Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VH First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Monday 25 May, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VH was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It arrived as VOZ621 from to Brisbane. At the time of writing, it is due to return to Brisbane early on Tuesday 26 May as VOZ600.

File photo

VH-8VH was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in on Saturday 9 May this year and entered service five days later. 

The aircraft was named 'Port Noarlunga' and is the 16th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Of interest, on Friday 22 May, Virgin Australia B737-8MAX VH-8VI arrived into Brisbane Airport in a striking retro livery celebrating the airlines 150th B737 since it started as Virgin Blue in August 2000.  It entered service today on Monday 25 May and we await its first visit into CQ!

Nice!

Photos taken by Tony Haynes and Lloyd Fox  ©

Virgin Australia (ex REX Airlines) Boeing B737-8FE(WL) VH-REX (ex VH-VUU) Makes First Visit to CQ at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport

On Saturday 18 January, there was an interesting 'first visit' into Central Queensland with Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing B737-8FE(WL) VH-REX calling into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport from and back to Brisbane as VOZ1117/8.

But technically, it isn't the first visit by this particular airframe - MSN 36609 / LN 3232.

The 14.8-year-old airframe was originally flown by Virgin Blue / Virgin Australia from 2010 to 2020 with the registration marking of VH-VUU.

In 2020, it was initially stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) before being stored at Jakarta in Indonesia.  The aircraft was then re-registered as VH-REX and re-painted into full Regional Express (REX) Airlines livery with it being delivered and entering service in February 2021.

When REX's jet operations collapsed in 2024, VH-REX was withdrawn from service and again stored at Tullamarine before being again moved to Jakarta.  In November 2024, VH-REX returned to Tullamarine before then being re-painted back into full Virgin Australia Airlines livery at Wagga Wagga.

VH-REX entered service with Virgin Australia on Tuesday 24 December.

Of interest, VH-REX is the first of two former Virgin Australia and REX Airlines aircraft to re-enter service with Virgin with Boeing B737-800 VH-RQP also starting flying with Virgin on earlier this month after also arriving back from Jakarta in December and then also being re-painted at Wagga Wagga.

Photos taken by Ryan Hothersall, Bernie Proctor and Robert Myers  ©

Virgin Australia (ex REX Airlines) Boeing B737-8FE(WL) VH-RQP (ex VH-BZG) Makes First Visit to CQ at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport - Plus More!

On Friday 10 January, there was an interesting 'first visit' into Central Queensland with Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing B737-8FE(WL) VH-RQP calling into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport from and back to Brisbane as VOZ1117/8.

But technically, it isn't the first visit by this particular airframe - MSN 37822 / LN 3355.

The 14.5-year-old airframe was originally flown by Virgin Blue / Virgin Australia from 2010 to 2020 with the registration marking of VH-BZG.

In 2020, it was initially stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) before being stored at Jakarta in Indonesia.  The aircraft was then re-registered as VH-RQP and re-painted into full Regional Express (REX) Airlines livery with it being delivered and entering service in March 2021.

When REX's jet operations collapsed in 2024, VH-RQP was withdrawn from service and again stored at Tullamarine before being again moved to Jakarta.  In December 2024, VH-RQP returned to Tullamarine before then being re-painted back into full Virgin Australia Airlines livery at Wagga Wagga.

VH-RQP entered service with Virgin Australia on Saturday 4 January.

Of interest, VH-RQP is the second of two former Virgin Australia and REX Airlines aircraft to re-enter service with Virgin with Boeing B737-800 VH-REX starting flying with Virgin on Christmas Eve after also arriving back from Jakarta in late November and then also being re-painted at Wagga Wagga.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 10 January, Kirkhope Aviation (of Melbourne) Beech B200 King Air VH-ZOK landed at Mackay Airport after flying up from Melbourne (Moorabbin).

UPDATE!  On Saturday 11 January, VH-ZOK departed Mackay Airport for Hamilton Island Airport before then returning to Moorabbin but via Bourke.  

After operating the Whitsundays on tourist flights since arriving in November 2024, Commando Skydivers (Victoria) GippsAero GA8-TC320 Airvan VH-SXK flew down from Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport to Morwell (Latrobe Valley) via Goondiwindi and Temora.  It since looks like it has taken up parachuting operations back at Latrobe Valley.

