National Jet Systems, formerly ''Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Airline Services'', is an Australian

regional airline A regional airline is a general classification of airline which typically operates scheduled passenger air service, using regional aircraft, between communities lacking sufficient demand or infrastructure to attract mainline flights. In Nort ...

based at

Adelaide Airport Adelaide Airport , also known as Adelaide International Airport, is the principal airport of Adelaide, South Australia and the fifth-busiest airport in Australia, servicing 8.5 million passengers in the financial year ending 30 June 201 ...

, operating regular scheduled services as part of the

QantasLink QantasLink is a regional brand of Australian airline Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. It is a major competitor to Regional Express Airlines and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines. As of September 2010 Qan ...

brand.ch-aviation.com - Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Airline Services
retrieved 11 March 2023

History

Foundation and early years

National Jet Systems was established in 1989 and started operations on 1 July 1990. Initial flights commenced in 1991 on behalf of

Australian Airlines Australian Airlines was a full-service airline based in Australia, servicing Australian and Asian destinations between 2002 and 2006. It was an all-economy, full-service international leisure carrier, and was a wholly owned subsidiary of ...

, mainly to tourist destinations in northern Australia, operating a fleet of four

British Aerospace 146 The British Aerospace 146 (also BAe 146) is a short-haul and regional airliner that was manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2001. Manufacture by Avro Internati ...

-100 aircraft under Australian’s Airlink brand. In 1992, Australian Airlines was acquired by

Qantas Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the List of airlines by foundation date, world's third-oldest airline sti ...

, and the aircraft operated by National Jet on behalf of Airlink were repainted in a modified Qantas livery. The fleet was expanded in 1993 with the addition of three leased BAe 146-200 aircraft and two chartered BAe 146-300 aircraft, which commenced operations in 1994 from

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

and Cairns, respectively. In 1994,

National Jet Express National Jet Express (formerly ''Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Regional Services'') is an Australian charter airline and aviation services provider with its headquarters in Perth, Western Australia. History National Jet Express Pty L ...

was established as a subsidiary to operate charter and scheduled services using National Jet's own branding, as well as freighter aircraft on behalf of Australian Air Express. Another subsidiary, Surveillance Australia, was also awarded the

Australian Coastwatch The Australian Coastal Surveillance Organisation, also known as Coastwatch, was an operational division of the Australian Customs Service and the de facto Australian coast guard service. The former Coastwatch Division is now part of the Aust ...

contract to operate fixed-wing aerial surveillance aircraft and patrols in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (AEEZ). In 1999, National Jet Systems, including National Jet Express and Surveillance Australia, were acquired by

Cobham Cobham may refer to: Geography Towns or districts * Cobham, Kent, England * Cobham, Surrey, England * Cobham, South Australia, a former town in Australia * Cobham, Albemarle County, Virginia, United States * Cobham, Surry County, Virginia, U ...

for £24.5 million. In 2002, Qantas launched

as a single brand for their regional airline subsidiaries and operations, and the livery on aircraft operated for QantasLink was updated to reflect the new name. In 2005, the airline commenced operating ex-

Jetstar Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd, operating as Jetstar, is an Australian low-cost airline (self-described as "value-based") headquartered in Melbourne. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by airline Virgi ...

Boeing 717 The Boeing 717 is an American five-abreast single-aisle airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The twin-engine airliner was developed for the 100-seat market and originally marketed by McDonnell Douglas as the MD-95. It was a sho ...

-200 aircraft on behalf of QantasLink in Western Australia, and transferred the remaining BAe 146 fleet to its National Jet Express subsidiary. All eught 717s formerly operated by Jetstar were transferred to National Jet Systems by October 2007. In March 2007, the Boeing 717 operations agreement was renewed, and included an expansion of the fleet from eight to eleven aircraft. National Jet also commenced a program with Qantas and

Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to: * Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct Automobiles * Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated ...

to upgrade the aircraft to the 'High Gross Weight' specification, which increased their thrust from 18,500lbs to 21,000lbs per engine, and was aimed at improving passenger-carrying performance in hot conditions. In 2009, National Jet Systems was rebranded ''Cobham Aviation Services Australia - Airline Services'' to align its branding with the broader Cobham Group and to differentiate its role from that of National Jet Express.

Development since 2010

In 2011, the contract for operation of Boeing 717 aircraft on behalf of QantasLink was extended until 2018. Valued at $

AUD The Australian dollar (sign: $; code: AUD) is the currency of Australia, including its external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. It is officially used as currency by three independent Pacific Isla ...

500 million, the extension also increased the size of the B717 fleet from 11 to 13 aircraft, and expanded operations into Queensland. In 2013, an additional five Boeing 717 jets were acquired to support flights from Canberra to

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

and Sydney. In April 2015, the company ceased performing heavy maintenance on the QantasLink Boeing 717 fleet as a result of the work moving in-house to Qantas. In July 2016, the contract for operation of Boeing 717 aircraft on behalf of QantasLink was renewed for a further 10 years. The value of the contract was stated as being $

1.2 billion. In January 2020, it was included in the takeover of Cobham by

Advent International Advent International is a global private equity firm focused on buyouts of companies in Western and Central Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on international buyouts, growth and strategic restructuring in five core ...

. In May 2020

purchased the National Jet Systems division, with National Jet Express and Surveillance Australia remaining under Cobham ownership. The transition to Qantas ownership was completed in July 2020. In August 2020 the bases at

Cairns Airport Cairns Airport is an international airport in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Formerly operated by the Cairns Port Authority, the airport was sold by the Queensland Government in December 2008 to a private consortium. It is the seventh busies ...

and

Perth Airport Perth Airport is an international, domestic and general aviation airport serving Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It is the fourth busiest airport in Australia measured by passenger movements and falls within the boundaries o ...

were closed.

