I don't know, but the colour scheme is growing on me. I find it doesn't look as bad on the 737 as I first thought. Still looks better on the 340, though.

It looks as though VH-RQC has been flying around the south-east of Australia since 29 January, 2021 flying in and out of SYD, MEL, CBR & ADL on numerous occasions. I presume this is for crew training and also promotion for REX. No flights to BNE as yet since this date.

Has VH-RQG flown as yet from Wagga?

Only if it had engines! ;) Engines were sent to Europe in December.

RQC has been training. Was able to get photographs in Canberra.


https://flic.kr/p/2kzKda4
https://flic.kr/p/2kzKdfu
https://flic.kr/p/2kzNHLk

Nice photos Robert. Less than three weeks to launch and REX has one serviceable currently flying B738, one "glider" with its engines to be delivered and four future aircraft all still in CGK since last November. I hope that it is not too much of a mad rush for them to launch on 1 March.

Do you know what aircraft and airline took the engines to Europe by any chance? Will possibly be the same on return.

It looks as though VH-RQC is flying MEL-SYD-MEL via CBR both ways today and REX have just announced $49.00 fares SYD-MEL and vv for March. I might treat myself for a ride but not on the glider. :rolleyes:

Does anyone know if the MEL CBR SYD and vv is a planned route? Will be nice to not pay an arm and a leg for MEL-CBR...

Cheers in advance

After I did some checking, I found that VH-REX was Saab340 c/n 384 which changed to ZPN on 3/12/20. CASA still shows nothing registered as VH-REX.

No, Adrian. REX is just flying SYD-MEL from 1 March at this stage with SYD-BNE to follow at "Easter" but no date or schedule has been specified. The flights to CBR & ADL are for technical crew training purposes only. The shorter the sector the more take offs and landings can be performed and save fuel costs.

Dennis, I thought that the first REX B738 revealed to the public on Christmas Eve would have been in the REX registration, but it was not to be. I would think that the next aircraft to be delivered, one of the four currently in CGK, will be VH-REX as you would think that the first flight on 1 March will be with this registration for the publicity alone. REX have said that they will have three B738s at launch.

I agree with the logic there as you'd certainly expect that the first Rex 737 flight would be with VH-REX.

I've always wondered whether VH-REX would be the ex VH-VOM as it is the oldest of the six 737's and VH-REX also comes first on the alphabet before the RQ* series - if any logic is to be followed anymore.

Added after further thought:

VH-REX ex VH-VOM (possibly)
VH-RQC ex VH-VOP
VH-RQG ex VH-VUF

These are the oldest three 737's and further makes sense for VH-VOM to become VH-REX.

A gamble........... we will see :)

Next months Airliner World (April 2021) has an article on REX and jets

A couple of Rego changes

VUU to REX on 12/02
VUV to PAG on 09/02 (Note: Same Lease Co. as above REX)

Both currently at CGK

See Executive Traveller. REX now starting with one aircraft on 1 March for the first week.

Bit clickbaitish! Try “ Mr Sharp said that while Rex would “stand its ground in these routes, even if inevitably both carriers will be making significant losses”, the drag on its financial position would force it to cease flying on five other “marginal” routes: Sydney to Bathurst, Cooma, Lismore and Grafton - all routes on which Rex is the only airline operating - as well as Adelaide to Kangaroo Island (which Qantas entered last year).

Rex said it would pull those services when the federal government’s Regional Airline Network Support (RANS) package ends in March. The RANS program was designed to maintain air connections to regional Australia amid a collapse in passenger numbers at the start of COVID-19, and came after Rex threatened to ground its entire fleet unless the government underwrote its operations.”

https://www.smh.com.au/business/comp...22-p574k4.html

Tristan, I have added your post above to the REX thread.

There has been no movement as yet of the two newly registered REX B738s either as post maintenance test flights or the delivery flights to BNE. I will watch with interest as the day progresses.

No worries.

With any of these sorts of things, always STC.
Keeping my eyes peeled as well :)

With regards to the odd rego "VH-PAG" that Rex has choosen - Is there any meaning to it ie I recall in the older days an aircraft in timetables being abbreviated to 'PAG'. Any chance Rex used to operate that type of aircraft in the older days ie Piper Navajo/Chieftan?

* Answered my question - in the older Hazelton days the Piper Chieftan was used so that must by why VH-PAG was choosen.

I wonder if its also related to 'PAG Asia Capital' who reportedly invested $50 mill in REX?
https://australianaviation.com.au/20...7-goes-to-rex/

I was wondering the same thing, Steve until I read about REX's investment deal with, you named it PAG, who are funding the airlines expanded domestic operations to the tune of $150m. Its full name is PAG Regulus Holdings Pte Ltd but I can't find what PAG stands for.