And Hughes Aviation (Hughes Pastoral Group) (Gympie) Pilatus PC-12/47E NGX VH-8HP has had another busy week flying around the region departing Tierawoomba at the start of the week and landing back there today after visiting such places as Mackay Airport, Tumbar Station, Lake Nash and Mount Isa.

Photos taken by Jonathan Williams, Bernie Proctor and Robert Myers  ©

Former Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VOQ Departs Australia For Good from Alice Springs Storage as VP-CJA

During this week on Wednesday 27 October, it was interesting to note that former Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VOQ (now registered as VP-CJA) departed Australia for good after being in storage at Alice Springs for a period of time.  VP-CJA initially flew into Darwin before continuing to South Korea and then Guangzhou, China where it looks to have been placed in storage. 

VP-CJA departs Darwin  (Photo taken by Sid Mitchell  ©️)

The B737-800 - as VH-VOQ - ferried into Alice springs on Sunday 18 October 2020 after being initially sorted at Brisbane since March 2020.

VH-VOQ at Alice Springs in September  (Photo taken by Jarrod Swanwick  ©️)

VH-VOQ has had an interesting history with it originally ordered new by and registered to Virgin Blue in October 2003.  It was accepted by Virgin Blue in the standard Pacific Blue livery and delivered to Australia via Brisbane in late October 2003.  The aircraft was named 'Peta Pan'.

VH-VOQ operated its first flight for Virgin Blue at the end of October 2003.

VH-VOQ at Brisbane Airport in 2006

VH-VOQ at Brisbane in 2008

In the years after, VH-VOQ was one of several B737-800 aircraft to be partially re-painted and have the 'Pacific Blue' titles and colours on the fuselage removed.  Smaller 'Airline of Virgin Blue' titles were added and then 'edited' as shown below.

VH-VOQ in 'Airline of Virgin Blue' livery in 2011

VH-VOQ in 'Airline of Virgin Blue' livery in 2011

Virgin Blue was eventually renamed Virgin Australia Airlines in May 2011 and at then end of 2011, VH-VOQ was ferried to Christchurch where the Virgin Australia livery was applied.  VH-VOQ was also re-named as 'Margaret River'.

VH-VOQ at the start of 2012

VH-VOQ with a temporary red nose cone also in 2012

VH-VOQ at Hamilton Island in 2013

VH-VOQ at Rockhampton in 2015

VH-VOQ operated its final flight in late March 2020, with its final visit to Central Queensland on Friday 13 March 2020 when it completed the VOZ613/616 flight into Mackay Airport from and back to Brisbane.

As mentioned above, after being placed into storage at Brisbane, VH-VOQ then ferried to Alice Springs on Sunday 18 October 2020 where it was placed into storage at the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage facility.

Virgin Australia (ex Tigerair Australia) Boeing B737-800 VH-VUX Re-Enters Service and Calls into Rockhampton Airport

An interesting visitor into Rockhampton Airport on Monday 27 September was Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUX. It arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane as VOZ1239/1240.

VH-VUX re-entered service with Virgin Australia at the start of this month after operating for Virgin's low cost subsidiary Tigerair Australia between October 2019 and March 2020.

VH-VUX was withdrawn from use and placed in long-term storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Thursday 10 June 2021 when it was finally taken out of storage and flown from there to Townsville where it was re-painted into Virgin Australia livery at the local Flying Colours paint shop. It is reported VH-VUX has again picked up its previous name of 'Nightcliff Beach'.

VH-VUX then flew from Townsville to Hong Kong (pictured) just over a week later where it underwent planned maintenance.  It then returned to Australia via Cairns and Brisbane on Saturday 10 July where it was stored until it entered service with Virgin Australia on Wednesday 1 September.

Of interest, VH-VUX was ordered by and delivered new to Virgin Blue in October 2010 and wore the name 'Ballina Ballerina'.

