QantasLink's C-FOWE

JD Aero is delivering C-FOWE (msn 4471) for Sunstate Airlines, to operate for QantasLink. This Dash8-402Q Q400 is making its delivery flight from YAM to BNE, with stops at YYR, HNL, and MAJ. Its HNL stopover is tonight. This Q400 will be registered as VH-84I after it arrives at BNE.

4471's History:

Jun 2014: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-FOWE (f/n 413).

Apr 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YAM.

Apr 2026: Acquired by JD Aero, and ferried to YQA for prep to Sunstate Airlines.

QantasLink's C-FQWE

JD Aero is delivering C-FQWE (msn 4473) to Sunstate Airlines from YAM to BNE, via DLH, CCR, KOA, and MAJ. This QantasLink-liveried Dash8-402 Q400 is making an overnight stop at KOA tonight. It will be registered as VH-X4J "Dubbo" after its delivery flight.

4473's History:

Jun 2014: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-FQWE (f/n 415).

Jun 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC.

Dec 2025: Ferried to YQA, then YAM for prep for QantasLink.

QantasLink's C-FUWE

JD Aero is delivering C-FUWE (msn 4477) to Sunstate Airlines from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, HNL, and MAJ. This QantasLink-liveried Dash8-402 Q400 is making an overnight stop at HNL tonight. It will be registered as VH-X4L "Bundaberg" after its delivery flight.

4477's History:

Sep 2014: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-FUWE (f/n 416).

May 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC.

Aug 2025: Ferried to YQA, then YAM for prep for QantasLink.

Conair's C-FFQF

Conair Aerial Firefighting's C-FFQF (msn 4315) is making its way from YXX to AVV for the Australian summer fire season deployment. This Dash8-Q400AT is making stops at OAK, HNL, MAJ, HIR, and BNE as FGD391. It's making its overnight stop at HNL tonight.

QantasLink's C-GVWE

JD Aero is delivering Sunstate Airlines' next Dash8-402Q, C-GVWE (msn 4485), from YAM to BNE, with overnight stops at YYJ, HNL, and MAJ. This QantasLink-liveried Q400 is making an overnight stop at HNL tonight. It will be registered as VH-84O after it's received by Sunstate Airlines.

4485's History:

Jan 2015: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-GVWE (f/n 418).

Mar 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC.

Jly 2025: Ferried to YAM to prep for Sunstate Airlines.

QantasLink's C-GWEG

JD Aero is delivering C-GWEG (msn 4488) for Sunstate Airlines. This QantasLink-liveried Dash8-Q402 is flying from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, KOA, and MAJ; and is making its overnight stop at KOA tonight. It will be registered as VH-84P after delivery.

4488's History:

Mar 2015: delivered to Westjet Encore as C-GWEG (f/n 420).

Apr 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC, then YAM.

May 2025: Prepped for Sunstate Airlines.

QantasLink's C-FWEZ

JD Aero is delivering C-FWEZ (msn 4483) to Sunstate Airlines to operate for QantasLink. This Dash8-402Q is making its delivery flight from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, HNL, and MAJ. It will make its overnight stop at HNL tonight. This Q400 will be registered as VH-84N after its arrival at BNE.

4483's History:

Dec 2014: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-FWEZ (f/n 417).

Jun 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC.

Mar 2025: Ferried to YAM for storage.

May 2025: Acquired by JD Aero to prep for Sunstate Airlines.

QantasLink's C-GWEO

Sunstate Airlines is taking delivery of its next Dash8-402Q, C-GWEO (msn 4462). It's making its delivery flight from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, HNL, and MAJ. This QantasLink-liveried Q400 is making an overnight stop at HNL tonight. It will be registered as VH-84G "Armidale" after it's delivered.

4462's History:

Feb 2014: Delivered to WestJet Encore as C-GWEO (f/n 409).

Apr 2023: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YAM, then prepped for Sunstate Airlines.

May 2025: Acquired by JD Aero for the delivery flight.

QantasLink's C-GJWE

Sunstate Airlines is taking delivery of C-GJWE (msn 4460). This QantasLink-liveried Dash8-402Q is flying from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, HNL, and MAJ. This Q400 will make an overnight stop at HNL tonight. It will be re-registered as VH-84F, and named "Horn Island Ngurupai".

4460's History:

Dec 2013: Delivered to Westjet Encore as C-GJWE (f/n 408).

Apr 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YYC.

Jan 2025: Ferried to YAM to prep for Sunstate Airlines.

C-FNEN

C-FNEN (msn 4453), a Dash8-402Q owned by JD Aero, is the latest Q400 bound for Sunstate Airlines to operate for QantasLink. It's making its delivery flight from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, HNL, and MAJ; and will make an overnight stop at HNL tonight. This Q400 will be re-registered as VH-84E, and is named "Launceston".

4453's History:

Oct 2013: Delivered to WestJet Encore as C-FNEN.

Oct 2024: Withdrawn from service, and stored at YAM.

Dec 2024: Acquired by JD Aero, and prep for QantasLink at YAM.

