FlyPelican (Pelican Airlines) BAe J32s VH-NTL & VH-OTQ at Bundaberg Airport – Plus Alliance Airlines and QantasLink Charters – Take Firefighters Home Following Bushfire Crisis

A couple of nice first-time visitors to Central Queensland on Thursday 6 December with a pair of FlyPelican (Pelican Airlines) British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 3206 (Jetstream 32) turboprop aircraft VH-NTL and VH-OTQ both photographed on the ground at Bundaberg Airport operating closed charter flights to transport visiting interstate firefighters home to Northern New South Wales.  The firefighters have been in Central Queensland assisting local firefighters during the recent bushfire crisis.

VH-NTL arrived into Bundaberg Airport from RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle via the Ballina / Byron Bay Gateway Airport as PE997.  It then returned to Williamtown again via Ballina again as PE997.

VH-OTQ also arrived into Bundy also from Williamtown but via Coffs Harbour as PE998.  It then returned to Williamtown also flying via Ballina again as PE998.

Of interest, Fly Pelican (Pelican Airlines) is an Australian regional airline based at Newcastle in New South Wales.  The airline was formed in 2015 by former staff and using former aircraft of Aeropelican Air Services which was also based at Newcastle and was formed in 1968.  The airline was also associated with Ansett Australia Airlines.

Meanwhile, also at Bundaberg Airport also on Thursday 6 December, a number of additional QantasLink Dash-8 aircraft were noted visiting, also to transport firefighters home to New South Wales.

QantasLink Dash-8-Q300 VH-TQE flew into Bundy from Sydney as QLK2710 before departing to Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie as QLK2297.

QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-LQM also flew into Bundy from Sydney but as QLK2712.  It then departed back to Sydney but as QLK2295.

And QantasLink Dash-8-Q300 VH-SCE flew into Bundy from Brisbane as QLK2678.  It then departed to Armidale and Sydney as QLK2793/2713.

Up the road at Gladstone Airport, a pair of Alliance Airlines Fokker jets were also noted visiting to fly New South Wales firefighters home.

Fokker F-100 VH-UQA flew in from Brisbane as UTY560 before it then departed to Canberra as UTY561.  VH-UQA then returned to Brisbane as UTY562.

While Fokker F-70 VH-JFE also flew in from Brisbane but as UTY564 before it departed to Dubbo and then Wagga Wagga as UTY565.  VH-JFE then returned to Brisbane as UTY566.

Sincere thanks Isaac S at Bundaberg Airport for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Isaac S  ©