Many Photos of Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 Jets at Rockhampton Airport

Yet another special post with local photographer Russell P again very generously allowing us to share some of his spectacular photos.  This time, he shares some great photos he captured on three afternoons of Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 jets operating through Rockhampton Airport on behalf of Virgin Australia on flights from and back to Brisbane.  He captured...

VH-UQF on Friday 4 January operating as VOZ1249/1252

VH-UQN on Sunday 6 January operating as VOZ1243/1244

VH-XWS on Wednesday 16 January operating as VOZ1249/1252.

Of interest, Alliance Airlines was established in 2002 when Brisbane-based Queensland Airline Holdings acquired the assets of the dormant Flight West Airlines, which ceased scheduled services in 2001.  Alliance Airlines commenced operations with two Fokker F-100 jets and one Embraer E-120 Brasilia turboprop aircraft.

Alliance Airlines is now arguably Australia’s major Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) air charter operator. Today, Alliance boasts a fleet of 40 Fokker jet and turboprop aircraft, employs over 500 staff and provides regular and adhoc charter services in Australia and New Zealand.

Sincere thanks Russell for taking the time to capture and send through these stunning photos!  Enjoy!

All photos taken by Russell Prothero  ©

Newly Delivered Seair Pacific / Istlecote DHC-6-100 Twin Otter VH-ZKF at Hervey Bay Airport Monday

Certainly an interesting visitor noted departing Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport on Monday 25 April was Seair Pacific's newly delivered De Havilland DHC-6-100 Twin Otter VH-ZKF.

VH-ZKF parked at Jandakot (WA) in November 2015  (Gary Matthews / https://www.flickr.com/)

The 'twotter' was registered to Seair Pacific / Istlecote in mid-March after spending over a decade in Western Australia flying with the Karratha Flying Service.  It appears that VH-ZKF completed its trans-Australia delivery flight over this previous weekend with the fantastic Twin Otter Spotter Blog reporting that it flew from Charleville to Lady Eilliot Island and finally the Gold Coast over the course of Saturday 23 April and Sunday 24 April.

Research into this particular Twin Otter (MSN 43) also reveals that it has a historic link with Central Queensland.  The Twin Otter Archive website has a full history of the aircraft from the date is was rolled out of the De Havilland factory (29 March 1967) and when it completed its first flight (30 March 1967).

Flying as VH-TZL, this particular Twin Otter looked to arrive in Australia in 1978 and was operated by Aeropelican Intercity Commuter Services out of Newcastle (Belmont) Airport.  In 1981, VH-TZL then looked to move North and was seemingly operated out of Maryborough Airport - and perhaps other regional ports in CQ - for Noosa Air, Sunstate Airlines, Flight West Airlines and locally-based Whitaker Air Charter.

Unknown photographer / Michael J. Ody Collection / http://twinotterarchive.com/

Unknown photographer / Michael J. Ody Collection / http://twinotterarchive.com/

Information suggests that VH-TZL continued to be operated by Whitaker Air Charter until it was sold to the Karratha Flying Service and re-registered VH-ZKF in 2004.