QantasLink's C-GENM

Sunstate Airlines is taking delivery of C-GENM (msn 4456). This QantasLink-liveried Dash8-402Q is making its delivery flight from YAM to BNE, via YYJ, HNL, MAJ, and ___. It's making an overnight stop at HNL tonight. This Q400 will be registered as VH-84B "Winton" in Australia.

4456's History:

Nov 2013: Delivered to WestJet Encore as C-GENM (f/n 407).

Nov 2024: Sold to JD Aero to prep for Sunstate Airlines at YAM.

Conair's C-FFQF

Conair's fire fighting Q402-AT, C-FFQF (msn 4315), will be making a stop at HNL from YXX, via OAK, as FGD391. This Q400 is making its way to Australia to assist in the Southern Hemisphere summer fire season.

Air Niugini's C-FFOY

Air Niugini is taking delivery of their fourth Dash8-Q400, with C-FFOY (msn 4327). This Dash8-402Q is making its delivery flight from YQA to POM, via YLK, YWG, YYJ, HNL, and MAJ.

4327'S History:

Dec 2010: Delivered to Olympic Air as SX-OBH, under lease from MIG Aviation.

Jly 2012: Sold to Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), and the lease transferred.

Jan 2020: Air ambulance decals added.

Jun 2022: WIthdrawn from service, and stored at EXT.

Aug 2022: Re-registered as OY-FFA, and ferried to YYZ for storage.

Oct 2022: Due to lease to Connect Airlines as N885WM (f/n 885), but not taken up.

Nov 2022: Ferried to YQA for storage.

May 2024: Acquired by World Wide Ferry as C-FFOY to prep for Air Niugini.

26 October 2024 UPDATE

This Q400 has been registered as P2-PXT.

QantasLink To Acquire 14 Second-Hand Q400s

QantasLink will be acquiring 14 second-hand Dash8-Q400s to replace their Dash8-Q200s and Q300s. In a CH-Aviation.com article, The Q200s and Q300s are operated by Eastern Australia Airlines and Southern Australian Airlines. 

It's  not known where the Q400s will be sourced from, but here are quite a bit of them in storage in CA and AZ. These Q400s may make their delivery flights through HNL.

Conair's C-FFQF

Conair's C-FFQF (msn 4135, t/n 391) is making its wayback to Canada after its firefighting deployment to Australia. This DHC-8-402 Q400-AT is flying from AVV to YXX, via BNE, HIR, MAJ, HNL, and OAK, as FGD391. It will make an overnight stop at HNL.

C-FFQF was here this past November, when it was on its way to Australia.

Conair's C-FFQF

Conair Aerial Firefighting's Q400, C-FFQF (msn 4315, f/n 391), is making its trip down to Australia from its base at YYX. Flying as FGD391, it's making stops at OAK, HNL, MAJ, and HIR.

4315's History:

Jly 2010: Delivered to HM-Heli Malongo Airways as D2-EUP, under lease from Aviatrade Belgium.

Aug 2019: Acquired by Conair Aerial Firefighting, converted to a water bomber, and assigned as 540.

Con-Air's C-FFQE

Con-Air Aerial Firefighting's Dash8-Q400MR, C-FFQE (msn 4325, f/n 141), is ferrying from YXX to BDB for Australia's summer fire season. It arrived from YXX yesterday as FGD141.

Con-Air's C-FFQE

Con-Air Aerial Firefighting's Dash8-Q400MR, C-FFQE (msn 4325, f/n 141), is returning to its YXX base.  It's making its way from BDB, via CNS, GUM, HNL, and OAK as FGD141. It arrived at HNL late last night.

ConAir's C-FFQE

ConAir's Dash8-Q402, C-FFQE (msn 4325), is making a positioning flight from YXX to BDB [Bundaberg, Australia], via OAK, HNL, MAJ, HIR, and BNE. It arrived here from OAK this afternoon.

4325 was originally delivered to HM - Heli Malongo Airways, leased from Aviatrade Belgium in January 2011 as D2-EUR, until July 2019. It was acquired by ConAir as C-FFQE earlier this year, and converted to fire bomber.

Where The Island Air's Q400s Ended Up

In doing a search of the PlaneSpotters.net database, here are where the former Island Air Q400s were leased to following the airline's closure, and lease returns:

N681WP "‘Ola Kūpono" (msn 4543) was bought by WestJet Encore as C-FWEW (f/n 451).

N682WP "Na‘au Pono" (msn 4546) was bought by WestJet Encore as C-GEWR (f/n 452).

N683WP "Kulana Pono" (msn 4554) has been leased by Elix Aviation Capital to JamboJet [JM/JMA] (Kenya) this past February as 5Y-JXE (f/n JJ4).

N684WP "Laulima" (msn 4328) has been leased by NAC to Spicejet [SG/SEJ] (India) in November 2017 as VT-SUX.

and

N685WP "Po‘okela" (msn 4339) has also been leased by NAC to SpiceJet in November 2017 as VT-SUY.