On This Day - October 26, 1947. The Qantas Empire Airways Lockheed 749-79 VH-EAC 'Harry Hawker' arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) having completed its delivery flight from the United States (Burbank, California). |
On This Day - October 26, 1958. Tom Sonter, bushwalking in the Toolong Range of the Snown Mountains, in southern New South Wales, stumbled across some twisted metal and a few scattered bones. By shear accident he had discovered the remains of the missing Australian National Airways Fokker trimotor VH-UMF 'Southern Cloud' that had disappeared on March 21, 1931 whilst flying the regular passenger service from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) to Melbourne. LINK |
On This Day - October 26, 1971. The Trans-Australia Airlines Douglas DC-9-31 VH-TJU 'John Roe' entered service operating Flight TN410 from Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Canberra. |
On This Day - October 26, 1980. The Trans-Australia Airlines Fokker F.27-1002 Friendship VH-TFD 'William Landsborough' operated its final passenger service. It was then stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) before being returned to the lessor, having flown 42,992 hours with 52,518 cycles. |
On This Day - October 26, 1981. The Trans-Australia Airlines Douglas DC-9-31 VH-TJM 'Robert Towns' operated its final revenue service, operating Flight TN500 from Launceston to Melbourne (Tullamarine). It was stored at Melbourne, pending its sale, having flown 35,422.35 hours with 38,188 cycles. |
On This Day - October 26, 1986. The Ansett Airlines Boeing 737-377 VH-CZF arrived at Melbourne (Tullamarine) having completed its delivery flight from the United States (Seattle) as Flight AN33. |
On This Day - October 26, 1991. The Qantas Airways Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGK 'City of Mackay' arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) having completed its delivery flight from the United States (Everett, Paine Field) via Canada (Vancouver) as Flight QF531, which was its first revenue service. It was the airline's 95th Boeing airliner and its 18th Boeing 767. |
On This Day - October 26, 2001. Following the Ansett collapse, the Airbus A320-211 VH-HYX returned to service under 'Ansett Administration' operating just one flight from Adelaide (West Beach) to Melbourne (Tullamarine) as Flight AN351. The aircraft was then placed in storage at Melbourne, awaiting sale by the leasing company, GATX Capital. |
On This Day - October 26, 2001. Following the collapse of Ansett Airlines on September 13, the Boeing 737-33A VH-CZS that had been withdrawn from service and stored at Brisbane since September 14, was ferried to Melbourne (Tullamarine) as Flight AN4405 for further storage and return to the lessor, AWAS. It was then prepared for dry-lease to Qantas Jetconnect. |
On This Day - October 26, 2001. The ex-Ansett Airlines Boeing 737-33A VH-CZU having been return to the lessor, A.W.A.S, at Auckland (New Zealand) on October 23, was ferried from Auckland to Christchurch as Flight AN4406, to be prepared for its new dry-lease to Qantas Airways by Air New Zealand Engineering. |
On This Day - October 26, 2002. The Qantas Airways Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGK 'City of Mackay' operated its last service as Flight QF168 from Cairns to Sydney (Kingsford Smith). It was then removed from service and prepared for lease to Australian Airlines. |
On This Day - October 26, 2003. The Qantas Airways Boeing 767-338ER VH-OGV 'Swan Hill' entered service with Australian Airlines, operating Flight AO7829 from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) to Bali (Denpasar). |
On This Day - October 26, 2008. The Qantas Jetconnect Boeing 737-476 ZK-JTR was rolled out at Auckland (New Zealand) in the Qantas 'New Roo' livery. It was the first Qantas Jetconnect aircraft to be repainted. |
On This Day - October 26, 2020. The Virgin Australia Airlines Airbus A330-243 VH-XFG 'Terrigal Beach' was ferried from Brisbane to Melbourne (Avalon) for storage, due to the Covid 19 pandemic. |
On This Day - October 26, 2023. The National Jet Express Bombardier DHC-8-402NG VH-8QA entered service, operating Flight JTE720D from Perth to Karara. |
On This Day - October 26, 2024. The QantasLink Boeing 717-2BL VH-YQS operated the airline's final Boeing 717 service, as Flight QF1511 from Sydney (Kingsford Smith) to Canberra. |