Executive Airlines Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign Bizjet VH-EXG at Moranbah Airport

During the morning on Monday 14 January, Melbourne Air Holdings (Executive Airlines) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-EXG was noted flying North from Melbourne (Essendon) into Moranbah Airport.

File photo

After staying for the night, during the middle part of the afternoon on Tuesday 15 January, VH-EXG was noted departing Moranbah Airport for Port Hedland in Western Australia.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 15 January, Balmoral Air Dassault Falcon 2000LX bizjet VH-WIO visited Hamilton Island Airport one more time, yet again arriving from and later departing back to Bankstown.

Photo taken by the FNQ Skies Blog  ©

Colbran Coffeelands (PNG) Cessna T182T Skylane P2-CCL Pops into Rockhampton Airport

A nice light General Aviation (GA) aircraft to be spotted at Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 15 January was Colbran Coffeelands (of Papua New Guinea) Cessna T182T Skylane P2-CCL.

It arrived into Rocky from Cairns where it looked to arrive back in October from Port Moresby - see the post from our friends at the FNQ Skies Blog HERE.

After taking on fuel and having a break, P2-CCL departed Rockhampton Airport for Caboolture.

Sincere thanks to local photographer Russell P for taking the time to capture and send through this great photo!

Photo taken by Russell Prothero  ©

Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP Bizjet VH-SGY Pops into Bundaberg Airport

On Monday 14 January, the Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY was noted visiting Bundaberg Airport.  It arrived from Brisbane and looked to bring the current Acting Premier Cameron Dick to town for a series of engagements.

VH-SGY at Bundy on a previous visit  (File photo)

Reports suggest that one of Mr Dick's engagements included turning the first sod on the $5.2 million third stage of the Bundaberg Regional Aviation and Aerospace Precinct at Bundaberg Airport.

The Queensland government has contributed almost $2 million towards the project, through its Building our Regions program, partnering with Bundaberg Regional Council.

Stage three of the precinct will see the delivery of eight fully serviced lots, including three with direct airside access, taxiways and aircraft aprons, road extensions and a sewerage pump station.

The precinct will also provide a base for a new Aeromedical Centre of Excellence for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and LifeFlight.

Once Mr Dick's engagements were complete, VH-SGY departed Bundaberg Airport and returned to Brisbane.

Photo taken by Micah S  ©

American Registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 Bizjet N60XC Departs Emerald Airport

After arriving from Brisbane late last week, on Sunday 13 January, American registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 N60XC was noted departing Emerald Airport and returning to Brisbane.

Gladstone-based aviator Anthony G has shared with us a couple of great photos of the big bizjet as it remained parked on the Emerald Airport parking apron on Saturday 12 January.

N60XC is a regular visitor to CQ with almost monthly visits to the region during last year. 

Meanwhile, Anthony looked to fly Cessna 172 VH-NCH into Emerald Airport from Gladstone Airport on Saturday.

File photo

He and the Cutlass then returned to Gladstone Airport.

Sincere thanks to Anthony for allowing us to share this great photos of N60XC!

All photos taken by Anthony Groenintwoud  ©

Business Aviation Solutions Cessna 650 Citation VII Bizjet VH-DHN Pops into Hamilton Island Airport

On Saturday 12 January, Business Aviation Solutions Cessna 650 Citation VII bizjet VH-DHN was noted making an early morning arrival into Hamilton Island Airport from the Gold Coast.

File photo

After less than an hour on the ground, it departed to Sydney before returning to the Gold Coast.

Meanwhile, as this post is being written, very late on Saturday 12 January, LifeFlight (Aeromed) LearJet 45 bizjet VH-CXJ "Ambulance 452" is due to call into Longreach Airport on a med-evac flight from and back to Townsville.

VH-CXJ looked to call into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport on Friday 11 January again flying from and back to Townsville - perhaps on a training flight.

Photo taken by Col B  ©

Great Photos of General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) Dornier DO 228-202s VH-VJE and VH-VJN Operating Through Rockhampton Airport

For some time now, General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) Dornier DO 228-202 turboprop aircraft have operated both passenger charter and general freight flights into Central Queensland.  The current week-daily freight flights depart Brisbane around dawn and touch down at Biloela / Thangool Airport before continuing the Emerald Airport where they terminate for the morning.  Then, around sunset, the return flight departs Emerald Airport, generally flying direct to Brisbane, but on most Mondays and Fridays, they make a stop at Rockhampton Airport.

