Dubai/Australia Feb/March 2023

[deke]

Logs from my recent trip to Queensland, Australia, with a 4 day layover in Dubai on the way.
The trip was to spend time with my eldest daughter who has settled down under and was married during Covid when no one could get into the country.
Also spent a few days with my youngest son in Dubai where he spends a lot of his time and has now applied for a residency permit there.
He also accompained me to Oz.

It was Emirates A380s Economy all the way on the following, not needed, craft.
First time on the A380 and I was very impressed especially with possibly the smoothest landings I've experienced.
Each flight was full to capacity and vindicates Emirates' decision to persevere with the model post Covid.

A6-EUW LHR - DXB 16/2
A6-EOG DXB - BNE 20/2
A6-EOM BNE - DXB 5/3
A6-EEJ DXB - LHR 6/3

At Heathrow

Thurs 16th

B-LRB Airbus A350 – 941, Cathay Pacific

At Dubai Airport Fri 17th

VP-CXM Airbus A320 – 214, flynas

Dubai area sightings

Fri 17th Feb

A6-FLB Eurocopter EC 130 B4, Falcon Aviation Services
A6-SD2 De Havilland Canada DHC 6–300 Twin Otter, SkyDive Dubai
9H-LXX Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS, VistaJet Malta

Sat 18th

A6-SD1 De Havilland Canada DHC 6–400 Twin Otter, SkyDive Dubai
A6-WZB Airbus A321 – 271NX, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi
A6-SD4 De Havilland Canada DHC 6–300 Twin Otter, SkyDive Dubai
A6-SD3 De Havilland Canada DHC 6–300 Twin Otter, SkyDive Dubai
A6-SD5 De Havilland Canada DHC 6–300 Twin Otter, SkyDive Dubai
A9C-FG Boeing 787 – 9 Dreamliner, Gulf Air
4X-CUZ Hawker Beechcraft 800XP, Arrow Aviation Ltd

Sun 19th Feb

A7-BGA Boeing 747 – 87UF, Qatar Airways Cargo
A6-FLI Eurocopter EC 130 B4, Falcon Aviation Services
A6-HBB Aerospatliale AS350B3 Ecureuil, Heli Dubai
2013 AgustaWestland AW139, UAE Air Force

At Dubai Airport Mon 20th Feb

A6-EEW Airbus A380 – 861, Emirates
A6-FMU Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
YL-AAV Airbus A220 – 300, Air Baltic
VT-IJL Airbus A320 – 271NX, IndiGo
A6-FEJ Boeing 737 – 8KN, flydubai
A6-EOT Airbus A380 – 861, Emirates
VT-AXR Boeing 737 – 8HG, Air India Express
A6-FMH Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
VT-IZH Airbus A320 – 271N, IndiGo
OK-TSS Boeing 737 – 81M, Smartwings
A6-FMQ Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
EP-MMA Airbus A340 – 311, Mahan Airlines
VT-IIK Airbus A320 – 251N, IndiGo
4K-ASG Gulfstream G-VI, ASG Business Aviation
A6-FMI Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
VP-CRA Embraer EMB – 135BJ Legacy 650, Silver Wings Aviation

Australia 20th Feb - 6th March

I'd never been to Oz before so everything was new to me. Unfortunately I did not manage to get to any local airports or fields so all logs are from casual spotting.

Locations are in Brisbane area, around the Sunshine Coast, or from my daughter's home inland in Nambour.
We didn't venture too far as there was more than enough to do in that area.


Tues 21st Feb


VH-EBR Airbus A330 – 202, Qantas
VH-VKD Boeing 787 – 8 Dreamliner, Jetstar Airways
24-1651 TL Ultralight TL-2000 Sting S4, Private
VH-TNM Cessna 172 Skyhawk SP, Lake River Pty

Thurs 23rd Feb

VH-QOM Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-LQQ Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-FDI Beechcraft B200C King Air, Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia


Fri 24th Feb

VH-JFB Fokker F70, Alliance Airlines
VH-FHQ Piper PA-31-325 Navajo, Avcair Pty
VH-FDN Beechcraft B300 Super King Air, Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia

Sat 25th Feb

VH-EQV Diamond DA-40 Diamond Star, Flying Training Adelaide
VH-VBZ Boeing 737 – 7FE, Virgin Australia
VH-YVA Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia
VH-VUI Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia
VH-VZH Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-XNW Airbus A320 – 232, Jetstar Airways
VH-VGR Airbus A320 – 232, Jetstar Airways
VH-UQG Fokker F100, Alliance Airlines
VH-VZZ Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-VUY Boeing 737 – 8KG, Virgin Australia
VH-IWQ Boeing 737 – 8SA, Virgin Australia
VH-VUE Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia
VH-RYU Boeing 737 – 8FE, REX Airlines
VH-VUS Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia
VH-EGF AgustaWestland AW139, Queensland Government Rescue
VH-YWA Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia
VH-YFK Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia
VH-VBY Boeing 737 – 7FE, Virgin Australia

