Flights on Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800s Perth – Kalgoorlie – Perth: 1 & 2 July 2019

2 July 2019 © David Eyre

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The author had the opportunity to fly on Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800s VH-YFV ‘Princess Charlotte Bay’ from Perth to Kalgoorlie on 1 July 2019 and VH-YWA ‘Cable Beach’ from Kalgoorlie to Perth on 2 July 2019.

Perth to Kalgoorlie: Virgin Australia flight VA1849 on Boeing 737-8FE VH-YFV ‘Princess Charlotte Bay’: 1 July 2019

Arriving at Perth Airport Terminal 1 Domestic around 6:10am, I found long queues at all of Virgin’s electronic bag drop terminals, as they were offline. The poor staff member on duty would get one going again, only for it to again go offline.

This resulted in frustration for passengers trying to check in their bags, who were worried they would miss their flights. They eventually got the bag drop machines working again, I checked my bag in and dashed to security and eventually to the Departure Lounge. By this time it was 6:55am and our flight was due to leave at 7:05am, so they were calling passengers’ names (including mine) over the PA system.

Having flown with Virgin Australia several times in the past, I have always had a quick and easy check in process. This was the first time I had ever experienced any difficulty, but the staff were doing their best and professionally dealing with the situation.

My aircraft was Boeing 737-8FE VH-YFV ‘Princess Charlotte Bay’ (MSN 41030/5641). It is nearly four years old, having been first test flown by Boeing in Seattle on 24 October 2015.

On 2 November 2015, VH-YFV departed Seattle using flight number VA9940 on its delivery flight to Australia, flying Seattle – Lihue – Nadi – Brisbane, arriving 3 November 2015. It flew its first revenue service with Virgin Australia from Brisbane to Melbourne on 17 November 2015.

VH-YFV is powered by CFM International CFM56-7B26 engines and is configured with 8 Business class seats and 168 Economy seats with the ‘Sky’ cabin interior.

Flight VA1849 to Kalgoorlie was leaving from Gate 49 (Bay 149A) at Terminal 1 Domestic.  I boarded at 6:55am (late due to the bag drop machine problems), sitting at seat 7A, ahead of the engine on the left side.

Doors closed at 7:17am (just 12 minutes late) and we pushed back from bay 149A at 7:23am for engine start.

Sunrise was 7:18am and there were a number of showers passing over the airport, so the wet windows and cloudy conditions made photography challenging.

We taxied out at 7:26am, along taxiway C and C11, to runway 03.

As we taxied out, we passed Virgin Australia 737-800s, A320s and Fokker 100s, Alliance Fokker 70s and 100s and Regional Express (Rex) Saab 340Bs parked near Terminal 2.

Lining up for take-off on runway 03 at 7:45am, there was a Qantas 737-800 and Cobham Aviation BAe 146 holding on taxiway A11 for departure.

VH-YFV lifted off runway 03 at 7:46am and we had a good view of Terminals 3 and 4 (with the retro livery 737-800 VH-VXQ parked), the general aviation area, and the Skippers Aviation and Cobham Aviation facilities. Passing over Guildford and Caversham, the aircraft turned eastwards, climbing above solid cloud cover.

The aircraft headed passed east over the hills of the Darling Range, east of  Perth, then turned east north east (074 degrees). It reached cruise altitude of 37,000 feet at 8:04am, 19 minutes after take-off, 20 kilometres northeast of Merredin.

The aircraft only stayed at cruise altitude for 5 minutes, commencing descent at 8:09am, 20 kilometres north of the town of Southern Cross.

Around 50km NW of Kalgoorlie, the aircraft turned right, heading southeast and passed to the southwest of Kalgoorlie Airport, flying over a number of active and abandoned gold mines, and the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter before turning left onto a reciprocal heading to join the approach for Kalgoorlie Airport’s runway 29.

We landed on runway 29 at Kalgoorlie Airport at 8:37am, after being in the air for only 52 minutes. The same trip by car takes six hours.

Kalgoorlie to Perth: Virgin Australia flight VA1854 on Boeing 737-8FE VH-YWA ‘Cable Beach’: 2 July 2019

I checked-in at Kalgoorlie for the return flight VA1854 to Perth at around 1pm.

My aircraft for this flight was Boeing 737-800 VH-YWA (MSN 41042/6572) of Virgin Australia, named ‘Cable Beach’, less than two years old. 

VH-YWA was first flown on 3 September 2017 at Renton, Seattle. On 14 September 2017, it flew from Seattle (Boeing Field) – Kona (Hawaii) – Nadi (Fiji) – Brisbane, arriving on 16 September 2017. VH-YWA flew its first revenue service on 28 September 2017, operating VA605 from Brisbane to Mackay.

The aircraft is powered by two CFM International CFM56-7B26E engines and is configured with 8 Business class seats and 168 Economy seats with the ‘Sky’ cabin interior.

I boarded the aircraft at 1:46pm for flight VA1854 to Perth, sitting at seat 7A, on the left side, ahead of the engine. The weather was cloudy but dry, with a temperature of around 15 degrees C.

Engines were started and VH-YWA taxied out at 2:02pm, taxying past QantasLink Fokker 100 VH-NHI.

VH-YWA took off from Kalgoorlie Airport’s runway 11 at 2:07pm. Just after take-off, the aircraft flew over the Kalgoorlie Super Pit, Australia’s second largest open cut gold mine, which borders the east side of the city of Kalgoorlie.

The aircraft turned right after take-off, continuing to turn until almost on a reciprocal heading, climbing above solid cloud cover before turning left over Great Eastern Highway and heading southwest.

We reached the cruise altitude of 38,000 feet at 2:20pm, 125 kilometres southwest of Kalgoorlie.

The aircraft stayed at cruise altitude for 25 minutes, before commencing descent and turning northwest at 2:45pm, 23 kilometres west of Corrigin and 163 kilometres ESE of Perth Airport.

During the descent, VH-YWA passed the Wheatbelt town of Brookton, then flew over the Darling Range hills east of Perth, passing Canning Dam, Gosnells Quarry, and Champion Lakes.

VH-YWA made a gradual right turn to pass Thornlie, Jandakot Airport, and Canning Vale, with Garden Island visible offshore in the distance.

Continuing the right turn, Canning River and Swan River were visible in the distance. After passing over Carousel Shopping Centre at Cannington, we could see Perth city and then joined the approach to Perth Airport’s runway 03.

As we landed on runway 03 at 3:05pm, we passed the Public Viewing Area on Dunreath Drive, and saw Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-VXM holding on taxiway A9 for a flight to Karratha. Total flight time was 57 minutes.

Taxying in via taxiway C6 and C, VH-YWA parked at bay 145, Terminal 1 Domestic at 3:07pm and I disembarked at 3:12pm.