Scheduled 787 services to Brisbane start tomorrow!!!

Just one day to go now until Brisbane joins the 787 club. VH-VKA has the honours and will arrive from Denpasar-Bali at 0655 as JQ46. She will return to Bali at 0845 as JQ47. This service will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Jetstar announce BNE-HNL flights

Jetstar have recently announced a second international service to start out of Brisbane. The airline will launch a twice weekly (3x weekly in peak) service to Honolulu with Airbus A330-200s. With the A332s gradually being returned to Qantas, this means we will eventually see the airlines Boeing 787-8's on this flight.

JQ6 will depart Honolulu on Mondays and Thursdays  at 08:45, arriving into Brisbane on Tuesdays and Fridays at 14:30. The return service, JQ5 will depart Brisbane at 16:25 on Tuesdays and Fridays, arriving into Honolulu at 06:00 on the same day. The third weekly peak season service will depart Honolulu and Brisbane on Sundays.

This news comes as Hawaiian Airlines adds a fourth weekly service to Brisbane. The airline continues to operate Boeing 767-300ERs on the route.

One week to go! Jetstar 787s to Brisbane!

Well it's just one week today until Brisbane joins the 787 club! This time next week Jetstar will launch a new four times weekly service non-stop from Denpasar-Bali (Thursday, 17 April).

JQ46 will arrive at 06:55 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and JQ47 will depart back to DPS at 08:45 on the same days.

Jetstar currently have three Boeing 787-8's in their fleet with another eleven on order.

VH-VKA departing OOL

VH-VKB departing SYD

VH-VKD arriving into SYD

One of the massive, but extremely quiet GEnx engines on the 787.

The Jetstar dreamliners are configured with 21 business class seats (3 rows, 2x3x2)......

......and 314 economy seats (3x3x3 configuration).

All seats have personal IFE screens.

Wing-views on the 787-8

The advanced cockpit in the 787!

Myself and many other plane spotters will be out to see this stunning aircraft arrive next Thursday!

Rydges Sydney Airport Viewing Deck

Well it may not be Queensland related, but I am writing this up to help Rydges get the word out about the viewing deck at their Sydney Airport hotel. 

Many spotters (including myself) were saddened to here the news last month that Sydney Airport would close the observation deck located at the international terminal. The observation deck offered excellent views onto the main runway at Sydney Airport (RWY16R/34L). Thankfully Rydges soon announced that the viewing deck on top of the hotel would be open to spotters.

I ventured down to Sydney for a 3 day spotting trip earlier this week and got to checkout the deck. It offers unobstructed panoramic views over the airport. I spent 3 hours on the deck and had a great time spotting the afternoon movements. It was quite a hot day, but that wasn't a problem. Between movements you can sit in the air conditioned "Dreamliner Room", which is used for functions. When the next movement lines up on the runway you can clearly see it, and head back out onto the deck.

To access the deck, a $10 entrance fee must be payed at reception. This also includes a complimentary drink and the "Touch&Go Cafe". Some people may be a bit hesitant to head up to the deck due to the $10 fee. However it is more than worth it for the spectacular views it offers! I will definitely return!

Unfortunately the deck is only open when the conference room is not in use. Daily posts are made on the Rydges Sydney Airport facebook page with opening times. Staff at the hotel are extremely friendly and more than happy to help.

For more information, check out the hotels website, facebook page or on instagram.

http://www.rydges.com/accommodation/sydney-nsw/sydney-airport/local-area/plane-spotting/

https://www.facebook.com/RydgesSydneyAirportHotel

http://instagram.com/rydgessydneyairport

Some of my photos can be found below of RWY34L departures and aircraft at the international terminal below.

Last Qantas Boeing 737-400 flight out of Brisbane

VH-TJS has the honors of operating the last Qantas Boeing 737-400 passenger flight out of Brisbane. TJS will operate QF951 to Canberra tomorrow morning departing at 0510. Only two B734s remain in service with Qantas (VH-TJX being the other). Both will be retired on Sunday operating CBR-MEL.

VH-TJE

VH-TJI

VH-TJR

VH-TJX

VH-TJZ

Brisbane and Rockhampton Photos - February 13

Yesterday I flew up to Rockhampton for a couple of hours just for fun! Before and after the flights I also did a bit of spotting at Brisbane Airport.

Air Niugini Boeing 757-200 TF-FIC. Currently leased from Icelandair, fly's into BNE on Thursdays.

Private Gulfstream G-V-SP (G500) N760CC made a quick stop in Rockhampton

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-700 VH-VBZ in Rocky

Back in Brisbane - Virgin Australia ATR72-600 VH-FVY

Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 VH-VUC

Air New Zealand Airbus A320 ZK-OJE

Qantaslink Dash 8-Q300 VH-TQH

Qantas Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGJ

Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 VH-NXJ

Our Airline Boeing 737-300 VH-PNI

Qantaslink Dash 8-Q400 VH-QOI

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-700 VH-VBZ

Pacific Blue Boeing 737-800 ZK-PBM

JetGo Embraer ERJ-135 VH-JGB

Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-XZH

Aircalin Airbus A330-200 F-OJSE

Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 VH-NXL

Brisbane Airport Photos January 30

Here are some of my photos from Brisbane Airport yesterday (January 30). We had a few noteworthy movements yesterday and a few special schemes.

Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-VXB "Yananyi Dreaming"

Emirates Airbus A380 A6-EEK

Korean Air Airbus A330-300 HL7585

Philippine Airlines Airbus A320 RP-C8604

Etihad Airbus A330-200 A6-EYP

Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 B-HLQ

Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800 PK-GMZ

Fiji Airways Boeing 737-800 DQ-FJM

China Southern Airbus A330-200 B-6135

Qantas Boeing 747-400 VH-OJU "Boxing Kangaroo"

Air Niugini Fokker 100 P2-AND - Air Niugini sent in a F100 on the morning flight instead of Boeing 757-200 TF-FIC.

Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 VH-NXD

Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-XZJ "Mendoowoorrji" from inside the Domestic terminal.

Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-XZJ "Mendoowoorrji" taking off on RWY01.

Australian Army MRH-90 off on another test/training flight which they were doing all throughout the day.

Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 VH-YQS

Singapore Airlines Airbus A330-300 9V-STL

Alliance Fokker 50 VH-FKO - This is the third Fokker 50 in Brisbane now, joining FKV and FKY. These birds operate the FIFO flights out to Miles.

AAE BAe-146F VH-NJM doing a very rare daytime flight!

Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-VZW

Air New Zealand Airbus A320 ZK-OJC in the revised ANZ livery.

Virgin ATR72 and Qantas B738 banking after departing RWY01.

Solomon Airlines Airbus A320 H4-BUS

Air Caledonie ATR72-500 F-WNCL taxiing to the old terminal. This aircraft passed through Brisbane on its delivery flight to New Caledonia. A very rare and exotic catch in BNE.

Private Challenger N360SL

Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 VH-NXH

Alliance Fokker 100 VH-XWT

Our Airline Boeing 737-300 VH-PNI

Qantas Boeing 767-338ER

Aircalin Airbus A330-200 F-OJSE. Aircalin have been using A330-200s on the Thursday evening flights over the busy summer period instead of the usual A320.