National Library of Australia

Qantas logbook

Qantas log book covering the period from November 1921 to February 1932

manuscript in commercially produced aircraft log book;

19.5 x 26.0cm

OMAN

John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland
Qantas log book covering the period from November 1921 to February 1932

On 2 November 1922, an Armstrong Whitworth FK-8 climbed into the skies above Charleville, Queensland, bound for Cloncurry, 950 kilometres away.

It was the first scheduled flight of the new Western Queensland Auto Aero Service Limited, later to become Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited, or, more famously, Qantas.

Founded by W. Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness in 1920, the airline carried 871 passengers before it began scheduled flights.

This logbook is the first logbook for their company aircraft, an Avro 504K (registration number G-AUBG). Signed by Hudson Fysh, the logbook covers the Avro’s entire flying period with the new company, beginning on 22 November 1921, when it made its initial flight from Sydney to Longreach, Queensland, before the start of scheduled air services.

The plane was sold in 1926, so later entries appear under the name of the new owner, Matthews Aviation.

In 1923, Hudson Fysh was Managing Director of Qantas Limited. When he retired in 1966, his two biplanes had expanded to a fleet of 160 Qantas passenger jets. Today Qantas carries more than 30 million passengers to 145 destinations in 40 countries.

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