In May 1987 RanaId Dennis Buchanan established Flight West Airlines, based in Brisbane. He started his career in aviation and tourism at the age of only 17. Initially he worked for a small airline in what is now Papua New Guinea and before reaching 25 years of age he purchased Territory Airlines that owned just two Cessna aircraft for aerial work in the highlands of the island. By fleet expansion and some acquisitions his airline, which he renamed Talair in 1975, rapidly became the second most important airline in the country, behind Air Niugini. In those days Talair employed over 1,000 staff, operated 70 aircraft to more than 150 airports and airstrips. Talair had a rather diverse fleet of aircraft, which in the end proved not to be economical and Buchanan decided to close the airline in 1993. A number of Talair aircraft was transferred to Flight West Airlines.

Flight West mainly concentrated on government-subsidized flights to remote communities in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island. Apart from Brisbane, Flight West network hubs were Cairns, Sydney and Townsville. The fleet was well adapted to the network with many small airports, short and sometimes unpaved runways and low numbers of passengers. During the first years Flight West operated seven Beech King Airs, two EMB-110 Bandeirantes and a single DHC-6 Twin Otter. In the early 1990s, when Talair ceased flying, eight EMB-110s, seven Twin Otters and two DHC-8s were transferred to Flight West, growing their fleet to 13, nine and three units, respectively. Also one BN-2 Islander was added and Flight West started replacing the Bandeirantes with EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft. For a short period in 1995 Flight West leased one Shorts 360 from Hazelton Airlines for crew training. In the late 1990s the fleet comprised nine Brasilias, still some Bandeirantes and four BAe-32 Jetstreams as well as a number of Fokker aircraft (see below).

So, once again Buchanan, who had been knighted for his aviation achievements, had built up a substantial airline which, by the late 1990s, was carrying over 400,000 passengers per year, employing more than 400 people and flying to 34 destinations, with 16 planes. In 2001 Sir Buchanan put Flight West Airlines into voluntary liquidation, ceasing trading while still solvent in order to guarantee staff redundancy payments. Initially Ansett announced to lease eight Flight West aircraft and resume flying 16 routes, but Ansett collapsed itself within weeks. Eventually Queensland Aviation Holdings, the parent of Alliance Airlines, acquired Flight West, including the larger aircraft and many employees in 2002.

Fokkers with Flight West

The first Fokker flying on behalf of Flight West was F50 VH-FNB (20107), leased from Ansett for six weeks in early 1993. We were unable to find pictures from that period, but presumably the aircraft operated in its standard Express Shuttle livery. Two years later that was different when Flight West wet-leased VH-FNJ (20115) for three short periods; it then operated the daily coastal services out of Brisbane in the Flight West livery with and at times without titles.

In 1997 Flight West bought three Fokker Fellowships from East-West Airlines. The first one, VH-EWA (11195) arrived in Brisbane late March 1997 and entered service one week later. Around May 1998 VH-EWA received special colors, promoting the 'North Queensland Cowboys’ team playing in the National Rugby League. Previously Flight West had painted two of their EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft with a similar scheme for supporting the rugby team of Townsville, one of the Flight West hubs. After the sponsor contract with the rugby team expired in 2000, the F28 carried a hybrid livery for short time with all Cowboys titles and logos removed and the standard Flight West tail colors applied. This F28 was withdrawn from use in March 2001 and was stored in all-white scheme before it was sold to Air Niugini in 2002.

Two other Fellowships entered the Flight West fleet shortly after acquiring the first. These were VH-EWC (11207) and VH-EWB (11205). Both operated in the standard Flight West colors and after the airline ceased flying, EWC was sold to Air Niugini and EWB scrapped at Brisbane.

In 1999 Flight West bought two Fokker 100s that had previously been in service with Air Ivoire. The first one, VH-FWI (11318), arrived in Brisbane late January 1999 and was followed in July by VH-FWH (11316). They were painted in the standard livery and after the demise of Flight West were leased for a very short period to Ansett before Alliance Airlines incorporated them in their fleet.

Flight West Fokker fleet

Flight West pictures

F28 VH-EWA (11195) in its special colors promoting the North Queensland Cowboys rugby team. (Craig Murray; Cairns, 5 February 2000)

After the sponsorship with the Cowboys rugby team ended, VH-EWA (11195) operated in a hybrid livery. (Peter Gates; Brisbane, May 2000)

Withdrawn from use and painted all white, VH-EWA (11195) is waiting for a new owner. (Lindsay Hockey; Brisbane, 16 September 2001)

Still quite new in the Flight West fleet is VH-EWB (11205). (Brian Wilkes; Brisbane, 1997)

F28 VH-EWC (11207) in the standard livery. (unknown photographer, slide scan from Rémi Dallot collection; Brisbane, 15 April 1998)

Prior to entering service F100 VH-FWH (11316) is receiving some maintenance. (Craig Murray; Brisbane, 12 September 1999)

VH-FWI (11318) on the taxiway in nice weather. (Craig Murray; Sydney, 17 July 1999)

Rare picture of the short-lived F50 VH-FNJ in Flight West service. (unknown photographer, slide scan from author’s collection; Brisbane, May 1995)

Credits

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_West_Airlines, accessed 18 May 2025
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Buchanan, accessed 18 May 2025
• Airlinerlist: www.airlinerlist.com
• Aussie airliners: aussieairliners.com, accessed 18 May 2025