Flights on Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800s Perth – Kalgoorlie – Perth: 26 September 2018

26 September 2018 © David Eyre

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The author had the opportunity to fly on Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800s VH-YFC ‘Bondi Beach’ from Perth to Kalgoorlie and VH-VOK ‘Johanna Beach’ from Kalgoorlie to Perth on 26 September 2018.

Perth to Kalgoorlie: Virgin Australia flight VA1849 on Boeing 737-81D VH-YFC ‘Bondi Beach’

Upon arriving at Perth Airport Terminal 1 Domestic around 6:15am, I completed check-in using the electronic kiosks and proceeded through security checks to the Departure Lounge.

Flight VA1849 was leaving from Gate 48 (Bay 148B) at Terminal 1 Domestic.  I was able to get a quick photo through a window in the aerobridge as we boarded.

My aircraft was Boeing 737-81D VH-YFC ‘Bondi Beach’ (MSN 39413/3592). VH-YFC is leased from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS) and is nearly seven years old, having been first test flown by Boeing in Seattle on 12 March 2011 in all-white livery.

VH-YFC was the first Virgin aircraft to be fitted with the new ‘Sky’ interior, based on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This features more curves and soft colours to make the cabin seem brighter and more spacious. Purple-coloured LED lights inset into the ceiling can change colour and intensity – during take-off, landing and most of the flight, the purple softens to “help reduce stress levels”, but is intensified when meals are served. Larger window surrounds allow more light in and overhead luggage compartments have been enlarged, but redesigned to take up less space above the passengers.

On 1 April 2011, VH-YFC was flown from Boeing Field, Seattle to Tulsa, Oklahoma as flight DJ9080 (the DJ flight number was used as the airline was still operating as Virgin Blue at the time). Two days later, on 3 April 2011, after cabin modifications, it departed Tulsa as DJ9080 on its delivery flight to Australia, flying Tulsa – Ontario (California) – Honolulu (Hawaii) – Nadi (Fiji) – Brisbane, arriving 5 April 2011.

VH-YFC was fitted with 8 Business Class seats and 168 Economy seats and flew its first revenue service with Virgin Blue in an all-white livery, as DJ361 from Brisbane to Townsville on 15 April 2011.

It was flown from Melbourne to Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 April 2011 and repainted in Virgin Australia livery. It returned to Melbourne and Sydney on 4 May 2011, the day that Virgin Blue was officially renamed Virgin Australia Airlines, becoming the first Boeing 737 to enter service with newly-renamed airline.

I boarded VH-YFC at Gate 48 (Bay 148B) at Terminal 1 Domestic at 6:34am, sitting at seat 7A, ahead of the engine on the left side.

We pushed back from bay 148B at 6:52am for engine start.

We taxied out on taxiway T, along taxiway C and W to runway 21, with sunny blue skies. As we taxied out, we passed Virgin Fokker 100 VH-FNR, which was holding on taxiway N for an intersection departure from runway 21.

VH-YFC took off from runway 21 at 7:01am, then turned left over Queens Park, providing a view of Kewdale and Perth Airport. 

We initially headed east south east over the hills of the Darling Range, east of  Perth, then turned east north east (070 degrees) and passed the town of Northam. The aircraft reached its cruise altitude of 31,000 feet at 7:15am, south of the town of Tammin.

We only stayed at cruise altitude for 12 minutes, commencing descent at 7:27am, north of the town of Southern Cross. Three minutes later, we passed south of the town of Koolyanobbing and its iron ore mines. 

Our flight passed East Jaurdi Airport, which was built to fly in workers for the gold mine nearby, and Alliance Airlines Fokker 100 VH-QQW was visible on the apron.

Around 43km NNW of Coolgardie, the aircraft turned right, heading southeast towards Kalgoorlie Airport, passing a number of active and abandoned gold mines on the approach to runway 11.

We landed on runway 11 at Kalgoorlie Airport at 7:51am, after being in the air for only 50 minutes. The same trip by car takes six hours.

Kalgoorlie to Perth: Virgin Australia flight VA1858 on Boeing 737-8FE VH-VOK ‘Johanna Beach’

I checked-in at Kalgoorlie for the return flight VA1858 to Perth, which was departing from Gate 1.

My aircraft was Boeing 737-8FE VH-VOK (MSN 33758/1359) of Virgin Australia, named ‘Johanna Beach’.  VH-VOK was first flown on 22 July 2003 at Renton, Seattle. On 13 August 2003, it flew from Seattle (Boeing Field) – Honolulu – Apia (Samoa) – Christchurch (New Zealand), arriving on 15 August 2003. During pre-service maintenance for Virgin Blue, it was fitted with winglets and flew Christchurch – Brisbane as DJ9085 on 20 August 2003, named ‘Smoochy Maroochy’. VH-VOK operated its first revenue service Brisbane – Adelaide as DJ752 on 22 August  2003. Virgin Blue was later renamed Virgin Australia, and VH-VOK was repainted in January 2012, renamed ‘Johanna Beach’.

There was a great sunset when I boarded the aircraft at 6:02pm, sitting at seat 8F, just ahead of engine on the right side. Parked either side of VH-VOK were two QantasLink aircraft; VH-NHY Fokker 100 and VH-NXM Boeing 717.

We started engines and taxied out at 6:30pm, then took off from Kalgoorlie Airport’s runway 29 at 6:36pm, turning left after take-off to head southwest.

Unfortunately VH-VOK’s passenger windows were showing their age, with bad crazing preventing any photography through them.

We reached the cruise altitude of 24,000 feet at 6:44pm, about 83 kilometres southwest of Kalgoorlie. The aircraft stayed at cruise altitude for 26 minutes, before commencing the descent at 7.10pm, 36 kilometres east of Beverley and 127 kilometres ESE of Perth.

When south of Beverley, the aircraft turned right to head northwest and then left over Gidgegannup to join the approach to Perth Airport’s runway 24.

We landed on runway 24 at 7:29pm. Total flight time was 53 minutes.

VH-VOK parked at Bay 147A, Terminal 1 Domestic, at 7:36pm. I left the aircraft at 7:40pm.