QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOC in New Qantas Colours Pops into CQ Airports

Over the course of this week, QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOC has been noted visiting several Central Queensland towns, days after returning from Townsville where it was re-painted into the new Qantas livery.

On Tuesday 30 January, it flew a Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight into Moranbah Airport from Cairns as QLK593 before continuing to Brisbane as QLK769.  Then, over the course of Wednesday 31 January and Thursday 1 February, VH-QOC visited most CQ Airports and was spotted above and below arriving into Gladstone Airport late on Thursday after operating the QLK2344 service from Brisbane.

It was interesting to note that VH-QOC has retained its original name of 'Mackay'.

VH-QOC is the third and latest Dash-8-Q400 to be re-painted into the new Qantas livery at the Flying Colours facility at Townsville Airport.

At present, VH-QOA and VH-QOB are the other Dash-8-Q400 turboprops to be re-painted with VH-QOB operating out of Cairns and Townsville since it emerged from the paint-shop in mid-January.  It has however, completed a couple of runs between Cairns and Hamilton Island on the QLK2503/2504 service with its first visit shortly after it emerged in new colours back on Wednesday 17 January.

I believe VH-QOB should also have retained its original name of 'Yeppoon'.

Currently, Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOD 'Emerald' is in the Flying Colours paint shop at Townsivlle Airport.

As reported on our Facebook page, VH-QOD, VH-QOE and VH-QOF are the final three QantasLink Dash-8-Q400s to wear the very old 1984-style Qantas livery and will all soon be re-painted in the new and updated livery and kangaroo logo, which was introduced to coincide with the introduction the Boeing B787 Dreamliner into service late last year.  One other Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOH, which is currently adorned in the attractive pink Breast Cancer Awareness colour scheme, is also due to be re-painted into the new livery soon after.  It too was spotted at Gladstone Airport during a recent visit.

Of interest, the tail design currently on VH-QOH is from the 2007 revision of the Qantas livery and is speculated to be the first of the numerous QantasLink Dash-8-Q400s to be re-painted into the new 'Dreamliner' livery.

All photos taken by Col B  ©