Therefore, forget the personalised initials on aircraft registration, such as the RM* or CZ* series and BZG, why not put the company who is funding REXs foray into capital city services on one of your newly acquired jets. Something a bit different. One day we might get registrations such as COM, NAB or STG when a deal is brokered, but only if the regos are available! ;)

From the good old Wikipedia "PAG was founded in 2002 as the Pacific Alliance Group"

Nothing on Flight Aware yet re PAG and REX coming tonight

According to Flightaware VH-REX is scheduled to leave CGK at 14:30 local (17:30 SYD time) to arrive in BNE at 23:44 today, Thursday and VH-PAG is scheduled to leave CGK at 14:45 (17:45 SYD time) to arrive in BNE at 00:01 on Friday morning. This puts one aircraft 15 minutes behind the other.

Arriving at BNE around midnight makes me wonder if both aircraft or one of them is painted in a special livery that REX does not want anyone to see until it is revealed.

Delayed on departure from CGK with VH-REX now due to arrive in BNE at 3:03 this morning and VH-PAG at 3:18 this morning.

Now due from CGK at 17:45 and 18:00 into BNE

Funny how they are keeping them both 15 minutes apart even each time changes are made to the flight time.

Out of curiosity what have Rex done with the interiors of the 737-800's ie seat headrest colors?

Thank you.

Finally, VH-REX is airborne from CGK and estimated to arrive in BNE at 18:45 local, 19:45 SYD time. VH-PAG to follow 15 minutes behind.

VH-PAG is now airborne from CGK and by my estimate about 25 minutes behind REX. PAG is estimated to arrive in BNE at 19:10 local time, 20:10 SYD time.

Both REX B738s have arrived in BNE with VH-REX touching down at 19:17 local and VH-PAG at 19:37, 20 minutes behind.

Interestingly on the flight from CGK, VH-REX descended from 41,000 to 15,000 in just over 10 minutes while over the Northern Territory, stayed at that altitude for nearly 4 minutes and then climbed back to 41,000. The speed reduced while at 15,000 to a lowest of 310 knots. Pretty strange. Could the crew have been performing an approved practise depressurisation event?

https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...s-class-photos

Steve, the photos in the above link from Executive Traveller will give you a look at the REX business class seats, with the economy seats in the background.

Both due to depart for SYD at 11.00am REX as ZL1919 and PAG as ZL1921, due in SYD at 1.03pm and 1.04pm

How many B738's do they need to start jet ops ?

1 based on Mondays schedule, 3 a week later

Photos

https://www.flickr.com/photos/794876...in/dateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/794876...in/dateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/794876...in/dateposted/

Hope you like.:)

Thanks Lloyd for the photos. No discreet livery brought into BNE at night for either of those two aircraft.

I thought while the two B738 are in BNE that REX might take the opportunity to announce at a press conference, with the planes in the background, the date for the commencement of SYD-BNE-SYD flights, which were originally due to start in April, 2021.

Nice shot of the 2 a/c together

REX wants advice on their livery slogan color.

PAG is orange
REX is blue

If you hadn't noticed

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...MxLt6YsIme8r_k

Blue on the 737s and Orange on the Saab's!

Look like VH-RQC got the inaugural service as RXA18 / ZL18 from Melbourne to Sydney at
07:21 and is currently returning to Melbourne as RXA33 / ZL33

VH-PAG ferried (positioned) to Melbourne from Sydney last night

REX has announced that it will fly twice daily services on the following routes:

MEL-OOL from 29/3/21;
MEL-ADL from 31/3/21; and
SYD-OOL from 1/4/21.

It looks as though REX is linking their regional flight hubs to their mainline services with the addition of ADL. BNE flights look to be on the backburner for now with not a large regional presence there.

Source: Executive Traveller https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...coast-adelaide

Both VH-REX & VH-PAG have entered the fray.

Yes, REX have increased B738 flights to 6 per day from today and now need at least two aircraft operating.

I am flying to MEL tomorrow for four hours on their $49.00 fares. The aircraft to MEL will be different to the aircraft back so possibly I will be able to sample both the flagship regos on the one day. The orange and the blue :)

Rex looks to add more jets, more destinations

The country airline has its eye on two more Boeing jets plus new routes.

Regional Express has only just started flying a handful of Boeing 737s between Sydney and Melbourne, but the airline is eager to add more jets and more cities to its fledgling network as it takes on Qantas and Virgin Australia.

Rex will see its first tranche of six Boeing 737s parked in its Sydney hangars by the end of March, with Adelaide and the Gold Coast becoming their third and fourth destinations after previous plans to expand to Brisbane were put on hold.

In a sign of confidence on the recovery of domestic air travel, and its ability to carve out a slice of the current three-airline market (including low-cost carrier Jetstar), Rex says it's now "in discussions" on the delivery of two more Boeing 737s in time for the mid-year winter holiday season.

https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...e-destinations