Ian Kluft ✅✈️🎈🌋Attention Australian avgeeks: the Virgin Australia 150th 737 special livery MAX8 (VH-8VI) is making its first flight out of the Boeing 737 factory in Renton #KRNT right now as BOE26. The flight plan's destination is Seattle Boeing Field #KBFI, as usual for new planes which were painted at Renton (and don't have to fly elsewhere for paint). Expect the Boeing test pilots to fly it for 2-3 hours running through the first-flight checklists. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE26/history/20260402/1954Z/KRNT/KBFI #aviation #travel #avgeek
More on the Virgin Australia 150th 737 special livery plane from their announcement from last week. This plane is making its first flight right now as BOE26, with ADS-B omitting the registration (possibly on purpose). But it can be verified by the flight plan. https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/newsroom/2026/3/virgin-australia-unveils-milestone-150th-boeing-737-in-special-r/ #aviation #travel #avgeek
Current Boeing flights in the Pacific Northwest:
* BOE001 Boeing 777-9 prototype #1 N779XX
* BOE26 Boeing 737 MAX8 VH-8VI Virgin Australia customer acceptance flight (150th VA 737 special livery)
#aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
* BOE001 Boeing 777-9 prototype #1 N779XX
* BOE26 Boeing 737 MAX8 VH-8VI Virgin Australia customer acceptance flight (150th VA 737 special livery)
#aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
What's next for the VA150 special livery plane VH-8VI? My contacts tell me Virgin Australia usually flies its new 737s to Melbourne... Florida?! When you're expecting it to go to Australia, that's "the wrong Melbourne." 🤪 A company at Melbourne-Orlando Int'l Airport MLB/KMLB does post-delivery equipment installation before the planes fly to Australia to begin airline service. After that they'll eventually end up in Melbourne, Victoria since MEL/YMML is a VA hub. #aviation #travel #avgeek
My Australian friends asked me to watch for the delivery flight of Virgin Australia's 737 MAX8 VH-8VI, the plane with the special livery as VA's 150th 737. It's in flight right now as VOZ9946 / VA9946 from Seattle Boeing Field #KBFI in Washington to Melbourne #KMLB in Florida. (See previous post in the thread if you're surprised it's going to "the wrong Melbourne" for an Australian airline.) https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/VH8VI/history/20260514/1834Z/KBFI/KMLB #aviation #travel #avgeek
For the Aussies and any #avgeek in position to get pics for them: Virgin Australia's 737 MAX8 VH-8VI, special livery as VA's 150th 737, is in flight. It was in Melbourne, Florida (see above in the thread for why it was at "the wrong Melbourne") for 6 days getting WiFi installed. It's enroute to Australia now via Ontario, California #KONT / #ONT and (if they do like previous planes) Kona, Hawaii #PHKO / #KOA. Then a long hop🦘 to Brisbane #YBBN / #BNE. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/VH8VI/history/20260520/1210Z/KMLB/KONT #aviation #travel
truceburner 
@bruceturner That would have been a long shot, figuratively and literally. I suspect clouds didn't cooperate since radar showed storms to your east.
I stopped in Austin in 2024 on the solar eclipse trip. I was in Mesquite (Dallas) for the eclipse. Then on to Johnson Space Center in Houston. On the trip back I met up with 2 friends in Austin.
@ikluft
Yeah, I didn't hold out too much hope in a sighting. I was in Florence, TX for the eclipse. Just a little too cloudy, but we got a moment.
Yeah, I didn't hold out too much hope in a sighting. I was in Florence, TX for the eclipse. Just a little too cloudy, but we got a moment.