Hevilift Australia Re-Brands as Aerlink – New and Painted ATR 72 VH-FVY Calls into Moranbah Airport on FIFO Duties

During 2022, Brisbane-based Hevilift Australia (fixed Wing Division) was reported to have re-branded as Aerlink. However, it wasn’t until mid-January 2023 that Hevilift official ceased operations and Aerlink commenced operations with the fleet of ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft transferring over.

And the first aircraft operating in Aerlink colours has started flying into Central Queensland with ATR 72-500 VH-FVY commencing Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) operations from Brisbane to and back from Moranbah Airport on Tuesday 7 March as HT725/6.

VH-FVY was ferried into Brisbane from Subang, Malaysia via Port Hedland in mid-January as 2-LUDO. It previously operated for Malaysia Airline’s low-cost subsidiary Firefly as 9M-FYE.  It was then registered at VH-FVY and ferried to Cairns where it was re-painted.

VH-FVY joins four other ATR 72 aircraft - some of which were previously operated by Virgin Australia (Virgin Australia Regional Airlines [VARA] / Skywest Airlines) – VH-FVH, FVI (ex OY-CLU/VH-YWV), VH-FVL and VH-FVM, plus three ATR 42 aircraft VH FVZ (ex HC-CLT/N844AV), VH-YWX (ex P2-AVV) and VH-YWU which is former Toll Freight VH-TOQ and was photographed at Cairns Airport recently as shown below.

Of interest, former Hevilift Australia ATR 42 aircraft VH-TOX – which was also previously operated by Toll Freight Aviation – and VH-YWH are in long term storage with a recent photo of VH-YWH at Cairns Airport showing the aircraft being used as a source of spare parts.

Photos taken by Lloyd Fox and Jonathan Williams  ©