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.)