines (known as REX) was formed.  Most of the turboprop aircraft operated by Kendell Airlines at that time were taken over by REX and VH-KDB was registered to the company in 2007.

VH-KDB in 2007  (Ryan Hothersall / https://www.flickr.com/)

VH-KDB operated its final passenger service for REX flying from Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Wagga Wagga in September 2008.  It was then converted into a freighter at Wagga Wagga soon after.

VH-KDB was transferred to the Regional Express subsidiary company Pel-Air Aviation and operated its first dedicated freighter service for Pel-Air out of Sydney in January 2009.

Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd (trading as Pel-Air) is based in Sydney and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Regional Express Holdings, which also owns Australian airlines Regional Express Airlines (REX) and Air Link.

Sincere thanks Russell for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!  Enjoy!

Photos taken by Russell Prothero  ©

CQ Plane Spotting Historic Spot - Lauda Air Italy Canadair CRJ-100LR OE-LRC at Rockhampton Airport

This Historic Spot follows on from our post last month about Kendell Airlines and their CRJ operations in Central Queensland in the early 2000s - LINK HERE.  In April 1999, Lauda Air Italy Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-100LR OE-LRC (MSN 7036) performed a demonstration tour around Australia for Kendell Airlines, and with thanks to local plane spotter Don W, we share photos of the CRJ on the ground at Rockhampton Airport.

Being nearly 20 myself at the time, and still based in Brisbane, I was fortunate enough to captured OE-LRC departing Brisbane Airport on 23 April 1999.

Information suggests that OE-LRC continued to operate with Lauda Air / Lauda Air Italy until 2001 when it flew for other operators in Europe and then eventually the United States of America and Canada.  It was listed as 'Stored and parted out' in 2009.

Photos taken by Don Williams  ©

CQ Plane Spotting Historic Spot - Kendell Airlines CRJ-200ER Regional Jets in Central Queensland

In this Historic Spot we take a long back at Kendell Airlines, and specifically the brief time in which they flew Canadair CL-600-2B19 - CRJ-200ER - regional jets into Central Queensland on behalf on Ansett.

Kendell Airlines was one of the biggest regional airlines in Australia and was at times, the largest in the country. It served major regional centres mostly in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the state capitals, but also operated Regional Jet services into Central Queensland.  Many of its services were in co-operation with its parent company Ansett Australia during the 1990s.

The airline was founded in 1967 as Premiair Aviation by aviation enthusiast Don Kendell and partners, originally serving as an air charter provider and flying school, based in Wagga Wagga in New South Wales.  In 1971, the airline launched scheduled services using Piper PA-31 Navajo aircraft between Wagga Wagga and Melbourne.  PA-31 VH-CLU is shown below at Wagga Wagga in July 1977.

Shortly afterwards, the route network was expanded with flights to Sydney and Canberra.  Flight operations saw a further increase during the 1970s when de Havilland Heron and Swearingen Metro II aircraft were added to the fleet.

In 1983, the airline's name was changed to Kendell Airlines.

In early 1985, the airline introduced the 34-seat SAAB 340, a more modern regional airliner.  Kendell was in fact the first airline in the Southern Hemisphere to operate the SAAB 340, with further aircraft of that type being added over the following years. SAAB 340A VH-EKD is pictured below at Adelaide in April 1993 - and VH-EKD continues to fly in Australia (and Central Queensland) as a freighter for Pel Air (Regional Express - better known as REX).

During the mid-to-late 1980s, the route network was nearly doubled as a consequence of the deregulation of the Australian airline market. During the 1990s, Kendell established further operating bases to add to its original one at Wagga Wagga Airport, namely at Devonport Airport, Albury Airport and Sydney Airport, largely as a result of the airline becoming a subsidiary of Ansett.

