Qantaslink Q400s with ADS-B
 

Just having a search around FR24 tonight when something caught my eye, Qantaslink Dash 8-Q400 VH-QOX is now fitted with ADS-B, first of what I assume will be many turboprops fitted in the coming years!

Edit: just picked up QOI as well!

That's interesting Zac. I logged VH-QOI this morning at 0730 as Mode-S only, not as full ADS-B (no lat & lon transmitted). Was away last week so my last log for VH-QOX was 16 March (Mode-S only).

Have a look at this subject in the FR24:-
http://forum.flightradar24.com/threa...ll=1#post49528
that might explain how you may have seen these two Q400s on FR24 due to the auto MLAT application.

Noel, I regularly pick up VH-QOI as Mode-S only, and have never seen any Lat/Long transmitted.

Yep, MLAT is picking up most dash 8s in the BNE area as well as ATRs, today I have picked up Q400s QOD, F, H, I, P, R, U, V, W, X and LQB, DH8Cs SCE, SBB, I, W, TQD and QQN of Skytrans as well as TQG and all of the ATRs flying around the area , they can only be picked up above 7000ft

Yes and Alliance F50'S and Corporate Air Saabs also showing out of Brissie as well.

Dash 8 200
 

I was wondering if anyone had any information as to if and/when the Dash 8 200's will be retrofitted with ADS-B? I'm interested in tracking the flights to Lord Howe Island and the -200's are the only QL aircraft to fly there. I understand the drop dead date for 2017 both wondered if there was any more information on a schedule.

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

Fair chance nothing will happen until closer to the required date.

Priority will be to install ADS-B into the Q400's first.

Given the Lord Howe Contract is up for renewal around 2016/17 QLink may not have a use for the Q200's if they don't do Lord Howe in the new contract.

Lord Howe Island....
 

Thanks for the feedback - I thought as much which is a shame as the ADS-B set-up I've cobbled together seems to work really well (better than I thought it would). I was hoping to deploy it on LH Island as an early warning that the scheduled service was about to arrive.

It's a real concern for the islanders that the -200 is the only aircraft in service with a major airline (put me right if I am not correct here) which can land on LDH very short 1006M runway. If Qantas did not renew/bid etc what would happen I wonder?


ADS-B notes
If anyone is interested I've used a USB TV tuner ($15), a home made Coaxial colinear antennae (<$10) and a Raspberry Pi computer+Wifi Dongle (~<$80) acting as a mini server on my home network. I'm able to get aircraft as far north as Tamworth and as far south as Canberra (admittedly at FL>300). I'm located in the shire near Sutherland.

Have they lengthened the runway? For all the years I operated there it was about 885m.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of smaller aircraft that could operate there, but most probably not be financially viable to do so.
Word around the traps is the 200's are to go within the next 12 months. Those aircraft would be close to end of life by now.
I suspect that somebody else might step up to the plate. There are other DHC8 operators around who might tender for the licence.

Correction
 

..you are right Hugh ...886M. Now where did I get the idea it was 1006?!


....at the same time I believe Qantas are already signed up until 2018 or am I misreading this

http://centreforaviation.com/news/qa...service-348424

which would see the -200's in the fleet for another 4 years at least.

No worries, Simon.

I caught up with a few QL mates last week, and that's where I got my info from. However, based on your link they have different info :) .

From the paperwork I saw today, it looks like it'll be registered as VH-LQQ

ADD LQQ BOMBARDIER INC DHC-8-402 4461 8/8/2014 QF DASH 8

LEASING
NO.6 PTY LIMITED
10 Bourke Rd,
MASCOT
NSW 2020 SUNSTATE AIRLINES (QLD) PTY. LIMITED
C Wing Level 1,
10 Bourke Road
MASCOT
NSW 2020

At this stage first flight is QF2536 BNE-RMA (14/8)

SYD will see it on 14/8 as QF1476 arr 1555.

ALl subject to change as always

First flights were delayed due to EIS issues.

Taxiing now @ BNE for SYD as QF6677.

It's showing on FR24 with ADS-B.

Down Sydney today ...

VH-LQQ ADS-B- 16/08/2014 13:21 Bombardier DHC-8-402 (4461) 2014 - Qantas Link - Brisbane-Sydney

VH-QOD now has ADS-B and should be out of maintenance ex TMW any day now.

Looks like the Dash's are starting to get fitted while in the hangar.

Due out in Monday

QOP has been in the hangar since 09 Sept and QOR is due in on Sunday night.

