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| VH-NXO in new 'Silver-Roo' colours at Perth Airport (File photo) |
VH-NXO underwent planned maintenance at Singapore (Seletar) Airport in December and it is believed that while it was there, it was re-painted into the new Qantas / QantasLink colour scheme. VH-NXO ferried back to Australia via Broome and Perth in the middle of December, and appears to have operated in Western Australia until last week when it flew across to Brisbane. It was noted to be now the fifth 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-NXO has now been named 'Wilsons Promontory National Park'.
VH-NXO is the fifth overall and the first QantasLink B717-200 in the fleet to be re-painted having previously worn the 2007 'New Roo' style livery. The other four B717-200s previously wore their original 1984-style Qantas / QantasLink livery.
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| VH-NXO at Mackay Airport in 2012 (File photo) |
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| VH-NXO at Mackay Airport in 2012 (File photo) |
Of interest, VH-NXO has had an interesting history to the present day. The Boeing B717-231 (c/n 55096-5093) was originally ordered new in 2001 by Trans World Airlines (TWA) in the USA and entered the US Aircraft Register as N429TW in November 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 It was transferred to American Airlines when the airlines merged in December 2001 but was withdrawn from use and stored at Victorville, California in December 2001.
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-VQJ being leased to Qantas for operation by QantasLink but with Impulse Airlines as the registered operator. VH-VQJ eventually arrived into Australia at Newcastle (Williamtown) in May 2002 in an all-metal livery with the 'TWA' rudder. The aircraft was re-painted soon after and entered service with QantasLink during the latter part of May 2002.
In May 2004, VH-VQJ had its livery removed and was transferred to Jetstar Airways and is believed to have operated its first revenue service with the airline in January 2005.
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| VH-VQJ at Brisbane Airport in 2004 (File photo) |
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| VH-VQJ at Brisbane Airport in 2004 (File photo) |
In July 2005, VH-VQJ was re-painted into an attractive Jetstar Avis / Budget rental car livery.
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| VH-VQJ at Brisbane Airport in 2005 (File photo) |
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| VH-VQJ at Brisbane Airport in 2005 (File photo) |
In January 2006, the aircraft was re-registered as VH-YQJ and continued to operate for Jetstar until May when it was withdrawn from service and stored at Brisbane. After re-entering service for one day only to cover the breakdown of a Jetstar A320, VH-YQJ was then promptly withdrawn from service again and again stored at Newcastle and then Tamworth in June 2006.
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| VH-YQJ stored at Tamworth in January 2007 (File photo) |
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| VH-YQJ stored at Tamworth in January 2007 (File photo) |
After National Jet Systems (now Cobham Aviation Services) was awarded the contract to operate services for QantasLink, the B717 was re-registered VH-NXO in July 2007 and a month later, it ferried to Perth to commence operations in Western Australia.
In March 2009, National Jet Systems was re-branded as Cobham Aviation Services Australia and VH-NXO continues to operate services for QantasLink by Cobham Aviation. This contract will reportedly run until 2026.
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