Trip Report: OOL - SYD - PER and back

[Matt Coughran]

Hey everyone

I go on a trip pretty much once a month and never do a trip report, but i thought i would for this one as it was a pretty awesome trip, so this is my first ever one. I will do it over a few posts i hope you don't mind...

A Few Months back dad and myself purchased some tickets to fly to Perth on a 747-300 with Qantas from Sydney.


17th November 2008
OOL - SYD (DJ500)
Virgin Blue, 737-700 [VH-VBN]
Seat 20F

First off we arrived at Gold Coast Airport at 5 in the morning for a 6:05 departure, we got into the terminal and saw "Delayed 6:25 (due to air traffic control sydney)" next to our flight. Great the only day we didn't want a delay we got one . So we sat down at the gate waiting to board, Gold Coast airport currently has the worst viewing area of planes in the terminal as all you can see is a wall due to construction.

We finally started boarding at around 06:00 and hopped onto the plane which was VH-VBN which is the first time for me


As you can see it was a very sunny day at the Gold Coast and i was looking forward to getting away from this rain and see the sun again. Across from us Jetstar VH-VQW fully loaded and ready to go to Sydney.

So i sat down and looked around me and looked at my Live to Air controls and got a bit of a surprise.

Some poor bored individual must of decided to it would be fun to take the cover off the controls. I had a look at the one on my dads armrest and it is very difficult for the cover to fall off itself.

So it was time to take off using RWY14 like always,

so we took off flying over west tweed below us is Terry's house, the weather isn't so great,
Making a right turn over Murwillumbah, and into the clouds.


For a good 10 - 15 minutes the view out of the window was this...


Finally we were greeted with blue sky's as we continued to climb.

Once we were above these clouds it was smooth flying.

So after our very short cruise it was time for descent,

looked like Sydney was having the same weather as the Gold Coast but then again every time i go to Sydney it rains just ask Tim Bowrey and Matthew McDonald

Got a really cool effect from the clouds, the sun and the shadow of my plane.

Finals into RWY 34R

After a bit of a harder landing we were down,

[Matt Coughran]

Taxing back to the Terminal we saw VH-OQA taking off to where im guessing will be Melbourne then through to LAX.


And Welcome to Sydney so everyone can rush out of the plane with only 2 Doors.


17th November 2008
SYD - PER (QF581)
Qantas, 747-300 [VH-EBW]
Seat 69A

Once we got off VH-VBN we headed straight to the Qantas Terminal to catch our flight to perth, once we got over there we went through screening and then got some breakfast, and went to our gate.

10 minutes later we were on..

It was a long walk to the back of the plane but worth it.

The Screen say's it all (sorry about the quality not the best screen to take pictures of)


Holding for a baby Qantas to land on RWY 34 L


Cleared for Take-off


TAKE OFF!!!!

The feeling of knowing the front of the plane is in the air but your not, is great!

Left turn over Sydney


We Climbed and were met with the ugly gray clouds again. This time between them for a while.


The Further away from Sydney we got the less we saw of clouds.

[Matt Coughran]

Lunch was served a very nice Beef Something (french word) with Veggies and for dessert a very cold! ice cream.


View 1 of 2 window views.


You really couldn't get much better then this, Flying on a 747 eating food, listening to music, and looking out the window to see the red dirt meeting the sea over South Australia, with another Qantas flying past in the distance.


And then reality bites you with more clouds.


Just as we Descend another Qantas fly's past going back east looked like a 767 or a A330 so maybe back to Sydney.

Say hello to the WA houses'

On finals to RWY 3 i think it is.

There it is i can see Airport land!

After a very smooth landing we taxied into our bay

There she is the City of Tamworth

[Matt Coughran]

18th November 2008
PER - SYD (QF642)
Qantas, A330-300 [VH-QPG]
Seat 54A

So after spending a few hrs and sleeping in Belmont it was time to go home.

We arrived at the Airport looked at our Gate which was Gate 3 great looked at Arrivals our plane was 5 mins early and we watched her land.
And then saw this for the next 30 mins...


the aircraft that was in our bay landed late resulting in a later boarding time, which caused the arriving flight from Sydney to hold for 30 mins while the other Qantas boarded, after all of that we finally boarded, the pilot told us we would make up time as the flight would be a 3hr and 45 minute flight compared to the 4 hr 10 minute projected flight.


While we waited for the rest of the passengers to get on VH-EBK parked next to us.


A very long taxi to RWY 3 and line up completed we waited to be cleared for take off.


We were cleared and we were in the air


Cya Western Aus and we also were going to say good bye to the blue skies and sun


A Few clouds over the land which wasn't too bad


Until we got higher...

This was the view for the whole flight blue sky on top cloud underneath if you didn't have sun glasses you needed to close your blind the glare was too bright for our eye's to handle.

As we start our decent into Sydney we went into the cloud and got an even better view!


Clouds and more clouds


A bit of a vortices coming off the winglet as we turn over the sea

[Matt Coughran]

On Finals into RWY 34 L


and Touchdown


We taxied back in and BA 777 took off above us


Once again everyone wants to get off the plane one door for 300+ passengers doesn't work too well we then got off and headed towards the Jetstar Terminal for the final leg of our trip.

18th November 2008
SYD - OOL (JQ420)
Jetstar, A320 [VH-VQD]
Seat 23A

We walked over the the Jetstar Terminal and got caught up in the very long line for security screening but went through very quickly, walked over to the flight information screen and looked for the Gate which was Gate 55 and our plane was already there VH-VQD the 2nd youngest girl in the fleet i was surprised as i was expecting to get VH-JQG.

For once Jetstar was on time so we hopped onto VQD,


We took off on RWY 34 R


Flying over Sydney this is the 2nd time ive seen the city from the sky,


The only blue sky that we saw for the whole flight and after this it got bad.


We were very close to landing as we had our flaps down i couldn't see a thing and last time this happened we had 3 go around and ended up in Brissy.


Very dark and crappy Tugun


Normally at this time of the day there is still daylight


Finally back home and parked at our bay.


After all of this i had a great time flying and enjoyed every moment. The Highlight of the flight would of had to be the 747-300 for such an old and large bird she is amazing
Virgin Blue staff as always were great and don't expect anything less from them.

Qantas were the best out of the whole 3 airlines, the food was great seats were comfortable and enough space for a 4 + hr flight in economy and the inflight entertainment on both the 747 and A330 helped when all you could see outside was cloud.

Jetstar for once they were on time for me and flying in VQD was great as the cabin was clean and new.

If anyone looking for a flight to enjoy on a 747 Sydney to Perth is the best option.

I hope you enjoyed reading my trip report
Cheers Matt.

[Justin L]

A great trip report Matt. Thoroughly enjoyed it and the photos as well.

[Tim Bowrey]

Well done Matt. Nothing beats a 747-300 wing view