Local photographer Russell P was also on hand at Rockhampton Airport to capture some stunning photos as VH-YIS arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane as VOZ1249/1252.
VH-YIS is the third of possibly five Boeing B737-800s to be retrofitted with the new Split Scimitar winglets that will mostly be used on international flights to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Bali.
The Split Scimitar winglets, which have been named after a type of Middle Eastern sword with a curved blade, aim to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. It features a split tip, with one part curved upwards at the end of the wing and a second tip pointing downwards and backwards at an angle.
The winglets, developed by Aviation Partners Boeing, have been available for retrofit on existing Boeing B737 Next Generation aircraft (B737-600, -700, -800 and -900/900ER series aircraft) since 2014. Virgin is the first airline in Australia to introduce the winglets into service.
The two other of the five Boeing B737-800s to be retrofitted with the Split Scimitar winglets were VH-YIV and VH-YIR with the latter making its first visit to CQ but at Mackay Airport earlier in the week - see Blog posts below.
Sincere thanks to Russell P for taking the time to capture and send through these stunning photos!
All photos taken by Russell Prothero ©
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