VH-VUX at Rockhampton in August in 2014  (File photo)

After Virgin Blue was renamed Virgin Australia Airlines in May 2011, VH-VUX was finally re-painted by Flying Colours in Townsville into the Virgin Australia livery in December 2014 and was renamed 'Nightcliff Beach'.

VH-VUX at Gladstone in January 2015  (File photo)

VH-VUX flew with the airline until September 2019 when it was transferred to Tigerair Australia. After being re-painted into Tigerair livery again in Townsville, VH-VUX entered service with Tigerair in October 2019.

VH-VUX at Adelaide Airport in late December 2019  (File photo)

VH-VUX is now the second B737-800 to re-join the Virgin Australia fleet with VH-YVA doing so late in 2020.

Of interest, with the Tigerair Australia brand now gone, the remaining Boeing B737-800 operated by the airline remain in storage - VH-VUB remains in storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine), while VH-VUD and VH-VOR are at Alice Springs where they are stored in the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) facility.

Photos taken by Ho Ting Au, 'IAD', Anthony Schulz and Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUC Departs Australia For Good - Re-registered in Overseas Storage as 2-VVUC

Interesting to note across that Saturday 12 December and Sunday 13 December, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUC looked to depart Australia for good from Brisbane and Darwin (pictured) on what appears to be a flight back to it lessor.  It landed at Clark International Airport in the Philippines.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 17 January 2021, VH-VUC ferried from Clark to Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport in China.

UPDATE!  VH-VUC has subsequently been re-registered 2-VVUC and flew from Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport to Yichang Sanxia Airport also in China.

VH-VUC has had an interesting history with it originally ordered new by and registered to Virgin Blue in October 2004. It was accepted by Virgin Blue and delivered to Australia via Brisbane in mid October 2004. The aircraft was named 'Foxsy Rock'sy'.

VH-VUC operated its first flight for Virgin Blue at the end of October 2004.

VH-VUC at Brisbane in 2006

VH-VUC at Rockhampton Airport in 2007

Virgin Blue was eventually renamed Virgin Australia Airlines in May 2011 and in December 2013, VH-VUC was ferried to Townsville where the Virgin Australia livery was applied at the local Flying Colours Aviation facility - the first Virgin Australia aircraft to do so in Townsville. VH-VUC was also re-named as 'Peregian Beach'.

VH-VUC at Brisbane in 2014

During 2020, VH-VUC spent a short time in storage from March to June with it then re-entering service until Friday 28 August when it was finally withdrawn from use and placed back in storage at Brisbane.

VH-VUC at Rockhampton Airport in July 2020

VH-VUC at Rockhampton Airport in July 2020

The final time that VH-VUC visited Central Queensland was on Tuesday 4 August when it visited Mackay Airport twice as VOZ605/610/613/616 each time arriving from and departing back to Brisbane.

As mentioned above, VH-VUC departed Brisbane on Saturday 12 December on the first leg of its final flights out of Australia.

Photos taken by Sid Mitchell and Steve Vit  ©

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 Jet VH-KBX Pops into Bundaberg and Gladstone Airport - Plus More Airline News!

Certainly a very nice surprise visitor to both Bundaberg and Gladstone Airports on Friday 24 April was Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 jet VH-KBX.  It was operating on behalf of Virgin Australia on 'new' triangular route which sees the VOZ2905 service depart Brisbane for Gladstone Airport but with a stop at Bundaberg Airport on the way.  The VOZ2904 service then returns direct to Brisbane from Gladstone Airport.

It appears that this new routing has commenced this week.

Of interest, Fokker F-70 jet VH-KBX previously flew with the Royal Netherlands Air Force / Government of the Netherlands as a VIP transport aircraft and carried the Dutch registration marking of PH-KBX.  It arrived into Brisbane in August 2017 and entered the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-KBX soon after.  VH-KBX looked to finally enter service in May last year.  VH-KBX has reportedly maintained its VIP interior to possibly become Alliance Airlines' new 'corporate charter aircraft'.

Meanwhile, it was a positive start this week with both Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways ramping up their domestic flights with a $165 million assist from Federal Government.   Under the package, Qantas and Virgin will reinstate over 220 flights per week on routes serving all capital cities and 36 larger regional centres across all states and territories to create what's called a 'minimum domestic network'.

