VH-AQB. de Havilland Canada DHC-6-320 Twin Otter. c/n 280.
It was also registered as: VH-FNT.
This aircraft was ordered new by Air Charter Enterprises, Singapore - ? First flown at Downsview, Toronto - April 1970 Entered onto the Singaporean Aircraft Register as 9V-BCJ - April 1970 Registered to Air Charter Enterprises t/a Saber Air, Seletar, Singapore Delivered to Saber Air at Seletar - April 24, 1970 Leased to Continental Air Services, Vientiane, Laos - August 06, 1971 Cancelled from the Singaporean Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the Laotian Aircraft Register as XW-PHP - August 1971 Returned to Saber Air on termination of the lease - October 1974 Cancelled from the Loatian Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the Singaporean Aircraft Register as 9V-BCJ - October 1974 Sold to De Beers Consolidated Mining, Kimberley, South Africa - December 1974 Cancelled from the Singaporean Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the South African Aircraft Register as ZS-JEU - December 1974 Transferred to Anglo American Corporation, Kimberley, South Africa - December 1974 The aircraft was damaged at the Letsing Mine Airstrip, Lesotho - December 08, 1977 Repaired and returned to service Cancelled from the South African Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the Lesotho Aircraft Register as 7P-AAE - November 08, 1980 Registered to Anglo American Corporation, Maseru, Lesotho Sold to Omni Aircraft Sales, Grand Cayman Island - April 1981 Cancelled from the Lesotho Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the Cayman Islands Aircraft Register as VR-CAV - April 1981 Arrived Fairoaks, United Kingdom on completion of the ferry flight - April 06, 1981 Aircraft was stored at Fairoaks awaiting sale Sold to Air Queensland - 1981 Departed Fairoaks on the ferry flight to Australia - January 14, 1982 Cancelled from the Cayman Islands Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-AQB - February 28, 1982 Registered to Air Queensland, Cairns Air Queensland was acquired by Australia Airlines - April 30, 1988 The aircraft was operated in the Australian Airlines livery with Air Queensland titles The aircraft was badly damaged when it collided with trees whilst taking-off from Dunk Island - November 18, 1988 Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - November 18, 1988 The damaged aircraft was transported to Brisbane and placed in storage - January 1989 Sold to Talair, Papua New Guinea - February 15, 1989 It was transport by sea in containers to Goroka for rebuilding by Talair - February 1989 Entered onto the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-GVI - December 26, 1992 The aircraft was withdrawn from service when Talair ceased operations - May 25, 1993 Ferried Goroka - Daru - Cairns - Mareeba for long term storage - July 12, 1993 Ferried Mareeba - Brisbane May 21, 1995 Cancelled from the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register - May 24, 1995 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-FNT - June 01, 1995 Registered to Flight West Airlines, Eagle Farm, Brisbane Operated services for the Royal Australian Air Force - June - September 1995 Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - February 05, 1996 Entered onto the Solomon Islands Aircraft Register as H4-FNT - February 05, 1996 Leased to Solomon Airlines, Honiara as the registered operator Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - August 30, 1996 Cancelled from the Solomon Islands Aircraft Register - September 06, 1996 Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-FNT - September 06, 1996 Registered to Flight West Airlines, Eagle Farm, Brisbane Leased to Heavylift, Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea as the registered operator - September 09, 1996 Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - December 10, 1996 Leased to Heavylift, Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea as the registered operator - March 15, 1997 Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - July 23, 1997 Leased to Cape York Air, Cairns as the registered operator - July 23, 1997 Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - October 13, 1997 Leased to Solomon Airlines, Honiara, Solomon Islands as the registered operator - December 06, 1997 Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - December 17, 1997 Entered onto the Solomon Islands Aircraft Register as H4-FNY - December 17, 1997 Sold to Solomon Airlines, Honiara, Solomon Islands - 2001 Sold to Airlines PNG, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - December 2009 Cancelled from the Solomon Islands Aircraft Register - ? Entered onto the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-MCV - December 23, 2009 Withdrawn from use and prepared for sale / lease to Solomon Airlines - September 2013 Ferried Port Moresby - Buka - Honiara on delivery to Solomon Airlines - October 26, 2013 Cancelled from the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register - October 2013 Entered onto the Solomon Islands Aircraft Register as H4-OTA - October 2013 Current with Solomon Airlines |
VH-AQB. Air Queensland - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, December 1984. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-374.) |
VH-AQB. Air Queensland - in the standard livery at Cairns Airport, December 1984. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-353.) |
VH-AQB. Air Queensland - in the standard livery at Rockhampton Airport, date unknown. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-354.) |
VH-AQB. Air Queensland - in the Australian livery at Cairns Airport, May 1987. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-355.) |
VH-AQB. Air Queensland - in the Australian livery at Cairns Airport, July 1987. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-916.) |
VH-FNT. Flight West - in the basic livery at Brisbane Airport, January 1997. (R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-818.) |