Here's where I've been...

[PRB]

Tomorrow is our last day. "Trans-Pac Qantas" flight on Saturday. It's been an interesting and fun trip. The work part has been a success, and I'd like to stay here another month!

[emfrat]

I know that junction well...hope you enjoyed this afternoon's storm, and came to no harm.
ATB
MikeW

[PRB]

Hi Mike,

Yep, that storm was interesting. We were in the Hilton in Brisbane when it came through. We've been here since 7 Dec, which was, apparently, just after a big hail storm did a bit of damage around here. Lots of tarps over roofs visible on the drive from Brisbane to the base at Amberley. This is the sort of weather we get back home in Missouri, in May and June. It's been an interesting trip. The RAAF people at Amberley could not have been more helpful and friendly. They invited us to their weekly Friday morning breakfast party today. Great fun.

[PRB]

I think this is a KC-30 tanker. Never heard of it, but shot this beast on approach to RAAF Amberley a couple hours ago. Then did some Googling. Based on the A-330.

[Moses03]

Cool. Sounds like you are having a great time.

[PRB]

Here's my ride home, a couple hours before blast off, at the Brisbane airport. Say what you want about “tubes”, but that's a fine looking airplane. It may be the same one I flew over on. The name on the side, “Longreach”, matches. The seating in this plane is nice. Even in economy class, the seats recline in a manner that does not affect the hapless passenger behind, like in most economy class cattle compartments. And business class? OMG. I've never seen anything like it. The seats are like those transformer robots. They turn into beds, with a fair amount of privacy, for the inside of an airplane. It's amazing. I rode business one way, economy on the way back. And they kept feeding us, even in economy class. Two big meals and snacks. When was the last time you saw that on a US carrier? I haven't flown a US airline on a 14 hour international flight in decades, so maybe it's the same. The little wine bottles were free, even in economy class. Next time I fly from St. Louis to Cleveland, I'm going to see if I can get a Qantas flight, lolol...

[limjack]

Looks like the GSX is working fine with no de-icer needed. Safe flight home.

Jim

[PRB]

Looks like the GSX is working fine with no de-icer needed. Safe flight home.

Jim

Thanks Jim. The flight went well, but long. What is mean "GSX" in the above post?

[limjack]

Thanks Jim. The flight went well, but long. What is mean "GSX" in the above post?

Ground service pack for fsx from Flight sim dream team. Last photo prepping up your ride home....my brain of course went to fsx world. Haha

Jim

[AussieMan]

Paul, all QANTAS B747-400s have the word 'LONGREACH' on their fuselage. Aircraft are usually named after famous Australians and I think that name is up near the cockpit windows. Best way to see if it is the same aircraft is to check the VH-*** registration.

[PRB]

Ah, rgr that Jim.

Thanks Pat. Rgr the VH-XXX number, which I didn't pay any attention to. I assumed that since Longreach is a city in Australia, that the planes were named for various cities.

[emfrat]

Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services was founded in Winton but soon moved operations 100 miles south to the similar bush town of Longreach, which was more central to their planned service area. So when QANTAS purchased the 747-400 and made a delivery flight of 18000km, it was only natural to name the class 'Longreach'...IIRC, individual planes still carry the names of important cities, or famous Oz people.
http://www.raa.com.au/travel/blog/179

and that landing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceCt2_hPoGY

ATB
MikeW