After its final flight from Kalgoorlie, a retired QantasLink Fokker F100 jet aircraft called Meekatharra has begun a new chapter at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS).

It flew across Australia to Shellharbour Airport, after being donated by QantasLink to HARS, where the 100-seat aircraft will join its collection of aircraft as a public exhibit.

Meekatharra will sit alongside Qantas’ first Boeing 747- 400, VH-OJA, which was donated by Qantas in 2015. Called City of Canberra, it arrived at HARS after 26 years of service and is one of the museum’s most visited attractions.

And VH-NPU “Meekatharra” is the second F100 to be donated to HARS by QantasLink this year. The other was donated to its Parkes Museum in February.

PHASING OUT

The workhorse F100s were built at the Fokker facility at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.

Parts were built in collaboration with international partners. For example, the wings were constructed in the United Kingdom. They were then put together on a single production line at Schiphol.

More than 280 planes were produced between 1986 and 1997 but production stopped after Fokker went bankrupt in 1996.

But the sturdy planes already in the air flew on.

QantasLink’s fleet of F100s is now being gradually replaced with Embraer E190 aircraft, which are primarily built in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The E190 is comfortable, reliable and fuel efficient. A Qantas spokesperson says the first E190 is expected to arrive in Perth in September 2026.

MEEKA’S LIFE

Meekatharra was the last F100 to be added to the QantasLink fleet, first flying for the Red Kangaroo in December 2016 and fleet.

Since then, it has flown more than nine million kilometres, 7543 flights and 11,250 hours for QantasLink, carrying about a million passengers and resource industry workers across regional WA.

It has flown mostly between Perth and Kalgoorlie, Newman and Paraburdoo, as one of QantasLink’s 40 aircraft in WA, which includes Fokker 100, Airbus A319 and Airbus A320 aircraft.

QantasLink chief executive Mark Dal Pra says: “Meekatharra played an important role connecting regional communities across Western Australia for close to a decade, and we’re thrilled it will now be preserved by HARS for the future generations of aviation enthusiasts.

“HARS has become a natural home for some of our retired aircraft, helping keep important parts of Australian aviation history alive.

“As we farewell the F100 and prepare to welcome new aircraft into the fleet, we’re grateful to the volunteers who will ensure its story continues to be shared.”

And HARS president and chief pilot Bob De La Hunty adds: “We’re honoured that QantasLink has entrusted HARS with another important piece of Australian aviation history.

“Joining Qantas’ first Boeing 747-400, and the former Qantas Boeing 707-138, Meekatharra will help tell the story of the aircraft that connected regional communities and supported industry across WA..

“Our volunteers are passionate about keeping these stories alive and giving visitors the opportunity to experience these remarkable aircraft up close.”