New QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-84F (ex C-GJWE) First Revenue Flight into CQ at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport - Plus More!

On Tuesday 6 May, recently delivered QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-84F completed its first ever revenue flight, and it happened to be into CQ, with it touching down at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport from Brisbane as QLK2376.  It then returned to Brisbane as QLK2377 before completing another return flight to Hervey Bay Airport and back to Brisbane as QLK2380/1.

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The second-hand Dash-8-Q400 is the fourth of 12 (or 14) aircraft that the Qantas Group has purchased from Canadian operator WestJet Encore.  VH-84F previously operated as C-GJWE and operated with the airline from December 2013 until April 2024 when it looked to suffer a tail strike at Calgary in Canada.

File photo

The Dash-8 arrived into Australia at Brisbane on Friday 25 April, still wearing its Canadian registration marking of C-GJWE, completing a massive delivery flight from Canada via Honolulu and Majuro.  

It was promptly placed on the Australian Aircraft Register and named 'Horn Island Ngurupai'.  It recently completed a test flight before entering service as described above.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 6 May, Air Gold Coast Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 bizjet VH-CDG flew up to Natal Downs from Dalby and then back.

And Emerald Coaches (Emerald) Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage VH-ZMM flew up from Adelaide to Emerald Airport.

Finally, also on Tuesday 6 May, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-003 as "Wedgetail 02" flew up from RAAF Base Williamtown to complete a missed approach at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport before then flying down to land at RAAF Base Amberley.

Photos taken by Paul Corfiatis and Wally H  ©