A few weeks back at 2000hrs in Phillip Island, a plane flew overhead at a very high altitude. I would say at least 40000 ft. It was going directly South, not in the direction of Tassie or New Zealand.
Where can a jet be heading at that time of night? Very curious as next stop is Antarctica? It was too high up to have taken off in Melbourne.
QF63 does track south but that would be very early for it to be tracking south - I thought it usually went to the north of the city. It's definitely not one of the Antarctica charter flights. Mystery!
It wasn't QF63. In the last four months the latest that QF63 has departed has been 1600hrs on the 30.9.16 and that was too early for this sighting and on this occasion it tracked due south of Sydney before crossing Launy. It was well East of Phillip Island.
More than likely, as height is really hard to tell in the evening it was an aircraft that was bound for Hobart. Cowes is one of the en-route points on the MEL-HBA route, and both VA1332, QF1509, and JQ713 are all possibilities around that time of night and all would cross Cowes at or above FL250 depending on which runway at MEL was used. Tonights VA1332 (1.11.16) crossed Cowes at FL310 on climb.
On the rare occasion that Runway 09 is used at MEL the aircraft are normally headed more South than South East due to the Easterly departure, same for a right hand turn off Runway 16 at MEL (again rare but does happen).
It wasn't QF63. In the last four months the latest that QF63 has departed has been 1600hrs on the 30.9.16 and that was too early for this sighting and on this occasion it tracked due south of Sydney before crossing Launy. It was well East of Phillip Island.
More than likely, as height is really hard to tell in the evening it was an aircraft that was bound for Hobart. Cowes is one of the en-route points on the MEL-HBA route, and both VA1332, QF1509, and JQ713 are all possibilities around that time of night and all would cross Cowes at or above FL250 depending on which runway at MEL was used. Tonights VA1332 (1.11.16) crossed Cowes at FL310 on climb.
On the rare occasion that Runway 09 is used at MEL the aircraft are normally headed more South than South East due to the Easterly departure, same for a right hand turn off Runway 16 at MEL (again rare but does happen).
lind26
lind26
Member since 24 Apr 2014
Total posts 231
A few weeks back at 2000hrs in Phillip Island, a plane flew overhead at a very high altitude. I would say at least 40000 ft. It was going directly South, not in the direction of Tassie or New Zealand.
Bigbird
Bigbird
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 17 Jun 2015
Total posts 40
Qantas charter a 747 a few flights every year out of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne for Antarctica flyovers. Maybe this was one of them?
lind26
lind26
Member since 24 Apr 2014
Total posts 231
At 2000hrs?
aussiflyer
aussiflyer
Member since 27 Jan 2016
Total posts 41
aussiflyer
aussiflyer
Member since 27 Jan 2016
Total posts 41
correction QF63*
lind26
lind26
Member since 24 Apr 2014
Total posts 231
wow you could right!
ajstubbs
ajstubbs
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 15 Mar 2016
Total posts 117
QF63 does track south but that would be very early for it to be tracking south - I thought it usually went to the north of the city. It's definitely not one of the Antarctica charter flights. Mystery!
Boof
Boof
Member since 29 Aug 2013
Total posts 33
It wasn't QF63. In the last four months the latest that QF63 has departed has been 1600hrs on the 30.9.16 and that was too early for this sighting and on this occasion it tracked due south of Sydney before crossing Launy. It was well East of Phillip Island.
lind26
lind26
Member since 24 Apr 2014
Total posts 231
The mystery deepens
Grannular
Grannular
Member since 31 Mar 2014
Total posts 284
Next time quickly load up FlightRadar24 and you should find out pretty quickly
markpk
markpk
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 29 Nov 2013
Total posts 459