Sun 26th Feb

P2-PXV Boeing 767 – 341, Air Nuigi
VH-VZK Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-VXS Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-VFL Airbus A320 – 232, Jetstar Airways
VH-VXK Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-VYK Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-VEC SAAB 340B+, Link Airways operated by Corporate Air
VH-VZG Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-XZX Beechcraft 95-B55 Baron, G Pratt
VH-VZP Boeing 737 – 838, Qantas
VH-IXJ Boeing 737 – 8SA, Virgin Australia
VH-QOR Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)

Mon 27th Feb

VH-XCK Bell 412EP. LifeFlight Australia Rescue
VH-NXR Boeing 717 – 2BL. QantasLink (operated by National Jet Systems)
VH-EYI Robinson R22 Beta II. Helitec
VH-VYL Boeing 737 – 838. Qantas
VH-VUQ Boeing 737 – 8FE. Virgin Australia


Tues 28th Feb

VH-QOX Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-LQH Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-QOY Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)


Weds 1st March

VH-SGQ Beechcraft B300 King Air 350, Queensland Government
23-7788 The Airplane Factory Sling 2, GoFly Aviation
VH-SXL Cessna 172M Skyhawk, R Taylor
VH-DBB Cessna 172N Skyhawk, N Fogarty
VH-QOP Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-UJN Aero Commander 500S, General Aviation Maintenance Pty

Thurs 2nd March

VH-YBU Diamond DA-40 Diamond Star, Flying Training Adelaide
VH-QOI Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-QOH Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8, QantasLink (operated by Sunstate Airlines)
VH-XIA AgustaWestland AW139, LifeFlight Australia Rescue

Sun 5th March

VH-NVG Eurocopter EC-135 P2, Surf Life Saving Queensland Inc
VH-TLH Cessna 208B Caravan, Broome Aviation Pty

Sun 5th March at Brisbane Airport

A7-BEK Boeing 777 – 3DZ, Qatar Airways
VH-XNU Boeing 737 – 319, Nauru Airlines
H4-SIB Airbus A320 – 232, Solomon Airlines
VH-YQR Boeing 737 – 8FE, Virgin Australia


Sun 5th March, at Dubai Airport I had a 4 hours lay over before carrying on to Heathrow so was able to spend a good couple of hours of that spotting movements from a perfect pitch at an airside cafe.

A6-EUB Airbus A380 – 861, Emirates
A6-FMY Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
HZ-AS55 Airbus A320 – 214, Saudi Arabian Airlines
V8-DLD Boeing 787 – 8 Dreamliner, Royal Brunei Airlines
5Y-KYE Boeing 737 – 8Q8, Kenya Airways
9N-ALY Airbus A330 - 243, Nepal Airlines
5Y-FQB Boeing 737 – 46M, Daallo Airlines
AP-BNU Airbus A320 – 214, AirBlue
A6-FGA Boeing 737 – 8KN, flydubai
A6-EQM Boeing 777 – 31H, Emirates
B-LRK Airbus A350 – 941, Cathay Pacific
A6-FEO Boeing 737 – 8KN, flydubai
RA-89139 Sukhoi Superjet 100-95B, Azimuth Airlines
A6-FGI Boeing 737 – 8KN flydubai
A6-FMK Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
A6-FKG Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
A6-FEC Boeing 737 – 8KN, flydubai
VP-CXI Airbus A320 – 214, flynas
A6-FMX Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
A6-FEM Boeing 737 – 8KN, flydubai
A6-FPB Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
A6-FEZ Boeing 737 – 8KN, flydubai
A6-FPA Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
9X-RWQ Boeing 737 – 8SH, RwandAir
A6-FMP Boeing 737 – 8 MAX, flydubai
9H-ILB Bombardier Challenger 850 VistaJet, Malta
A6-EED Airbus A380 – 861, Emirates
VT-IIZ Airbus A320 – 251N, IndiGo
HZ-AS63 Airbus A320 – 214, Saudi Arabian Airlines
A6-EBU Boeing 777 – 31H, Emirates

At Heathrow Mon 6th

C-FAJA Boeing 787 – 9 Dreamliner, WestJet

[graham]

Fantastic logs Deke, many thanks

[billsamuels]

Looks to be a brilliant trip Deke.

Neither of my trips down-under we’re spotting trips, just odd days here and there. But like you, given the inclination, you can always find something to see…

Whilst up in Queensland I did consider driving across to visit the Qantas museum, until I found out it was 5-6 hours (each way) drive!!! That, for me, is the only drawback with Australia… Otherwise, fantastic place.

Bill

[graham]

We have friends who live up near Cairns, they think nothing of making a six or seven hour trip each way to see their family who live 400 miles from them but when you live in a country that large, I suppose it's all relative. Plus the roads are invariably dead straight with very little traffic once away from the towns.