We quite often have B73x aircraft here, mostly RAAF ones.
Qantas has diverted a 738 here from Adelaide, back in 2009.
The airport advertises itself as being rated up a 737, and i'm pretty sure i've seen taxiway markings here saying "MAX B737"
Future plans are going to extend 09/27 to allow permanent B737 ops.
This is an excerpt from the Airports master plan (2010 ....tick tock
)
Runway 09/27
To facilitate operations of larger jet services and to ensure flexibility in aircraft operation by the airlines, it is desirable to increase the runway takeoff distance available (TODA) to 2,000m.
This move however will not be required until there are regular services of B 737 category aircraft.
This matter should be reviewed when there are regular services of E 190 aircraft.
An alternative to increase takeoff distance available, is to strengthen the runway end and RESA at both ends of runway 09/27 and claim the increased takeoff distance.
This would allow large aircraft to depart fully loaded during the few extremely hot weather days that would normally restrict operations on the shorter runway length. This proposal will be further explored.
The Runway 09/27 pavement is rated in the Airservices Australia publication En-Route Supplement Australia (ERSA) at PCN 32. The runway subgrade strength category is noted as C.
Aircraft capability of the runways for operations in excess of one per day, is for aircraft up to 57.0 Tonnes. The target aircraft in this analysis (B737-800 and A320-200) are both heavier aircraft. However, their operating weight on services to Brisbane/Sydney from Mildura would be in the order of 65 – 70 Tonnes with a full passenger load.
Current RPT operations are based on EMB170 and Q400 as the largest aircraft.
As B737 and A320 aircraft are common types in the fleets of airlines that may operate to Mildura, to enable flexible airline scheduling requirements and/or to cater for peak periods and/or special events such as conferences, sporting and cultural events.
Limited operations by these aircraft can be accommodated and should be provided for in planning airport infrastructure upgrades.
The Runway 09/27 pavement could accommodate limited operations by B737-800 and A320-200 aircraft at less than maximum weights, particularly at likely weights associated with operations to Sydney (68 Tonnes with full payload). Operations on the Runway 09/27 pavement for the EMB 170 and EMB 190 aircraft is unrestricted.
Any runway extension should be constructed with pavement strength suitable to accommodate unrestricted operations by B737-800 and A320-200 aircraft at Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW).