News from America - World Airways - US Troop Carrier for 63 Years - Shuts Down Operations

I was distressed to read this week that U.S. charter airline World Airways has ceased flying amid a failure to find financing, four months after its parent company - Global Aviation Holding - blamed U.S. Government budget cuts for a sharp squeeze in business, putting the airline into bankruptcy.

http://www.worldairways.com/

World Airways was founded in 1948 and has notably transported U.S. troops around the world starting in 1951, when the U.S. entered the Korean conflict.  It continued to carry U.S. military personnel and equipment to various countries around the world where troops fought and trained - including to Rockhampton Airport where U.S. troops trained in the nearby Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) during Military Exercises including Talisman Sabre 2011 (as shown below).

In recent years, World Airways operated a fleet of McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and MD-11 aircraft, along with Boeing B747-400 jumbos to transport passengers and equipment.

World’s parent, Global Aviation Holdings, blamed the airline’s latest financial difficulties on the U.S. Air Mobility Command, the Air Force unit that transports military personnel and supplies, which cancelled its 2014 contract with the company as the military adjusted to a tighter budget. That decision stripped World of $54 million in revenue, the company said in its November 2013 filing in Delaware - World’s second Chapter 11 filing within a year.

A second charter airline operated by Global Aviation, North American Airlines, continues to fly. North American was founded in 1989 and operates passenger charter flights using B767-300ER aircraft.  It depends less on military transport business.

CQ Plane Spotting Historic Spot: Heavy Lift Operations at Rockhampton Airport

September to December is 'traditionally' a busy period at Rockhampton Airport for its much publicised 'heavylift' - heavy jet passenger and cargo - operations. Rockhampton Airport actually has the third longest runway in Queensland at 2628m, and according to the Rockhampton Regional Council, the Airport is "strategically located Brisbane and Cairns, and is the only airport in Central Queensland with the ability in international freight operations".

Around this time every year, numerous passenger and cargo charters touch down at Rockhampton Airport in association with the Singapore Armed Forces Miltary Exercise 'Wallaby', where the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) bases helicopter and occassionally fast jet operations during the Exercise.

The completion of the 2012 Exercise Wallaby will mark the 22nd time the Singapore Armed Forces has conducted military training in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA). Every year from September to December, thousands of soldiers descend upon Rockhampton and the SWBTA, where they undergo realistic training and challenging conditions in an expanse that is four times larger than Singapore. The troops usually arrive from Singapore on heavy passenger jets - usually operated by either Singapore Airlines or Air New Zealand. Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopters and other equipment have arrived on 1-2 Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft.

Rockhampton Airport's main Runway 15/33 was extended and re-opened in 2000. For exercise Wallaby in 2000, the first few heavy-jet operations dropped troops and cargo into Rockhampton with a pair of Singapore Airlines Boeing B747-400 jumbo jets, and an Antonov AN-124 of Heavylift-Volga Dnepr.

9V-SMA was the first heavy-jet to land at Rockhampton Airport on Saturday 21 October 2000 after the runway extension.

RA-82045 was the second heavy-jet to land at Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 22 October 2000.

9V-SMC was the fourth heavy-jet to land at Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 24 October 2000.

In the years since 2000, Singapore Airlines B747-400 and B777-200 aircraft, as well as Air New Zealand B747-400 aircraft have operated the numerous passenger charters for the Singapore Armed Forces, as shown in 2010 where Air New Zealand's ZK-NBU was pictured operating on Monday 27 September 2010.

In 2007, Valuair (now Jetstar Asia) Airbus A320 9V-ALA also operated a passenger charter to Rockhampton Airport from and to Singapore.

Most recently in 2011, Russian-registered Polet Aviakompania (Polet Airlines) Antonov AN-124, RA-82077, operated two flights to Rockhampton Airport to airlift RSAF helicopters in and out of Rockhampton.

In previous years, both Russian-registered Volga Dnepr and Ukrainian-registered Antonov Design Bureau-operated AN-124 aircraft have also uplifted the RSAF helicopters, with UR-82073 pictured operating into Rockhampton Airport in 2009.

The RSAF have also operated their own Boeing B707/KC-135 airborne refuelling aircraft into Rockhampton.

So far this year, Rockhampton Airport has already played host to several heavy jet aircraft operating both passenger and cargo flights, mostly in association with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Military Exercises in the SWBTA. Qantas operated several passenger charters with Boeing B747-400 'jumbo' VH-OJD, while the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operated passenger and cargo flights with their Airbus A330/KC-30A MRTT and Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft.

When not engaged in military exercises, most heavy RAAF aircraft use Rockhampton Airport for navigation aid and other training flights. In years gone past, RAAF Boeing B707-300 aircraft have been noted performing touch-and-go flights.