With QLink announcing an extra maintenance line in TMW, we should see quite a few Dash's with ADS-B over the coming months.

Back in service this morning ...

VH-QOD ADS-B- 22/09/2014 06:57 DHC-8-402 (4123) 2006 - Qantas Link - Mascot NSW - Tamworth-Sydney

Now heading back out to Dubbo.
http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/VH-QOD 20140922.png

A busy first day back for VH-QOD ...

Tamworth-Sydney
Sydney-Dubbo
Dubbo-Sydney
Sydney-Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour-Sydney
Sydney-Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour-Sydney
Sydney-Tamworth

Thats actually a pretty average day in terms of takeoffs and landings for a Q400, up until the last few weeks when the schedules changed the first overnighting Q400 (0610 departure) in Canberra was doing 10 flights in a day if the aircraft was kept on the same rotation all day!

A little different today, with Albury thrown in towards the end ...

Tamworth-Sydney
Sydney-Dubbo
Dubbo-Sydney
Sydney-Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour-Sydney
Sydney-Albury
Albury-Sydney
Sydney Coffs Harbour

Overnighting in Coffs Harbour with an 0640 start in the morning.

Looks like today is the end of a three day rotation, with the aircraft back in Tamworth again overnight.

Coffs Harbour-Sydney
Sydney-Albury
Albury-Sydney
Sydney-Tamworth
Tamworth-Sydney
Sydney-Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour-Sydney
Sydney-Tamworth

Looks like QOP will ferry TMW-SYD on 24-10 then commence ops over the weekend.
QOR is due to commence ops TMW-SYD on 29-10-14.
QOF will enter the hangar in TMW on 28-10-14.

Id expect that QOE will go in soon as well, now that they have the ability to have more than one at a time in, unless a 300 needs MX, or LQD or G come across as both those are just about due for their first heavy checks.

VH-QOP was back at work today, performing ...

Sydney-Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga-Sydney
Sydney-Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie-Sydney
Sydney-Albury (looks like an overnight)

TQK ferried to TMW on the 19th so I'd say she will be the first 300 to get ADS-B

A Canberra-Brisbane sector this afternoon saw VH-QOP rotating up to QLD for some Rockhampton and Gladstone services tomorrow.

QOR is back online today, ADS-B is either not fitted or not working.

QOR never got the upgrade, not sure why.

QOF will be out and about later this week with ADS-B.

QOH will swap with QOF in the hangar.

QOE is due out in the next week or two, it'll also have ADS-B.

Expect the Q200/300's to only get ADS-B at the last minute depending on how many are left in the fleet in 2016/2017.

Qantas Link Dash 8 VH-QOF is out of Tamworth today and is now operating with full ADS-B.

Services today were ...

Tamworth-Sydney
Sydney-Dubbo
Dubbo-Sydney
Sydney-Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour-Sydney
Sydney-Canberra
Canberra-Sydney

so far.

Was in Wagga today, though missed getting a photo of it.

QOE will ferry TMW-BNE today and re-enter service tomorrow with ADS-B.

On a side not it looks like Q300 SBJ has been removed from service.

Possibly getting it serviced ahead of the relocation of the Q300 to ADL?

Doubt it. Flying doesn't start until March and SBJ has been removed from the flying roster.

The 2 Q300's going to ADL won't have any special treatment before going over. It's not a big deal to ferry to/from CBR when required.

VH-LQG is coming across from PER via ADL-CBR (QF2092) on Saturday/Sunday, at a guess (based on rotation she if flying) she should end up in TMW on Sunday night and (again a guess) should enter heavy maintenance. This should mean QOH is due out to operate the TMW-SYD flight on Monday morning with ADS-B.

The other maintenance slot in TMW currently belongs to VH-TQL!

QOH has just popped up on FR24 on the ground in TMW with ADS-B fitted.

LQG will ferry PER-ADL on Sat then do RPT runs over the weekend and end up in TMW on Sunday night.
LQK will ferry ADL-PER on Sat then commence ops in WA on Sunday.

Still no plans on ADS-B fitment to the Q200/300's as it'll depend on which units are still in the fleet as the ADS-B deadline nears.

They had two flight plans going by my email alerts.

Qantaslink Q400s with ADS-B
 

QOH flew this morning, unsure for how long but took off around 10.15.

For a time flightaware showed LQG to operate tonight's (Friday) QLK8D and QOH to operate tomorrow morning's QLK1D. From what I can see, QOD flew QLK8D tonight and is down for QLK1D in the morning... not sure what's happened there?