However, as was widely reported, also this week, Virgin Australia, with a 20-year history of operating in Australia, announced it had gone into voluntary administration.  With $5 billion in debt and no hope of a government bailout, the company said it planned to "recapitalise the business" and appointed accounting firm Deloitte to act as its administrator.

In 2000, Virgin Australia first entered the Australian aviation market with just one route, two aircraft and 200 employees.  Then known as Virgin Blue, the airline's first flight was from Brisbane to Sydney on Thursday 31 August 2000.

Sincere thanks to Dan from Dan Beck Photography for allowing us to share these great photos!

Photo taken by Dan B  ©

CQ Plane Spotting - Where are They Now? Virgin Blue (Virgin Australia) Boeing B737-400 VH-VGA - Now Cargo Air (Bulgaria) LZ-CGX

Where are they now?

As you’ve seen, I am fascinated in the history of aircraft so thought I’d share some more of the interesting history of one particular airframe we’ve seen here in Central Queensland in past years in a semi-regular Blog post called 'Where are they now?'.

The first ever aircraft operated under Virgin brand here in Australia with Sir Richard Branson and then-CEO Brett Godfrey at the helm was Boeing B737-400 VH-VGA.

Designated as a B737-43Q (c/n 28489), the airframe rolled off the production line in 1996 and initially spent time operating with China Airlines in Taiwan before being transferred to Virgin Express Ireland as EI-TVA.  It wore this livery and registration when it arrived in Australia on delivery to Virgin Blue in June 2000 but soon after, was placed on the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-VGA and name ‘Blue Belle’.

VH-VGA operating the inaugural Virgin Blue service on Thursday 7 September 2000 and remained with the airline until 2002 when it was transferred back to Europe and Virgin Express Belgium.

Since then, the airframe continued to operate in Belgium with Brussels Airlines (which merged in part with Virgin Express) before it then operated for the Polish airline Enter Air from 2012.  It was then converted to a freighter aircraft in the USA in 2017 and is now operating with Bulgarian cargo airline Cargo Air as LZ-CGX since March 2018.  LZ-CGX was photographed by Jan-Arwed Richter in July 2018.

Jan-Arwed Richter / https://www.flickr.com/

Do have any other information on or photos of aircraft that operated in CQ (or even Australia) that are still flying somewhere in the world?  Please share on our Facebook page!!

Tigerair (Tiger Airways Australia) Boeing B737-800 VH-VUD Pops into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport

Certainly a surprise arrival into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport on Friday 10 August with Tigerair (Tiger Airways Australia) operating Boeing B737-800 VH-VUD into the Whitsundays on their scheduled TGG394/397 service from and back to Sydney.

VH-VUD at Adelaide Airport recently  (File photo)

This is the first ever that I believe that one of the Tigerair’s three current 180-seat Boeing B737-800s has operated the flight with it usually flown by one of their 12 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

Word around the Airport suggested that this change of equipment on Friday flights could occur for some weeks into the future.

Of interest – and I love this stuff! – VH-VUD has had an interesting history.  While it is currently flown by Tigerair within Australia, the aircraft is registered to their parent company, Virgin Australia Airlines where it has been with the airline for over a decade.

The aircraft was originally ordered new by Virgin Blue and rolled off the production line and was then registered as VH-VUD in October 2004.  After being delivered in November, in the full titles and colours of 'Pacific Blue' Airlines - Virgin Blue's New Zealand based subsidiary airline - and it was noted wearing the name ‘Bewitching Broome’.  VH-VUD entered service with Virgin Blue soon after. 

VH-VUD in Pacific Blue livery at Brisbane Airport in 2006  (File photo)

After three years, VH-VUD was withdrawn from Virgin blue service and ferried to Christchurch in New Zealand where it was then re-registered as ZK-PBG and leased to Pacific Blue.  It operated its first service with Pacific Blue in November 2007 on a New Zealand domestic flight and over the years it was a regular at Airports on the Eastern seaboard.