The combined Australian and United States of America (USA) military exercise 'Talisman Sabre', which was last held in 2011, again brought several heavy passenger and cargo flights, including World Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-11 passenger charters from Hawaii, as well as Qantas passenger charters from around Australia.

In previous years, World Airways and Omni Air International McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft have also touched down at Rockhampton Airport in support of the American exercise.

On Monday 18 July 2011 the United States Air Force (USAF) proved Rockhampton Airport's heavy-jet capabilities with three of their Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft arriving and departing from Rockhampton Airport almost together, uplifting troops back to the USA.

A similar event occurred during a previous instalment of Exercise Talisman Sabre, where six USAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft were photographed parked altogether at Rockhampton Airport, parked both on the Airport apron and on Taxiway Juliette.

However, most heavylift operations have traditionally came during the Singapore Armed Forces military exercise 'Wallaby', and we look forward to the arrival of this year's aircraft!

Rockhampton Airport Action This Week

As mentioned in THIS previous post, World Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-11 N272WA was on the ground at Rockhampton Airport all day Monday 1 August.



The MD-11 flew US personnel home from Military Exercise Talisman Sabre. Local spotters report that all ground equipment and aircraft have departed Rockhampton Airport. We thank Don W for sending through the following photos.

Also this week, Ben O noted Skytrans Dash-8-100 VH-QQA on the ground at Rockhampton Airport early on Tuesday 2 August. As previously noted, this aircraft wears Air Cruising Australia / Bill Peach Journeys titles and colours.


I believe Skytrans positions an aircraft out of Emerald during the week, as overnight parking at Emerald Airport is limited - see THIS blog post about Emerald Airports struggles with increased FIFO demand.

Meanwhile, on Thursday 4 August Don W noted Hinterland Aviation Beech B200 King Air VH-HLJ passing through Rockhampton Airport.


The King Air - complete with a cargo pod - operates out of Cairns on RPT and charter operations - and was noted heading out of Rockhampton to the North.

Lastly, the victim of the port-a-loo explosion at Rockhampton Airport two weeks ago (story HERE), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Sergeant, Mick Dunn, remains in a stable condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. He suffered third-degree burns to 40% of his body.

Military Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 - World Airways Returns to Rockhampton Airport on Charter

World Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-11 N272WA arrived into Rockhampton Airport in the early hours of Monday 1 August.



The MD-11 was parked on Gate 6 at Rockhampton Airport all day.


It is expected to depart in the early hours of Tuesday morning, taking its load of American personnel home from Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011.


One final picture from Ben O taken recently shows what Rockhampton Airport will now look like - much quieter after all the military action has now finished!

Military Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 - Qantas Begins the Outbound Charters Movements From Rockhampton Airport

Local spotters were treated to two visits on Thursday 28 July by Qantas Boeing B767-338(ER) VH-OGE, which was believed to be operating outbound troop charters.


The heavy jet arrived in the early morning direct from Sydney as QF6114, before departing as QF1350 to Darwin.


Later in the afternoon, VH-OGE returned to Rockhampton from Darwin as QF6124, before departing as QF1351 to Adelaide.


It is believed that there will be another Qantas operated troop charter, with a World Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-11 to return to Rockhampton soon to transport our American visitors back home.

Military Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 - Friday's Highlights at Rockhampton Airport

After a pretty slow start to the day's action, the afternoon of Friday 8 July saw a couple of lovely fixed wing movements and no less than 12 Australian Army Sikorsky S-70A-9 Blackhawk helicopters either arrive and stay, or pass through for fuel, at Rockhampton Airport.

In the morning, World Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-11(ER) N277WA departed to Hawaii as WOA9612.


Later in the morning, two Australian Army Eurocopter EC665 Tiger (ARH) Helicopters left together as "Marlin 11". Pictured below are A38-008 and A38-007.


Another Tiger left shortly after as "Marlin 13".

In the early afternoon, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules A97-009 arrived and departed as "Trojan 06".



One of the highlights for the day however arrived as the sun was setting, with United States Marines (USMC) Gulfstream C-20G (Gulfstream IV) 165153 touching down on Rockhampton's Runway 15 as "Ghost 53".


Another interesting arrival was Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Westland Sea King Mk.50A with serial number N16-125. The Sea King uses the callsign "Shark 10".


Lastly, throughout the afternoon around a dozen Australian Army Sikorsky S70A-9 Blackhawk helicopters arrived at Rockhampton Airport, with most staying for night, and some departing after taking on fuel. Some of these choppers are pictured below...

A25-218 arriving as "Tester 04"


A25-213 arriving as "Blackhawk 213"


A25-206 arriving as "Warhorse 206"


A25-203 arriving as "Blackhawk 203"


At the end of the days spotting, both side of Rockhampton's cross-runway 04/22 were full the Tiger and Blackhawk helicopters taking up all the available parking spaces!