Destinations

National Jet Systems serves the following destinations as part of Qantas Link: *Australian Capital Territory ** Canberra -

Canberra Airport Canberra Airport is an international airport situated in the Majura (district), District of Majura, Australian Capital Territory serving Australia's capital city, Canberra, as well as the nearby city of Queanbeyan and regional areas of the Aus ...

Hub *New South Wales **

Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 as per 2021 census. The Gumbaynggir ...

Coffs Harbour Airport Coffs Harbour Airport (formerly ICAO code of YSCH until November 2007) is the only airport located in and serving the regional centre of Coffs Harbour, Australia. The airport is located near Boambee, south of Coffs Harbour. Coffs Harbour Reg ...

** Sydney -

Sydney Airport Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (colloquially Mascot Airport, Kingsford Smith Airport, or Sydney Airport; ; ) is an international airport in Sydney, Australia, located 8 km (5 mi) south of the Sydney central business district, in t ...

Hub *Northern Territory **

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

Alice Springs Airport Alice Springs Airport is an Australian regional airport south of Alice Springs, Northern Territory. The airport was notably involved in Australia's first domestic airline hijacking, and later a suicide attack by a former airline employee wh ...

** Ayers Rock -

Ayers Rock Airport Ayers Rock Airport (also known as Connellan Airport) is situated near Yulara, around (5 hrs drive) away from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, and 20 minutes drive from Uluru / Ayers Rock itself. An average of just under 300,000 passengers ...

Darwin Darwin may refer to: Common meanings * Charles Darwin (1809–1882), English naturalist and writer, best known as the originator of the theory of biological evolution by natural selection * Darwin, Northern Territory, a territorial capital city i ...

Darwin International Airport Darwin International Airport is the busiest airport serving the Northern Territory and the tenth busiest airport in Australia. It is the only airport serving Darwin. The airport is located in Darwin's northern suburbs, from Darwin city ...

*Queensland ** Cairns -

Brisbane Airport Brisbane Airport is the primary international airport serving Brisbane and South East Queensland. The airport services 31 airlines flying to 50 domestic and 29 international destinations, in total amounting to more than 22.7 million passeng ...

Hub **

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of ...

Rockhampton Airport Rockhampton Airport (''Connor Park'') is a major Australian regional airport in West Rockhampton that services the city of Rockhampton, with direct flights to the cities of Brisbane, and Mackay. Flights have previously operated to Sydney and Me ...

** Gold Coast -

Gold Coast Airport Gold Coast Airport (formerly known as Coolangatta Airport) is an international Australian airport located at the southern end of the Gold Coast and approximately south of centre of Brisbane, within South East Queensland agglomeration. Th ...

Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast may refer to: * Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia **Sunshine Coast Region, a local government area of Queensland named after the region **Sunshine Coast Stadium * Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), geographic subregion of the Br ...

Sunshine Coast Airport Sunshine Coast Airport (formerly Maroochydore Airport) is an Australian international airport located at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast and approximately north of centre of Brisbane, within South East Queensland agglomeration. It ...

Townsville Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 30 ...

Townsville Airport Townsville Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Townsville, Queensland. The airport is also known as Townsville International Airport, and Garbutt Airport, a reference to its location in the Townsville sub ...

*South Australia **

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

*Victoria **

Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport , colloquially known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne, and the second busiest airport in Australia. It opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is ...

Hub *Tasmania **

Hobart Airport Hobart Airport is an international airport located in Cambridge, north-east of Hobart. It is the major and fastest growing passenger airport in Tasmania. The Federal government owned airport is operated by the Tasmanian Gateway Consortiu ...

Hub **

Launceston Airport Launceston Airport is a regional airport on the outskirts of Launceston, Tasmania. The airport is located in the industrial area of Western Junction from Launceston city centre. It is Tasmania's second busiest after Hobart Airport; it can a ...

Fleet

Current fleet

As of January 2023 the National Jet Systems fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Historic fleet

National Jet Systems previously also operated the following aircraft types: *

Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is an American narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavy 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter flight lengths from smaller airp ...

Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two ...

British Aerospace Jetstream The British Aerospace Jetstream is a small twin-turboprop airliner, with a pressurised fuselage, developed as the ''Jetstream 31'' from the earlier Handley Page Jetstream. A larger version of the Jetstream was also manufactured, the British ...

De Havilland Canada Dash 8 The De Havilland Canada DHC-8, commonly known as the Dash 8, is a series of turboprop-powered regional airliners, introduced by de Havilland Canada (DHC) in 1984. DHC was later bought by Boeing in 1988, then by Bombardier in 1992; then ...

Incidents

*13 October 2010: A National Jet Systems Boeing 717-200, operating in Qantas livery, was close to stalling. The flight from Perth to Kalgoorlie had two 'stick shaker' (stall) warnings. They were caused by the pilot entering the wrong weight of the aircraft into the flight management system (FMS), and by the pilots not following correct stall recovery procedures. *27 May 2015: A National Jet Systems Boeing 717-200, operating from Brisbane to Gladstone in Qantas livery, was on its initial climb out of Brisbane when it suffered a 'stick shaker' (stall) warning. It was caused by the pilot retracting the flaps by mistake.

References

External links

{{Airlines of Australia Airlines established in 1989 Australian companies established in 1989 Airlines of South Australia Qantas Companies based in Adelaide