VB/PB livery rebranding starts.

[Steve S... 2]

Hi,

All is progressing very slowly of late for repainting the DJ fleet.

Last repaint was 738 ZK-PBB in May 2012.

Last "Australian" repaint was way back in Jan 2012 VH-VBY.

While I am no airline CEO, it sure is slow of late but DJ of course will tell you how fast it is progressing (thanks to all the new aircraft deliveries in the new livery).

It seems they have a surplus of 738's at present, with VH-YIJ having entered service and operating only BNE-ADL-BNE each afternoon for three days.

VH-YIL & VH-YIM are at BNE waiting for service entry, while VH-YIO will be delivered in a couple of days.

I wonder when the next "red" aircraft will be painted? Currently none are in the paintshop.

Thanks,

Steve S

[Radi K]

G'day Steve.

Spare paint slots in our region are hard to find. You can only get a 737 paintjob in CHC, MEL and TSV. We don't use Richmond. Man power is the most precious commodity and with lots of airlines using JH and ANZES for other maintenance requirements it might explain why there is some delay. Some aircraft are getting heavy checks done at the moment and some are being pre-pared for lease return. VH-VOD is next from memory.

[Michael Mak]

In this month edition of Australian Aviation, there is an article of an interview with Sean Donohue, Chief Operating Officer of Virgin Australia. At the end of the interview (the 3rd last paragraph), he commented on the repainting:

As for the repainting of aircraft in the new livery "by the end of this year close to two-thirds of the entire fleet, including the ATRs and 777s and 330s, will be in the new livery and by mid-2014 we will be all done."

We all know that all ATRs and 330s (XFC and onwards) are delivered with the new livery anyway - and VPH has been repainted as well - does he mean that all 777s will be repainted into the new VA livery by the end of the year? I think it's a bit hard to get 4 77Ws repainted over the next 4 months?

Will VA keep all the E-190 in the foreseeable future? They will take a while to be repainted too.

[Jarden S]

It sounds like the repainting rate will slow down 2 more years to go to do the last 3rd of the fleet.It will be a bit tight to repaint the other 4 777s.

[Rob R]

The E190's will be here to at least 2018. Starting early next year they will have business class seats fitted and the wifi system for the IFE.

[Peter S.]

Thanks Dom Fortey for names for VH-FVP & VH-FVN. VH-FVP on delivery.

VH-VPH St Kilda Beach.

VH-XFA Cottesloe Beach
VH-XFB Cable Beach
VH-XFC Mooloolaba Beach
VH-XFD Bells Beach
VH-XFE Manly Beach

VH-VOK Johanna Beach
VH-VOQ Margaret River
VH-VUF ..................Hobart Honey
VH-VUG .................Jasmine Tasman
VH-VUY Snapper Rocks
VH-VUZ Lennox Head
VH-YFC Bondi Beach
VH-YFE Sunshine Beach
VH-YFF Wineglass Bay.......allocated, but not on aircraft.
VH-YFG Hanson Bay
VH-YFH Mindil Beach
VH-YFI Porpoise Bay
VH-YFJ Surfers Paradise Beach
VH-YFK Long Beach
VH-YFL Sandy Bay
VH-YVA Eurong Beach.......allocated, but not on aircraft.
VH-YVC Jetty Beach
VH-YVD Salmon Beach
VH-YIA Henley Beach .......allocated, but not on aircraft.
VH-YIB Trinity Beach ........allocated, but not on aircraft.
VH-YID Rainbow Beach
VH-YIE Fingal Beach
VH-YIF Sorrento Beach
VH-YIG Kings Beach
VH-YIH Hastings Point
VH-YIJ Pennington Bay
VH-YIL Seventy Five Mile Beach
VH-YIM Bridgewater Bay
VH-YIO Lameroo Beach ..............to be delivered.

VH-VBY Kingston Beach

VH-ZPQ Main Beach
VH-ZPR Dundee Beach
VH-ZPT ...............no name yet

VH-FVH Four Mile Beach
VH-FVI Mission Beach
VH-FVL Preston Beach
VH-FVM Woolamai Beach
VH-FVN Whitehaven Beach ...............to be delivered.
VH-FVP Wategos Beach
VH-FVU Double Island Point
VH-FVX Kirra Beach

ZK-PBA Peaceful Bay
ZK-PBB Indian Head
ZK-PBF Tapu'itea...................[Virgin Samoa]
ZK-PBJ Trigg Beach

[Jayden Laing]

VH-YIM is in service today! Operated DJ920 from BNE.

[Radi K]

AKL heads up. B777 VPD will in inbound ex SYD Tues morning. Back to SYD 0900L on Thurs. Engine swap with Air NZ.

[Radi K]

BNE heads up. A332 XFA will be inbound ex Subang at 2030L on Thurs night. Leaving at midnight for Melbourne.

Quick trip for ground crew training. First time VA A332 into BNE.

[Rob R]

Expect another A330 in BNE late AUG/ early SEP.