From early 1996, Kendell Airlines offered a high-frequency (up to 13 daily return flights) service between Sydney and Canberra – on behalf of Ansett, which was followed by scheduled flights to Coffs Harbour and Ballina, which also had previously been operated by Ansett. The SAAB 340s that were acquired by Kendell Airlines during that period were painted in Ansett colours - as shown on VH-EKD at Melbourne Airport in December 1999. In 1999, Kendell became a regional affiliate of the Star Alliance, of which Ansett Australia had become a member.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Kendell Airlines took delivery of 18 Canadair CL-600-2B19 CRJ-200ER regional jet aircraft.  The first jet aircraft to be operated by the airline.

One of the last CRJ-200s to be delivered VH-KJY was open for inspection at the Sunshine Coast Airport in March 2001.

Kendell Airlines CRJ-200s were initially flown to Brisbane from Canberra, before eventually, a handful of the regional jets were based at Brisbane and utilised on services into Central Queensland.  The CRJ-200s replaced Ansett Brittish-Aerospace BAe 146-300s on services into Rockhampton, Mackay, Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast and Hamilton Island.  CRJ-200ER VH-KJQ is pictured below at Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 18 February 2001.

In mid-September 2001, shortly after the last CRJ-200 - VH-KXJ shown below -  had joined the fleet, Ansett Australia collapsed, also grounding the fleet of Kendell Airlines. Kendell Airlines was placed into administration, but continued to operate a limited schedule.

In 2002, Kendell, and fellow Ansett subsidiary, Hazelton Airlines, were sold to a consortium known as Australiawide Airlines, from which Regional Express Airlines (REX) was formed. Most of the turboprop aircraft operated by Kendell Airlines at that time were taken over by REX, while the CRJs were returned to lessors during 2002.  Most ended up in storage at Calgary in Canada as shown below in October 2002.

After a period of storage in Canada, the CRJ-200s have since re-entered service in various places around the world including Europe and, as shown below on the HNL Rarebirds Blog in August 2010, operating in the Hawaiian Islands for Go! / Mokulele Airlines.

Certainly a great airline with a rich history in Australian aviation.  The CRJ-200 was a lovely looking little regional jet which unfortunately I was never able to get on board.  It was such a shame that Kendell Airlines fell victim to the Ansett colapse, and the CRJ-200s were not maintained in the REX - or any other Australian airline's - fleet.

CQ Plane Spotting Historic Spot: Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport

The Whitsunday Coast Airport or Proserpine/Whitsunday Coast Airport (IATA: PPP, ICAO: YBPN) is located approximately 10km South of Proserpine. The airport is the main gateway for travellers to and from the Whitsundays, and currently only has 2-3 daily flights from and to Brisbane.

Plans to build an airfield in Proserpine commenced in 1936, however construction was delayed due to a lack of funding. Construction of the airport finally began in 1946.

The first passenger service to Proserpine was on 3 November 1951. It was a flight from Brisbane in a Douglas DC-3. Flights in Proserpine continued through the 1960's and 1970's with Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) and Ansett-ANA (Ansett Airlines of Australia and later Ansett Australia) operating routes that spanned the entire Queensland Coast, and also connected to the neighbouring Whitsunday Islands.

As shown below, TAA operated aircraft such as Fokker F-27 friendship aircraft on the coastal services, while connecting with smaller De-Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft to operate flight to the Whitsunday Islands.

Also in the 1970's and 1980's, Ansett Airlines of Australia operated a pair Sikorsky S-61N helicopters flying from Proserpine Airport to the Whitsunday Islands. S-61N VH-BRI is pictured below in 1975 on the Hayman Island helipad after arriving from Proserpine Airport.

VH-BRI is also shown below at Proserpine Airport in 1981. Flying to was a lot quicker than the coach/ferry boat transfer!

As the 1980's continued, so did the daily jet services into Proserpine Airport - as shown below - TAA Douglas DC-9 VH-TJR and Ansett Australia Boeing B727-200 VH-RMW - parked on the Proserpine Airport apron in the mid-1980's.

Jet services were mostly from Brisbane, however services were starting from Sydney and Melbourne, and in the 1990's the number of scheduled and seasonal services to Proserpine continued to grow.

