WA Aviation News

Leonardo AW139 to replace Bell 412EP Emergency Rescue Helicopters

Artist impression of the Leonardo AW139 rescue helicopter over Perth. Image courtesy of CHC - Dietmar Rabich.

WA Aviation News

Leonardo AW139 to replace Bell 412EP Emergency Rescue Helicopters

David Eyre 1 June 2022

Rome, 01 June 2022: Leonardo announced that CHC Australia has ordered three new Leonardo AW139 helicopters, under contract to the State of Western Australia, for Western Australia’s Emergency Rescue...

Artist impression of the new $10 million heliport at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH).

New $10 million heliport for Royal Perth Hospital

David Eyre 26 May 2022

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson and Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson today opened Royal Perth Hospital’s (RPH) new 788 square metre $10 million heliport. The new heliport will allow the...

VH-VGP Airbus A320-232 (MSN 4343) of Jetstar, at Perth Airport - 16 March 2018. Photo © David Eyre. VH-VGP is parked at bay 150A at 6:21am. It departed as flight JQ110 to Denpasar (Bali), at 7:21am. Behind are: B-LAQ Airbus A330-343 (MSN 1349) of Cathay Pacific, arriving at Bay 151 as CX133 from Hong Kong. PK-GPV Airbus A330-343X (MSN 1577) of Garuda Indonesia, parked at Bay 153 - it departed later as flight GA727 to Denpasar (Bali). 9V-SSB Airbus A330-343X (MSN 1517) of Singapore Airlines, parked at bay 154, it departed as flight SQ224 to Singapore. 9M-XXJ Airbus A330-343X (MSN 1423) of AirAsia X, parked at Bay 155, prior to departing as D7 237 to Kuala Lumpur. PK-LBG Boeing 737-9GPER (MSN 38688/4414) of Batik Air Indonesia, parked at Bay 156, prior to departing as flight ID6008 to Denpasar (Bali).

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: Impacts on foreign airlines operating to Western Australia

David Eyre 15 January 2022

14 January 2022 © David Eyre NOTE: If you note any errors or missing information, please let us know using the comments. Travel restrictions/bans imposed On 1 February 2020,...

VH-LWO Pilatus PC-12/47E (MSN 1935) registered to Pilatus Flugzeugwerke, at Stans, Switzerland - 5 January 2021. Awaiting delivery to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Western Operations), based at Jandakot Airport, Western Australia. It was initially registered HB-FXU to Pilatus on 16 December 2019, built for another customer who seems not to have taken delivery. Instead registered VH-LWO on 23 December 2020. Photo © Stephan Widmer (with permission)

Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations to take delivery of PC-12NG VH-LWO

David Eyre 7 January 2021

7 January 2021 (UPDATED 5 February 2021) © David Eyre (Photos © Stephan Widmer – with thanks) Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Western Operations took delivery of its final...

VH-EBC Airbus A330-203 (MSN 506) of Qantas, named 'Surfers Paradise', at Perth Airport – 22 November 2019. Flight QF409 to Melbourne, preparing for departure from bay 12, Terminal 4, at 5:23am. Photo © David Eyre.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: Impacts on Qantas Group

David Eyre 6 January 2021

6 January 2021 © David Eyre Delayed delivery of Boeing 787s and A321neos; Airbus A380 fleet stored for three years In May 2020, Qantas announced it would delay delivery...

VH-XFC (MSN 1293) named 'Mooloolabah Beach' and VH-XFD (MSN 1306) named 'Bells Beach', Airbus A330-243 of Virgin Australia, at Perth Airport – 5 December 2018. VH-XFD is pushing back for departure as VA556 to Sydney at 10:38am. Photo © David Eyre.

Virgin Australia and Tigerair: a difficult 2020

David Eyre 1 January 2021

1 January 2021 © David Eyre Virgin Australia suffered the most challenging year in its history during 2020, starting with financial losses, travel bans during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,...

N154AC Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane (MSN 64-037), named ‘Georgia Peach’, of Erickson Air-Crane over Jervoise Bay– 22 December 2016..

Firefighting aircraft in Western Australia 2020 – 2021

David Eyre 30 December 2020

David Eyre and Brenden Scott have compiled a list and photos of the fire fighting aircraft in Western Australia for the summer fire season (Oct 2020 – April 2021)....

