Qantas donates retired Fokker F100 to heritage aviation society

Qantas has donated another retired Fokker F100 regional jet to Australia's Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), the airline said. The aircraft, nicknamed Meekatharra, was flown to Shellharbour Airport for delivery to the group.

Meekatharra entered service with QantasLink in 2016 and was the last F100 added to the carrier's regional fleet. It is the second F100 Qantas has given to HARS, following one delivered to the society's Parkes Museum earlier this year.

According to Qantas, the jet will be displayed near the airline's first Boeing 747-400, donated to HARS in 2015 and known as City of Canberra. The society describes that aircraft as a major drawcard for visitors.

Qantas is retiring its F100 fleet as it brings in the Embraer E190, which the airline says offers better reliability, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. The first E190 is due to arrive in Perth next month.

QantasLink chief executive Mark Dal Pra said Meekatharra had spent close to a decade linking regional communities in Western Australia. Its preservation, he said, would let future aviation enthusiasts see the type.

The F100 was introduced in the 1980s and was once flown by carriers including American Airlines, US Airways and Swissair, most of which retired the type in the 2000s. It has remained in service longer in Australia, largely through QantasLink and Alliance Airlines.