VH-YQA 'The Kimberley' Airbus A320-212 Strategic
Strategic VH-YQA 'The Kimberley’ Airbus A320-212 c/n 190. Previous Registrations: F-OHFU, PH-DVR, (SE-DVH), G-UKLJ, G-BWKN, N484GX & F-WWDD.
This aircraft was ordered new by GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd. Powered by CFMI CFM56-5A3 engines. 15 March 1991 first flown at Toulouse as F-WWDD. 14 June 1991 accepted by GATX at Toulouse and entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N484GX.
Leased to LACSA (Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A.) as the registered operator. 1 December 1994 sub-leased to LADECO in basic LACSA livery. LADECO merged with Lan Chile when it was bought out in 1994. Repossessed and returned to LACSA in Costa Rica 1 February 1995.
27 December 1995 leased to Excalibur Airlines (UK). Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-BWKN 17 January 1996. Returned to GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd on termination of the lease. Leased to Leisure International Airways (U.K.) 25 March 1996. Aircraft was reregistered as G-UKLJ. Rolled out at Southend in all-white livery without titles and placed into storage at Southend 13 November 1997.
16 February 1998 cancelled from the British Aircraft Register and entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-DVR. Leased to Novair, Sweden. Entered onto the Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-DVH 27 March 1998 and operated its first Novair revenue service. 21 February 1999 withdrawn from use and stored at Copenhagen. Returned to GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd six days later.
31 March 1999 entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-OHFU and registered to GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd. Leased to Volare Airlines as the registered operator. 19 November 2004 Volare Airlines ceased operations and returned to GATX / CL Ireland 22 November 2004. Leased to Volare Airlines when it resumed operations on 16 December 2004. Cancelled from the French Aircraft Register in October 2009.
30 October 2009 entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-YQA and leased to Strategic Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator. The aircraft was named 'The Kimberley’. Operated its first revene service Perth - Derby as VC501 8 February 2010. Operated the Solomon Islands service Brisbane - Honiara - Brisbane as IE700/701 26 February 2010 and was observed with 'think.be.fly' titles on the fuselage. Operated the airline's inaugural Brisbane - Gladstone service as VC520 18 April 2011. Stategic Airlines was renamed Air Australia 15 November 2011 and operated its first Air Australia service Brisbane - Perth as VC501.
16 February 2012 operated its final Air Australia revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Brisbane as VC663 and ceased all operations on the following day. This aircraft was not painted into the striking Air Australia livery. 13 March 2012 cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register .
13 March 2012 entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-WTAU. 21 June 2012 ferried Montpeller - Kemble by Latecoere Aeroservices for scrapping. 25 October 2012 broken up at Kemble. All traces of airframe removed by 1 December 2012.
VH-YQA 'The Kimberley' Airbus A320-212 Strategic
Strategic VH-YQA 'The Kimberley’ Airbus A320-212 c/n 190. Previous Registrations: F-OHFU, PH-DVR, (SE-DVH), G-UKLJ, G-BWKN, N484GX & F-WWDD.
This aircraft was ordered new by GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd. Powered by CFMI CFM56-5A3 engines. 15 March 1991 first flown at Toulouse as F-WWDD. 14 June 1991 accepted by GATX at Toulouse and entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N484GX.
Leased to LACSA (Lineas Aereas Costarricenses S.A.) as the registered operator. 1 December 1994 sub-leased to LADECO in basic LACSA livery. LADECO merged with Lan Chile when it was bought out in 1994. Repossessed and returned to LACSA in Costa Rica 1 February 1995.
27 December 1995 leased to Excalibur Airlines (UK). Entered onto the British Aircraft Register as G-BWKN 17 January 1996. Returned to GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd on termination of the lease. Leased to Leisure International Airways (U.K.) 25 March 1996. Aircraft was reregistered as G-UKLJ. Rolled out at Southend in all-white livery without titles and placed into storage at Southend 13 November 1997.
16 February 1998 cancelled from the British Aircraft Register and entered onto the Dutch Aircraft Register as PH-DVR. Leased to Novair, Sweden. Entered onto the Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-DVH 27 March 1998 and operated its first Novair revenue service. 21 February 1999 withdrawn from use and stored at Copenhagen. Returned to GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd six days later.
31 March 1999 entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-OHFU and registered to GATX Aircraft Leasing Pty Ltd. Leased to Volare Airlines as the registered operator. 19 November 2004 Volare Airlines ceased operations and returned to GATX / CL Ireland 22 November 2004. Leased to Volare Airlines when it resumed operations on 16 December 2004. Cancelled from the French Aircraft Register in October 2009.
30 October 2009 entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-YQA and leased to Strategic Airlines Pty Ltd as the registered operator. The aircraft was named 'The Kimberley’. Operated its first revene service Perth - Derby as VC501 8 February 2010. Operated the Solomon Islands service Brisbane - Honiara - Brisbane as IE700/701 26 February 2010 and was observed with 'think.be.fly' titles on the fuselage. Operated the airline's inaugural Brisbane - Gladstone service as VC520 18 April 2011. Stategic Airlines was renamed Air Australia 15 November 2011 and operated its first Air Australia service Brisbane - Perth as VC501.
16 February 2012 operated its final Air Australia revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Brisbane as VC663 and ceased all operations on the following day. This aircraft was not painted into the striking Air Australia livery. 13 March 2012 cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register .
13 March 2012 entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-WTAU. 21 June 2012 ferried Montpeller - Kemble by Latecoere Aeroservices for scrapping. 25 October 2012 broken up at Kemble. All traces of airframe removed by 1 December 2012.