Stupid thread - feel free to delete Admins

[Eastwest Loco]

Hi all

The simple question is does anyone know the designated flight number of the QF/Croydon Travel penguin patrol this evening to the Antarctic? Rego if known would also be appreciated. I can check ATD via Sabre if I have that - generally 6600 series.

Generally tracks straight over the DPO beacon before HBA and then out into the wilderness.

It was due to push back at 1830 MEL EDST, but without a fkight number I can't track.

Decent evening to have a look here too as is about 3 oct at around 18000 - actually just looked to my left to check and spotted what looked like a DJ 737 on track HBA laying nice cotton candy behind, so the big girl should be fairly easy to pick.

Thanks all, and have the best New Year

EWL

[Keg]

Just looked up Flightradar24 and not showing any QF departures heading south..... yet.

[Eastwest Loco]

Thanks Keg

Not showing on MELKT website at all, so may be "under the radar".

Best

EWL

[Pavement]

QF2903 could be it

[DJ737]

The Melbourne airport website is showing a QF 2903 departing gate 11 at 18:30 for Melbourne and arr back at 06:00, probably the one you are looking for.
Just picked up out of MEL B744 VH-OJM

Cheers
& Happy New Year
DJ737

[Eastwest Loco]

Thanks DJ737 and Pavement.

I feel you may well be right - QF2903 is showing as a 744 (thought it was to be a dugong) with 1830 departure.

No departure loaded in Amadeus as yet.

Loaded as destination ZZF (mystery flight) with 11:30 flight duration.

Thanks heaps folks and have a brilliant New Year.

Best regards

EWL

[Pavement]

Off Frankston now heading south towards DPO

[Eastwest Loco]

Got it!!

Push back 1853 - off 1910 - eta MEL 0755.

Good group effort that!

nobody can get away wif nuffin'.

Will keep an eye out for her.

All the best

EWL

[ampclamp]

FlightAware (http://flightaware.com/live/flight/QFA2903/history/20121231/0730Z/YMML/YMML)

[Keg]

Abeam Hobart as we speak. Off to the west.

[C441]

The departure track depends on the initial planned landfall over the ice and that depends on the best viewing (weather) forecast.

There are basically three options:
Track to Cape Hallet and south from there or west along the ice shelf,
To Dumont D'ville, more or less south of Melbourne/Hobart and east or west from there or,
To Casey, as far west as the flight normally ventures and then east.

It's all spectacular but for pure variety of scenery it's hard to beat the bit south of Cape Hallet where last nights flight appears to have gone...lucky buggers!

I believe there's another 2 trips in January/February. They are morning departures so midday not midnight (if you can call it that) over the ice.

If you get the chance, do it!! It's bloody awesome.

[compressor stall]

Cape Hallet south must certainly be the most spectacular of those three routes.

I've had a burly bearded American (a tradie of some sort) from Antarctica northbound on board after finishing his tenth summer on the ice. Every other flight he'd been in a usap flight (c17 or C130 ) with no windows. He was openly crying with the beauty of the scenery around Mt Melbourne, and that was at 37,000 feet.

But the scenery is even better at 500 feet. ;)