With the demise of TAA, Australian Airlines took over some jet services to Proserpine, with Boeing B737-300 VH-TAU shown below on the Proserpine Airport apron in 1990.

Australian Airlines (Airlink) - which was a subsidiary of Australian Airlines operated by National Jet Systems - operated a fleet of British Aerospace BAe 146 aircraft into several regional Queensland cities including Proserpine on behalf of Australian Airlines. BAe 146-100 VH-NJR, in Australian Airlines livery, is shown below parked at Proserpine Airport in August 1992.

Eventually, with the demise of Australian Airlines, these services were taken over Qantas (Airlink), and soon the familiar livery of Qantas was present at Proserpine Airport on their BAe 146 aircraft.

However, during the 1990's and early 2000's, Ansett Australia became the dominant operator into Proserpine Airport with direct services to Proserpine from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as seasonal flights from the Gold Coast and Adelaide. I recall most flights from Brisbane were operated by Ansett's own BAe 146-300 aircraft, which were acquired after the demise of East-West Airlines.

After retiring the BAe 146 aircraft, Ansett services were eventually operated by Kendell Airlines, who utilised a fleet of Canadair CL-600-2B19 (CRJ-200ER) Regional Jets, on several regional Australia routes on behalf of Ansett.

In September 2001, Proserpine Airport suffered heavily from the collapse of Ansett Australia. Services to Proserpine Airport were dramatically cut, with only Qantas and QantasLink flying into Proserpine from Brisbane.

As the 2000's went on, and as the airline grew, Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) began operations into Proserpine Airport from Brisbane.

Soon after, QantasLink services were replaced by Jetstar Airways, which was actually a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by Virgin Blue.

Services into Proserpine Airport then began to increase again, with, at one stage, direct flights were arriving from Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Brisbane. However, Virgin Blue and Jetstar began to cut their weekly direct flights from interstate in response to rising fuel costs during the global financial crisis, despite these routes regularly running at full capacity and usually being booked out days in advance.

Eventually, a daily services from Brisbane were operated by both Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) and Jetstar Airways. In 2012, Virgin Australia added an early morning service from Brisbane, meaning the Proserpine/Whitsunday Coast Airport is now serviced by 2-3 daily Regular Passenger Transport (RPT) flights from Brisbane.

Virgin Australia currently operate two flights each weekday and one on weekends, while Jetstar operates flights to Proserpine on an almost-daily basis. Rumours abound that Virgin Australia will re-introduce directs from Sydney to Proserpine, however, at this stage, nothing official has been announced.

Virgin's early morning weekday flights are operated by Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 aircraft - although these aircraft wear no livery - as VH-XWM is shown below operating a Virgin Australia flight in Rockhampton.

The Proserpine/Whitsunday Coast Airport passenger terminal has recently undergone an extensive upgrade. Earthworks commenced in mid-October 2010 and demolition works in November 2010. The upgraded terminal was officially opened on 20 December 2011.

The layout and size of the Proserpine terminal was significantly changed with a much bigger - and combined - checkin desk area, a much bigger passenger waiting area - including a new and modernized kiosk, and lastly, and new and improved arrivals hall and baggage collection facilities - complete with baggage collection carousel - something required at a modern airport - all added. The addition of baggage carousel also was much safer and nicer than waiting for the baggage trolley to come from the airside apron area! 

A new and expanded paid parking area and set down and pick up bays were also added.

The airport apron and aircraft parking area remains albeit a little bigger. There are three main aircraft parking gates, and a smaller area of corporate and other light aircraft visitors. Beyond that, there are aircraft storage and maintenance hangars and facilities, plus plenty of light aircraft parking on grass.

There is another older looking runway that is no longer in operation.

In mid-2012, a marathon was held to try and elevate the airports profile with the ultimate goal of securing either a regular direct service to either Melbourne or Sydney.

Airport management are also endeavouring to encourage more fly-in fly-out (FIFO) charters for nearby Bowen Basin mines.