CS-TQL is who's?

[2impulsiv]

I'm sitting in the qantas club in DRW and a plain white A340 with the registration CS-TQL took off. Who's plane is this?

:?:

Cheers

 

[11sjw]

Image Verification

Google is your friend...

 

[markis10]

Image Verification

Google is your friend...

Does not tell the full story though, its on charter to Adagold Hire a Jet - Private Jet Charter - Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Australia | Adagold Aviation who have the ADF contract for flying defence personnel to war zones etc. They took over the contract from Strategic a few years ago, dropped into PER earlier today as well, perhaps a SAS rotation?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Prior to Strategic getting the contract the Portuguese airline Air Luxor used to fly the A330 rego CS-TMT DRW/DXB via Diego Garcia on the ADF charters. They would mainly fly out of SYD & DRW but from time to time flew out of BNE/TSV/PER depending on ADF requirements at the time.

The pilots looked like long haired lotharios & the F/A's Air Luxor uniform was hot pink jackets & mini skirts which changed to a light aqua blue for Hi Fly. :shock:

The airline was known as 'Air Luxor' from 1988-2005 & dabbled in low cost & charter operations but after suffering financial woes in 2005 it was decided they would concentrate solely on aircraft leasing services & was rebranded 'HiFly' ie same dog, different leg.





Strategic Airlines (now defunct) Air Australia had the ADF contract for several years but lost it to Hi Fly in October 2010 when IMHO the writing was on the wall for that company. Hi Fly now operate the ADF charter using an A340-300 series aircraft.

There was a cloud over the whole tender process as parties that had links to both ADF & Hi Fly were in a position to know what the Strategic tender was & thereby undercut them with Hi Fly. There has been much discussion of the topic & below is a link to one of the stories:

Defence tender up in air over leak and corruption claim | News.com.au

 

[ReLoad]

Air Luxor/Hi Fly used to have a couple of the old Ansett Airbuses too if my memory is right, not sure if they still have them or not, they would be very old planes by now!

 

[2impulsiv]

Thank you for your informative replys.

I was mislead thinking the A340 was about to take off as I noticed it parked up on the AFDC side of the airport with covers oner it's four engines.

It strange seeing a plain un marked aircraft, kind of look unfinished IMO.

Cheers.

 

[Ikara]

I received this Defence Media release this morning................

Air Sustainment Charter Service Delayedin Darwin​

A Middle East Area of Operation (MEAO) AirSustainment Charter service which departed Sydney on Tuesday 28 February wasdelayed as a result of a heavy landing in Darwin caused by weather and windeffect. No one was hurt in the incident.
The aircraft was due to fly approximately 115 ADFpersonnel to the MEAO and return with another group of 61 ADF members.
The return flight was delayed for 24 hours while areplacement aircraft was flown from the United Kingdom direct to the UnitedArab Emirates (UAE).
Any delay in getting our people home isregrettable. The replacement aircraft landed in Perth early this morning andall the passengers are returning to home locations via domestic commercial air.
The incident aircraft is currently being held inDarwin subject to a technical assessment by the aircraft operator and theAustralian Transport Safety Bureau will conduct an investigation.
TheAir Charter Service Contractor, Adagold, has consistently met and continues tomeet its MEAO Air Sustainment contractual obligations to the full satisfactionof Defence.

 

[2impulsiv]

Ok, so perhaps it was taxiing around as some sort of test drive?

:-|​

 

[markis10]

61 pax on an A340 would have been a comfy trip, assuming that's what the replacement was.

 

[2impulsiv]

61 pax on an A340 would have been a comfy trip, assuming that's what the replacement was.

No fighting over who get a window seat!!