VH-NXQ underwent planned maintenance at Singapore (Seletar) Airport during the early part of May this year and it appears that while it was there, it was re-painted into the new Qantas / QantasLink colour scheme. VH-NXQ arrived into Brisbane from Seletar and Port Hedland in Western Australia in late May, and was soon then placed into storage at Brisbane Airport.
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| VH-NXQ prepares to depart Adelaide Airport for Seletar (File photo) |
VH-NXQ is now the ninth 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-NXQ has now been named 'Port Campbell National Park'.
The tenth Boeing B717-200 VH-YQU has also re-entered service with QantasLink this week after also being in storage at Brisbane after it returned from maintenance and re-painting earlier in the month also at Seletar.
Of interest, VH-NXQ has had an interesting history to the present day. The Boeing B717-231 (c/n 55097-5095) was originally ordered new in 2001 by Trans World Airlines (TWA) in the USA and entered the US Aircraft Register as N430TW in December 2001. It didn't appear to enter service with airline and was eventually stored at Victorville, California.
The B717 was soon cancelled from the US Aircraft Register and entered the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-VQK in April 2002, being leased to Qantas for operation by QantasLink but with Impulse Airlines as the registered operator. VH-VQK eventually arrived into Australia at Newcastle (Williamtown) in May 2002.
VH-VQK was leased to Jetstar Airways as the registered operator in May 2004 and operated for the Qantas low-cost carrier until April 2006.
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| VH-VQK approaches Adelaide Airport in mid-2005 (File photo) |
The B717-200 was also re-registered VH-YQK in November 2005.
After being withdrawn from service, VH-YQK was stored at Brisbane and then Tamworth.
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| VH-YQK stored at Brisbane in mid-2006 (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-NXQ in September 2007 and soon after, it was re-painted and then 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-NXQ continues to operate services for QantasLink by Cobham Aviation. This contract will reportedly run until 2026.
Finally, it appears that fellow QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-YQV has ferried overseas to Singapore's Seletar Airport for planned maintenance and I assume, re-painting.
Photos taken by 'JM', Tony Haynes, Ryan Hothersall and Simon Coates ©
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