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John Travolta's 707 is at the Paris Air Show--but why?

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Way, way, way in the background of the above pic taken while walking about the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget is John Travolta's Boeing 707, N707JT. It is parked with some vintage jets away from the publicly-accessible static area, and thus no opportunity to pry further.

We do know Travolta loves aviation, and he did attend the 2007 Paris Air Show, in part to fly on a Super Hornet. N707JT was a regular visitor in late 2008 when Travolta was filming a movie in Paris. His jet was most recently spotted in Miami on 5 June.

Anyone know more?

Travolta became a Qantas ambassador in 2002 at the same time he completed 747-400 first officer simulator training. He flies N707JT, named Jett Clipper Ella after his children Jett and Ella. He and his 707 make regular appearances at Qantas events, including last November's birthday celebrations for Qantas's 90th anniversary, where the below photos were taken.

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For more on the Paris Air Show, see Flightglobal's dedicated show site here.

Photo: Virgin Australia ATR breaks cover

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Virgin Australia ATR72

Update: The above photo, by AirSpace photographer Commercial Aviation, has been added.

Virgin Australia's first ATR72-500 turboprop, operated by Skywest, has been snapped on spotting website Skyliner bearing French test registration F-WWEH. The photo is here.

The ATR is the first of up to 18 -500 and -600 variants the Western Australia carrier will operate for Virgin Australia, predominantly on the East Coast although routes have yet to be announced. Virgin and Skywest have not disclosed how many of the aircraft are firm orders versus options, or what the breakdown will be between variants. The -600 received EASA certification last month and the first example will soon be delivered to Royal Air Marco.

Virgin Australia will wet-lease its ATR aircraft from Skywest under an agreement announced in January. Skywest in turn will lease the aircraft from leasing company Avation with an initial term of ten years.

The order was disclosed in February, at which time Virgin Australia chief executive said the first ATR should arrive in May with three more by the end of July. "We plan to have at least eight - at least eight - within the next 16 months," Borghetti said in February, putting the eight aircraft (at least) time frame at June 2012.

"The ATR is the best aircraft to operate on regional routes throughout Australia," Borghetti said during the order announcement. He added that the ATR burns one-third less fuel than the E170 and 20% to 30% less than its equivalent competitor, a statement likely in reference to the Bombardier Dash 8-400 aircraft that QantasLink operates on its regional routes.

"Not only is it compelling from an economics point of view, it's compelling from a customer perspective," Borghetti said. "It has a wider aisle and wider cabin than other aircraft we were looking at."

Virgin Australia has not disclosed its interior for the aircraft but has said it will operate in a single-class configuration. The ATR72-500 typically seats 68-72 passengers.

The ATR72 aircraft largely replace the carrier's six E170 aircraft, which the carrier announced last August announced it was removing as the type was not a right fit for its network. The aircraft will be leased to trans-Pacific partner Delta.

Pictures: air-to-air with Hornets over Melbourne

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Earlier today the Department of Defence and RAAF took a number of journos up on a C-130 for an air-to-air photo shoot with Hornets to coincide with this week's Avalon airshow. You can view the slideshow below or go here for a full-screen view.

A flying reminder of a changing market as Virgin Blue unveils 737 in AFL livery

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Our brand new AFL-branded Boeing 737 (VH-VUY) on the runway in Adelaide.jpgVirgin Blue wasted little time promoting its win of sponsoring the AFL, previously Qantas's turf.

The carrier unveiled a 737, VH-VUY, in a special AFL-themed livery, albeit incomplete: Virgin Blue's logo was left out in anticipation of next month's brand re-launch.

Although some sections of the AFL are not pleased to be flying on Virgin Blue as the carrier only has a premium economy cabin as opposed to Qantas's business class, that issue should be rectified with the carrier's new premium offering, expected to also be announced next month.

The aircraft serves as a flying reminder of the changing domestic Australian market. High-profile, and thus high-cost, sponsorships like this would have been unimaginable a few years back for Virgin Blue.

But now Virgin Blue is out to increase its share of the corporate sector. The AFL partnership gives Virgin Blue publicity but not the direct butt-on-seat revenue it seeks.

Further, Virgin Blue has yet to capture any of Qantas's top fifty clients, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Qantas would like to keep that status quo but Virgin Blue is pushing to crossover between fluff sponsorship and corporate sales.

How easily Virgin Blue can realise that will be clear as soon as the carrier's new domestic product is made clear, which will be represented by the missing company logo on the AFL jet.


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Our brand new AFL-branded Boeing 737 (VH-VUY).jpg(Photos: Virgin Blue)

Photo: 767-300 freighter to wear Qantas livery

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In February when Express Freighters Australia, the wholly-owned freighter management company for Qantas, deploys a 767-300F for Qantas Freight, the aircraft will be the first freighter to wear a Qantas livery (sans kangaroo on the tail).

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The 767-300F will be deployed on the Trans-Tasman route to New Zealand, Qantas says. The -aircraft will replace a 767-200F and offer an approximately 17,000 kg increased payload, or 40%. For ULD stats and cubic metre goodness, here is some more info of the -300F from Qantas:
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Qantas Freight Executive Manager Stephen Cleary says in a statement the carrier is introducing the new aircraft type to the route "in response to continued strong market demand".

"The Tasman is one of Qantas Freight's most important markets and this investment reinforces the commitment we made when we established the freighter operation in 2009," Cleary says.

Express Freighters Australia, which has it owns Air Operators Certificate, operates four 737-300 freighters but in the livery of Australian air Express, a joint venture between Qantas Freight and Australia Post. Qantas Freight's three wet-leased 747-400 freighters wear the livery of their lessor, Atlas Air.

Qantas says it is finally painting a freighter in a Qantas livery "in recognition of the significant long-term commitment the Qantas Group is making to its freight operations". No word yet if the carrier will paint other aircraft in its livery.

Update: A spokeswoman explains the lack of kangaroo on the tail as: "The aircraft has a unique livery as it is a dedicated freighter aircraft - any future acquisitions or dry leased aircraft may also carry this dedicated freighter livery."

 "At this stage there are no plans to paint any of our current wet leased aircraft in a Qantas livery."

The B767-300F aircraft, MSN 33510, is a production line freighter manufactured in January 2006 and previously operated by All Nippon Airways. EFA will lease the aircraft on a  long term lease directly from Japan's SOJITZ Corporation, the spokeswoman says.

Photo of Note: Emirates A380 flyover at Melbourne

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Aviation fans in Melbourne (or watching Melbourne on TV) yesterday were graced with wall-to-wall visuals of the Emirates logo for Cup Day. The real treat though came in the afternoon when Emirates A380 A6-EDA tracked over from Sydney as EK5388 to conduct a flyover of Flemington Racecourse at 1100 feet (see flightpath), which Flickr user 1ncorrect inadvertently captured, below, during a time lapse photography session.

The jet lumbered around northern Melbourne, which I can attest to as I was indulging in a nap on the public holiday and awoke to the sound of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines and then saw the jet heading straight towards me. It was the best alarm clock I've ever had.

Emirates A380 Photobomb