Australian Aircraft Updates

Updates on maintenance, diversions and more for aircraft with Qantas, Virgin and Alliance

Please PM if you have updates!

Banner: @benny_clow

[Flightradar24 @flightradar24]

Sometimes the weather layer gives a good understanding of why a flight has turned around.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Wow, I didn't know Qantas served LAX 14 times daily with the A380!? They don't even own that many! 😂😂

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Rex Saab 340 VH-ORX suffered a radio failure today.

It squawked 7600 (radio failure) and diverted to Orange. It was originally flying to Sydney.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Ground stop due to strong thunderstorms.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

There is currently a full ground stop at Sydney Airport.

It is not known at the moment as to why, but arriving aircraft are diverting to alternate airports and departing aircraft are returning to their gates.

The current METAR shows strong wind and heavy rain.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Qantas A380 VH-OQI is positioning to Dresden for presumably heavy maintenance. Possibly also a livery repaint?

Usually QF does their A380 maintenance at Abu Dhabi.

@AA380fanclub

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Just found out NHJ is out of action too... That's 5/16.

NHP/NHQ - Mechanical issues in Geraldton
NHJ - Mechanical issues in Perth
NHK - Storage in Perth
NHO - In Cairns

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

QantasLink Fokker 100 VH-NHQ also diverted to Geraldton yesterday with a mechanical issue, A319 VH-8NQ ferried there to take the passengers to Perth.

A319 VH-8NP took the passengers from the also diverted F100 VH-NHP to Perth.

A quarter of QF's F100 fleet is now grounded.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

QantasLink Fokker 100 VH-NHP suffered an engine failure today and diverted back to Geraldton. The same aircraft made a diversion to Perth earlier in the week as well.

The aircraft will be inspected before ferrying back to Perth.

Here was the flight path

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

QantasLink Fokker 100 VH-NHO has been ferried to Cairns (maybe for maintenance, but they usually do that at Seletar).

QantasLink Airbus A319 VH-8NV is on delivery and is currently in Hawaii.

Qantas B789 VH-ZND returns to service after maintenance in Melbourne.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

QantasLink Dash-8 Q400 VH-QOD has returned to service after squawking 7700 last week on approach to Broken Hill with a possible landing gear issue.

Fellow Dash-8 VH-QON has had its Christmas decals removed.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Jetstar Airbus A321neo VH-OYW is currently on delivery from Hamburg. The aircraft has just landed in Muscat and should fly to Kuala Lumpur before touching down in Melbourne.

And yes, that image from FR24 is incorrect and is the previous aircraft that carried that registration.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners VH-ZNJ and VH-ZNL are currently down in Antarctica operating sight seeing flights.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

The final QantasLink Boeing 717 VH-YQW has finally retired, ferrying to Brisbane to be preserved as a training aircraft.

Below is the flight path of this final flight.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Qantas Boeing 787-9 VH-ZNA is back in service after several hydraulic issues ended up cancelling last Sunday's #QF94 service.

The aircraft is operating the same flight, but is heavily delayed.

This was the second maintenance issue for ZNA in a number of weeks.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

QantasLink Dash-8 Q400 VH-QOD is positioning to Sydney for maintenance and repairs at a very low cruising altitude after squawking 7700 on Thursday.

It is speculated that the aircraft had an issue with its landing gear, but this is unconfirmed.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Qantas Airbus A380 VH-OQG is back in service after diverting to Sydney with an engine issue on Wednesday. It was originally flying the #QF63 service to Johannesburg.

It's currently flying to Melbourne, and operated to LAX yesterday.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

Some small updates:
QF B789 VH-ZNE back in service after diverting to SYD on Monday.
QF B789 VH-ZNI diverted to Houston, Texas on Tuesday but continued on to DFW.
QF F100 VH-NHZ is back in service after several mechanical issues.
VA B738 VH-VUT returns from maintenance at XSP.

[Australian Aircraft Updates @AussieAircraft]

QantasLink Q400 Dash 8 VH-QOD is squawking 7700 after two go-arounds and a lot of holding at Broken Hill.

The aircraft has now landed and is stopped on Broken Hill's runway.

Reason for emergency declaration is currently unknown.

[Flightradar24 @flightradar24]

Qantas flight #QF63 almost reached Antarctica, before making a U-turn to return to Sydney.

The reason is currently unknown.