Now registered ZK-PBG at Brisbane Airport in 2008  (File photo)

After Pacific Blue was incorporated in the ‘Virgin Australia’ company name, ZK-PBG operated its final service with its New Zealand registration marking in March 2015.  It was then re-registered once again as VH-VUD and had the name ‘Tallows Beach’ applied.  VH-VUD then re-entered service with Virgin Australia and operated both domestic and international flights until October 2016 when it was once again withdrawn from service.

ZK-PBG on approach to Brisbane Airport in full Virgin Australia livery in 2014  (File photo)

VH-VUD parked at Brisbane Airport in 2016  (File photo)

VH-VUD 'Tallows Beach' on approach to Adelaide Airport  (File photo)

VH-VUD then flew to Townsville and was re-painted into the Tigerair livery by Flying Colours at Townsville following the announcement that Tigerair would be the low-cost off-shoot of Virgin Australia.

VH-VUD in full Tigerair livery at gate at Adelaide Airport  (File photo)

After a period of storage and crew training out of Melbourne (Tullamarine), VH-VUD finally entered domestic service with Tigerair in February 2017 and continues to operate on the Tigerair domestic network.

Photos taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Final Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPH Departs Australia - For Good?

On Wednesday 21 February, Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPH was noted departing Brisbane Airport for Apia (Tonga) as VOZ9901.  It is reported that it will continue to Honolulu (Hawaii), Van Nuys (California) and Nashville (Tennessee) in the coming days for post-lease maintenance.

It has also been reported (including by us!) that VH-ZPH may eventually ferry back from Nashville to the Philippines where it could possibly be prepared to return to Australia later this year and operate for JetGo Australia Airlines.  Former Virgin Australia E-190 VH-ZPT departed Australia for Darwin and Clark International Airport at Manilla in late January in preparation for some future delivery back to Australia for JetGo where it will launch the airlines planned International services between Brisbane and Karratha in Western Australia and onward to Singapore.

Meanwhile, VH-ZPH is the final Virgin Australia E-190 jet to be withdrawn from the fleet and be transferred to other operators or storage.  It follows VH-ZPD, VH-ZPF, VH-ZPE, VH-ZPG, VH-ZPJ, VH-ZPL, VH-ZPB, VH-ZPA, VH-ZPM, VH-ZPI ,VH-ZPC, VH-ZPQ, VH-ZPK, VH-ZPR, VH-ZPN, VH-ZPO and VH-ZPT which have all departed Australia since February 2016.

As reported several times, Virgin Australia announced its decision to phase out the E-190 from service in June 2016 as part of plans to rationalise the airline group’s fleet to help cut costs. Other changes include the withdrawal for some of its ATR 72 turboprop fleet and the transition of low-cost carrier subsidiary Tigerair from an all-Airbus A320 operator to the Boeing B737.

VH-ZPH was the eighth of eleven new aircraft ordered by Virgin Blue in November 2006. It entered the Australian register in July 2008 and was delivered to the airline in August 2008.  VH-ZPH was noted wearing the name 'Hastings Highness' and was configured to seat 6 Business Class and 92 Economy Class passengers.

VH-ZPH operated its first revenue flight for Virgin Blue on Monday 25 August 2008 when it operated as DJ1231 from Brisbane to Rockhampton Airport.

With Virgin Blue being renamed and re-branded as Virgin Australia Airlines in May 2011, VH-ZPH returned from maintenance and re-painting in Alverca do Ribatejo, Portugal in April 2014.  It looked to take up the name 'Honeymoon Cove'.

As we posted on our Facebook page, VH-ZPH operated its final revenue service for Virgin Australia on Saturday 3 February when it operated as VOZ1102/1105 from Brisbane to Newcastle (Williamtown) Airport.  A 'hangar party' was then held during the afternoon following VH-ZPH's final touch down back at Brisbane.

Of interest, it appears that VH-ZPH's final flight into Central Queensland was on Sunday 28 January when it operated into Mackay Airport and back from Brisbane as VOZ607/610.

VH-ZPH departs Mackay Airport some time ago  (File photo)

Sincere thanks to Brisbane-based plane spotters Dylan H and Dom for allowing us to share their great photos from the historic final touch down by Virgin's final Embraer E-190 jet.

Photos taken by Dylan Hardie, Dom and 'AC'  ©