VH-BZG Boeing 737-8FE

VH-BZG. Boeing 737-8FE. c/n 37822-3385.

Was also registered as: VH-RQP.

This aircraft was ordered new by Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd - ?

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-BZG - June 18. 2010

Registered to VB LH 2010-11 No 2 Pty Ltd, Spring Hill, Queensland

Leased to Virgin Blue as registered operator

Was intended to be registered as 'VH-VUW'

Registered as VH-BZG (Brett Zahra Godfrey) after Virgin Blue's retiring CEO and his wife

Rolled off the Boeing production line at Renton with winglets - July 12, 2010

First flown as N1786B in the standard Virgin Blue livery - July 19, 2010

The aircraft was named 'Brett's Jet'

Accepted by Virgin Blue at Seattle (Boeing Field) - July 29, 2010

Departed Seattle (Boeing Field) on delivery flight to Australia as DJ9080 - July 30, 2010

It arrived at Brisbane on completion of the delivery flight - August 01, 2010

Delivery route: Seattle (Boeing Field) - Lihue - Nadi - Brisbane

Ferried Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamarine) as DJ9060 - August 06, 2010

Operated its first revenue service Melbourne (Tullamarine) - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) as DJ813 - August 07, 2010

Virgin Blue was renamed Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd - May 04, 2011

The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) - March 26, 2020

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine - 08:21 local) on the ferry flight to Jakarta for maintenance - November 28, 2020

It arrived at Jakarta (11:12 local) on completion of the ferry flight - November 28, 2020

The aircraft was repainted into the REX Regional Express livery

It was reregistered as VH-RQP - March 04, 2021

Registered to Aircraft Leasing VII Ltd, London

Ferried Jakarta (09:02 local) - Brisbane - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - March 25 - 26, 2021

Leased to Regional Express Pty Ltd, Sydney as the registered operator - April 13, 2021

Operated its first Rex service - ?

REX Regional Express entered voluntary administration due to financial difficulties - July 30, 2024

Operated its final service Brisbane - Melbourne (Tullamaine) as ZL281 - July 30, 2024

It was withdrawn from use and stored at Melbourne (Tullamarine) pending return to the lessor

Current status - ?

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, August 18, 2010.

(R. Brown Copyright Image 4622-658.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, November 20, 2011.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-898.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, November 20, 2011.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-899.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 25, 2013.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-774.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 25, 2013.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-778.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Brisbane Airport, July 27, 2013.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 4620-775.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 15, 2013.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-925.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Blue - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 20, 2013.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4620-802.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Australia - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, September 20, 2014.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-927.)

VH-BZG. Virgin Australia - 'Brett's Jet' in the standard livery at Adelaide West Beach Airport, June 21, 2015.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-926.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, April 04, 2021.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-889.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, April 04, 2021.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-890.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 27, 2021.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4622-924.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 27, 2021.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-382.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, March 30, 2022.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-035.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, May 21, 2022.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-078.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, May 22, 2022.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-077.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 16, 2022.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-079.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, September 10, 2023.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-374.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Adelaide West Beach Airport, December 03, 2023.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 4623-229.)

VH-RQP. REX - in the standard livery with additional 'Our heart is in the country' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, July 10, 2024.