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| VH-NXL arrives into Brisbane in mid-July |
It called in to Mackay Airport while operating the QJE1772/1773 service from and back to Brisbane. It appears that VH-NXL then ventured to Western Australia.
VH-NXL emerged from the Flying Colours paint-shop at Townsville Airport at the start of July and is the third of the fleet of Cobham Aviation-operated Boeing B717-200 regional jets to wear the new and updated Qantas livery and kangaroo logo, which was introduced to coincide with the introduction the Boeing B787 Dreamliner into service with the airline in 2017.
It also appears that the previously un-named VH-NXL has now been named 'Daintree National Park'.
The majority of the QantasLink B717-200 fleet wear the 2007 'New Roo' style livery, while now only VH-NXM (pictured below) - still wears its original 1984-style livery.
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| VH-NXM at Adelaide Airport in 2013 (File photo) |
Of interest, VH-NXL has had an interesting history to the present day. The Boeing B717-231 (c/n 55093-5083) was originally ordered new in 2001 by Trans World Airlines (TWA) in the USA and entered the US Aircraft Register as N426TW in October 2001. It was transferred to American Airlines when the airlines merged in December 2001 but was withdrawn from use and stored at Victorville, California in April 2002.
After being returned to Pembroke 717 Leasing, the B717 was soon cancelled from the US Aircraft Register and entered the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-VQG being leased to Qantas for operation by QantasLink but with Impulse Airlines as the registered operator. VH-VQG eventually arrived into Australia at Newcastle (Williamtown) in May 2002.
VH-VQG was leased to Jetstar Airways as the registered operator in May 2004 and operated for the Qantas low-cost carrier until January 2006.
In February 2006, it was re-registered VH-YQG and was soon after withdrawn from use and stored at Brisbane until December 2006, when it ferried to Newcastle.
After National Jet Systems (now Cobham Aviation Services) was awarded the contract to operate services for QantasLink, the B717 was re-registered VH-NXL in April 2007 and soon after, it ferried to Perth to commence operations in Western Australia.
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| VH-NXL arrives into Gladstone Airport in 2014 (File photo) |
In March 2009, National Jet Systems was re-branded as Cobham Aviation Services Australia and VH-NXL continues to operate services for QantasLink by Cobham Aviation. This contract will reportedly run until 2026.
Photos taken by James Baxter, Tony Haynes and Anthony Schulz ©
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