Local photographer Russell P enjoys taking plane and sunset photos and has taken the opportunity to do both at once.  He shares with us some great photos of the two current GAM Dornier DO 228-202 turboprops - VH-VJE and VH-VJN - operating through Rockhampton Airport in recent weeks.

General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) is based at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Victoria and comprises of GAM, GAMair, DC3 Australia, Commander Air and Reefwatch Air Tours. 

In Central Queensland, GAM also operates AeroCommander 500-S aircraft on smaller freight flights to Maryborough, Bundaberg and Gayndah Airports (amongst other places) also out of Brisbane, and from Emerald Airport to Longreach Airport via Barcaldine.

Of interest, GAM also has a third DO 228-202 VH-VJJ currently registered and previously operated other DO 228-202s - VH-ATZ and VH-VJD - with the latter photographed several times operating freight and passenger charter flights into CQ until its departure overseas in 2017.

File photo

The Dornier DO 228 is a twin-turboprop Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) utility aircraft, manufactured in Germany by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998.  In 2009, RUAG started building a Dornier 228 New Generation (DO 228NG) also in Germany.

The Dornier DO 228 is considered the most versatile and most advanced high-wing aircraft in its class.  Capable of high payloads and high seat utilisation at relatively low cost, this aircraft is heavily relied upon by operators and government authorities world-wide.  Capable of operating on short and narrow regional runways, including remote gravel and unprepared strips.

Sincere thanks Russell for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!  Enjoy!

Photos taken by Russell Prothero and Micah S  ©

RAAF Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail A30-005 Spotted Completing Missed Approach at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport

On Friday 11 January, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-005 was spotted completing a missed approach at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.

A30-005 was flying as "Wedgetail 05" and reportedly flew up to Hervey Bay from RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle in New South Wales via airwork at the Gold Coast.  After completing its airwork at Hervey Bay Airport, A30-005 was noted flying back towards the South.

Of interest, the last three days of this week have seen two of the six No. 2 Squadron E-7A Wedgetails - A30-005 and A30-002 - completing flights out of RAAF Base Williamtown.

Sincere thanks to visiting plane spotter Matthew C for allowing us to share his photo of the Wedgetail overhead Hervey Bay!

Photo taken by Matthew Cotter  ©

American Registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 Bizjet N60XC Calls into Emerald Airport

Making its first visit into Central Queensland for 2019 was American registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 N60XC which was noted arriving into Emerald Airport late on Thursday 10 January.  It arrived from Brisbane after looking to arrive in the capital from overseas the previous day.

File photo

N60XC is a regular visitor to CQ with almost monthly visits to the region during last year.  At the time of writing, it appears to be spending at the least the night on the ground at Emerald Airport.

Photo taken by 'AC'  ©

Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP Bizjet VH-SGY Spotted at Clermont Aerodrome

A nice surprise visitor to my local Clermont Aerodome on Thursday 10 January with the Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY visiting for the day.  It arrived from Brisbane and looked to bring the current Acting Premier Cameron Dick to town for a series of engagements.

Once these were complete, VH-SGY departed Clermont Aerodrome and returned to Brisbane.

Nice!

Weekly King Air Flights into Injune Airport Continue - Plus More!

We reported below that a series of Beech King Air turboprop aircraft have been noted calling into Injune Airport presumably on closed charter flights.  Over the last couple of weeks, these have continued.

On Thursday 10 January, Brescon P/L Beech B200 King Airs VH-WXB and VH-WXN both visited from the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, while Australian Country Choice Properties (Brisbane) Beech B300 Super King Air VH-SQR visited from Archerfield.

VH-WXB at Clermont Aerodrome  (File photo)

VH-WXB also visited Injune Airport again from Wellcamp on Wednesday 9 January.

While last Thursday 3 January, Austrek Aviation Beech B200 Super King Air VH-ZGD and VH-WXN visited from Toowoomba and Wellcamp respectively while VH-WXB completed two return flights from and back to Wellcamp.

VH-WXB also visited Injune Airport again from Wellcamp on Wednesday 2 January.

Finally, a couple of other King Air turboprops noted visiting CQ Airports included Brisbane-based Beech B200 King Air VH-ISS arriving into Theodore Airport from Brisbane late on Wednesday 9 January before heading to Biloela / Thangool Airport.  It was noted and departing back to the capital from Theodore Airport early on Thursday 10 January.

While Austrek Aviation Beech B200 King Air VH-WXO popped into Moura Airport from and back to Toowoomba on Wednesday 9 January.