1980s AUSTRALIAN AIRLINERS

 A selection of my photographs taken during the decade

During the 1980s Ansett Airlines of Australia participated in the annual Easter airshows at Mangalore in country Victoria. 
This was the Ansett flypast at the April 1985 show: BAe146 leads Boeing 737, 727 and 767. Happy days

A spirited display by Ansett Boeing 737 VH-CZQ at the April 1983 Mangalore show

Ansett Airlines Boeing 767 VH-RMG turns in for a solo display at Mangalore April 1983

Boeing 767 VH-RMG Mangalore April 1983

Boeing 767 VH-RMD at Mangalore April 1984

Boeing 767 VH-RMD Mangalore April 1985. Stairs and ground equipment were transported from Melbourne Airport

Boeing 737-277 VH-CZQ at Mangalore April 1983

The other player in Australia's Two Airline Policy was TAA.     Boeing 727-276 VH-TBL at Perth June 1981


Central Australian promotional scheme on TAA Boeing 727-276 VH-TBK.  Perth November 1980

TAA introduced the A300 Airbus. The first of the order, VH-TAA seen on an early service to Perth in July 1981

TAA withdrew its last Fokker F.27 Friendships in the early 1980s.
VH-TQP in a row of retired TAA Friendships at Melbourne Airport in April 1983 awaiting resale

TAA changed name in 1986 to Australian Airlines. and introduced this attractive new scheme.
VH-TBQ at Perth in February 1988 as Australian, while the Airbus behind still wears TAA markings

Boeing 737-376 VH-TAW in the new Ausralian Airlines scheme at Perth in June 1987

NSW Regional operator East West Airlines began the decade with an all Friendship fleet.
VH-EWO on a scheduled service at Albury NSW in September 1984

East West Airlines introduced a new colour scheme, as shown on Friendship VH-EWU in February 1984

East West Airlines introduced Fokker F.28 Fellowships in 1984 and developed interstate routes. VH-EWD at Perth in May 1985

Back to Ansett.  Sir Reginald Ansett said the DC-9 was his favourite aircraft and the most economical airliner he ever operated.
VH-CZG at Perth in May 1981


Boeing 737-277 VH-CZU at the Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, north Queensland in September 1984

Ansett F.27 Friendship VH-FNO at Melbourne Airport in October 1983

Ansett associate Airlines of NSW was rebadged as Air NSW with this "Yellow Canary" scheme early in the 1980s. 
F.27 VH-FCA at Perth on a charter June 1982

Air NSW had changed to standard Ansett "Southern Cross"scheme by 1985 when this former MMA F.28 Fellowship VH-FKA
was used on NSW routes. Seen ready to depart Perth on delivery to Sydney on 19 August 1985


Air NSW F.27s were replaced by Fokker 50s.  Here's VH-FNE in October 1988

Ansett associate Airlines of South Australia F.27 VH-FNP was chartered to bring enthusiasts to the 1984 Mangalore airshow

MMA became Airlines of WA and then Ansett W.A.  Refer 1980s Perth Airport in this series for picture coverage.
Ansett W.A. Fokker F.28 Fellowship VH-FKC at Geraldton WA in August 1987

A new operation was Ansett N.T., based at Darwin, Northern Territory.
Their F.28 VH-FKF was being used by Ansett WA in August 1987 when I got this night shot at Geraldton WA


Non-airline users of Fokker aircraft included this former Department of Civil Aviation F.27 VH-CAT seen at Essendon 
in July 1988 being used by CSIRO on research tasks, crewed by East West pilots.

Australian Aircraft Sales had parked this former Air New Zealand F.27 ZK-NAH at Melbourne Airport in April 1984.
It became VH-NLS with Aircruising Australia the following year, flying holiday air tours


Lloyd Aviation in Adelaide purchased this new F.28 VH-LAR in 1985 to carry personnel to the Moomba gas fields in the north
of South Australia, as Australia's first dedicated jet FIFO operation.    Adelaide Airport February 1988

DCA had become Department of Transport Air Transport Group by 1977 when it purchased three F.28s to replace its F.27s.
Here's VH-ATG taxying at Essendon in May 1981 for another radio navaid checking mission

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