VH-BFW Grob G-115C2 (MSN 82042/C2) owned by China Southern West Australian Flying College, at Jandakot Airport - 5 June 2020. Photo © David Eyre.

China Southern West Australian Flying College enters liquidation

David Eyre 21 December 2020

21 December 2020 © David Eyre China Southern West Australian Flying College (CSWAFC) has entered voluntary liquidation today (21 December 2020), with 62 staff losing their jobs. Their Grob...

VH-NXD Boeing 717-23S (MSN 55062/5031) of QantasLink, named 'Berowra Valley National Park' at Perth Airport - 27 April 2019. Taxying to runway 03 at 3:42pm as flight QF1930 to Broome. Photo © David Eyre.

Qantas buys National Jet Systems; closes Boeing 717 base in Perth

David Eyre 27 August 2020

31 August 2020 © David Eyre (UPDATED 3 January 2021) Qantas Group acquires National Jet Systems On 20 May 2020, Cobham Australia and Qantas Group announced that Qantas will...

Airbus Helicopters H145 (five-bladed main rotor). Photo © Airbus Helicopters

WA Aviation News

WA Police to be first law enforcement agency in Asia Pacific to operate 5-bladed Airbus H145 helicopter

David Eyre 24 July 2020

24 July 2020 © David Eyre Police Minister Michelle Roberts today announced that Western Australia Police Airwing’s next generation helicopter will be the new five-bladed Airbus Helicopters H145, with...

WA Aviation News

Firefighting aircraft in Western Australia 2019 – 2020

David Eyre 7 January 2020

David Eyre and Brenden Scott have compiled a list and photos of the fire fighting aircraft in Western Australia for the summer fire season (Oct 2019 – April 2020)....

RAAF retires the Pilatus PC-9/A

Flight Lieutenant Raymond Werndly brings A23-011 Pilatus PC-9/A of 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS), RAAF in to park at hangar 1, at RAAF Base Pearce - 12 December 2019. After ceremonial flypasts to commemorate the final flights of the PC-9/A in RAAF service. Photo POIS Yuri Ramsey © Commonwealth of Australia.

RAAF retires the Pilatus PC-9/A

David Eyre 12 December 2019

12 December 2019 © David Eyre The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) farewelled the Pilatus PC-9/A on 12 December 2019, completing over 30 years of operations and more than...

VH-WEJ Leonardo (AgustaWestland) AW139 (MSN 31319) of CHC Helicopters Australia at Karratha Airport - 7 July 2011. Built 2010, ex G-CGRG. Photo © David Eyre.

WA Aviation News

CHC Helicopter commences offshore helicopter services contract in Northwest

David Eyre 18 August 2019

18 August 2019 © David Eyre CHC Helicopter commenced a five-year contract in July 2019, providing Woodside, Jadestone Energy, Vermilion Energy and BHP with passenger transfer flights, medical evacuation...

VH-ZND Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (MSN 63390/669) of Qantas, in special Aboriginal 'Yam Dreaming' livery, named 'Emily Kame Kngwarreye', at Perth Airport – 24 March 2018. Photo © Richard Kreider. Photographed at Bay 20A, Terminal 3 at 6:16pm, prior to departing on the historic first direct Perth - London Heathrow QF9 service.

Perth Airport and Qantas legal battle continues

David Eyre 16 June 2019

16 June 2019 © David Eyre Perth Airport and Qantas are locked in a bitter legal dispute over airport charges, and Qantas claims the dispute is delaying its proposed...

VH-VWO Pilatus PC-24 (MSN 105) of Royal Flying Doctor Service (Western Operations) at Jandakot Airport – 3 December 2018. First aeromedical PC-24 in the world, first PC-24 to visit Perth, first for the RFDS, arriving from Broome, on the last leg of its delivery flight from Switzerland. Seen here on a flyby at 500 feet above runway 06L at 12:11pm, before landing. Photo © David Eyre.

First Pilatus PC-24 jet delivered to Royal Flying Doctor Service: 3 December 2018

David Eyre 3 December 2018

3 December 2018 © David Eyre The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Western Operations section at Jandakot celebrated the delivery of their first new Pilatus PC-24 jet, VH-VWO (MSN...