Recently Re-registered Qantas Airways Boeing B737-800 VH-VYZ (ex ZK-ZQG) Pops into Hamilton Island Airport

A 'new' Qantas Airways aircraft has made its first visit to Hamilton Island Airport on Sunday 13 January with Boeing B737-800 VH-VYZ noted operating into Hamilton Island Airport on the scheduled QFA866/867 service from and back to Sydney.

VH-VYZ approaching Brisbane Airport  (File photo)

The B737-800 was originally ordered by Qantas and was rolled off the Boeing production line in mid-2011.  The planned registration marking of VH-VZN was not taken up and instead it entered the New Zealand aircraft register as ZK-ZQG with Jetconnect Ltd in Auckland, New Zealand.

Of interest, this aircraft was the 170th Boeing airliner delivered new to Qantas Airways and the 50th Boeing B737 delivered to Qantas

Soon after its arrival into Melbourne in June 2011, ZK-ZQG was noted wearing the name 'Ernest Rutherford'.  Soon after, it entered service and operated its first Qantas Jetconnect revenue service from Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Auckland as QFA25 on Tuesday 28 June 2011.

ZK-ZQG approaching Brisbane Airport in 2014  (File photo)

ZK-ZQG operated its final service for Qantas Jetconnect on Wednesday 31 October last year when it arrived into Brisbane from Auckland as QFA120.  The aircraft was subsequently cancelled from the New Zealand aircraft register and was then placed on the Australian aircraft register as VH-VYZ, with Qantas as the registered operator.

It was unable to wear its original planned registration marking of VH-VZN as this has now been taken by a hot-air balloon.

VH-VYZ now wears the name 'Torquay'.

VH-VYZ entered service with Qantas on Friday 16 November.

Photos taken by Simon Coates and Tony Haynes  ©