Success! Gladstone Airport Runway 10/28 ILS Testing by AirServices Super King Air VH-FIZ

It looks to have been a successful weekend for the AirServices Australia Flight Inspection Service (FIS), with Gladstone residents no doubt capturing a glimpse of the Aero Pearl-operated flight calibration Hawker Beechcraft B300 Super King Air VH-FIZ conducting one of its numerous passes over the Gladstone Airport and surrounding area.

Local plane spotters Jamie C and Tash C have sent through some fantastic photos of some of the action as VH-FIZ - using the callsign "AusCal 4" - completed one of its calibration flights on Saturday 7 December.

Flight-tracking website, Flightaware (http://flightaware.com/) shows the flight-path of VH-FIZ during its calibration flight out of Gladstone Airport on Saturday morning.

No doubt more stunning photos were captured on Sunday 8 December, as VH-FIZ again took the air at least twice to conduct more flights - the flight-path as shown on Flightaware is shown below from Sunday morning.

AirServices Australia is responsible for regularly conducting flight calibration inspections on approximately 500 navigational aids (navaids) around Australia on a three-year rotational basis.  The inspections ensure these vital pieces of navigation equipment, crucial to the safe operation of aircraft at major and regional airports, aerodromes and airstrips, are operating within the required high tolerances.  Equipment being checked includes terminal area radars, distance measuring equipment, non-directional beacons, instrument landing systems, and approach lighting.

 (Photo credit: Paul Sadler/Australian Aviation) / http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/

Using three-dimensional laser measuring equipment and GPS technology, information from the navaid is relayed to the aircraft and interpreted by specialist aircrew. The data is then analysed by Airservices maintenance engineers to ensure each navaid is operating accurately.

Certainly some spectacular sights and sounds as VH-FIZ completed multiple passes at Gladstone Airport!  Many thanks to Jamie and Tash for sending through some stunning photos!

Photos taken by Jamie C and Tash C  ©

And An Australian Army Sikorsky S-70A-9 Blackhawk Helicopter - A25-222 - Popped into Gladstone Airport Last Week Too!

Also coming through from Gladstone plane spotter Tash C was a few stunning photos of Australian Army Sikorsky S-70A-9 Blackhawk Helicopter A25-222, which called into Gladstone Airport briefly on Monday 2 December.

As shown, A25-222 arrived from the North and was only on the ground around 20 minutes while it took on some fuel.  It departed to the South.

Some great images from Tash - and we thank her for sending them through!

All photos taken by Tash C  ©

Photos of New Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQV - and F-100 VH-XWS - at Gladstone Airport Last Week

As we reported below, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQV operated its first flight into Central Queensland on Tuesday 3 December, flying into Gladstone Airport on a Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight as UTY654.

Local plane spotter Tash C captured some lovely images of this great aircraft as it departed Gladstone Airport early on Wednesday 4 December for Brisbane as UTY655.

Since it delivery to Alliance in Brisbane some time ago, VH-QQV has undergone prolonged maintenance in the Alliance hangar in Brisbane.  Part of this maintenance was to add the Long Range fuel tanks - VH-QQV is actually designated as a F-70LR. 

  

Also spotted by Tash departing Gladstone early on Wednesday 4 December was Alliance F-100 VH-XWS.  The all-white F-100 departed Gladstone as UTY651, also having arrived the previous evening but as UTY650. 

A couple of great aircraft to pop into Gladstone - and we sincerely thank Tash for capturing the action and taking the time to send these great photos through!  It's been a hard week to Tash - and Jamie - and we are really appreciative of their efforts to continue bringing the action from Gladstone!  Thanks guys!

All photos taken by Tash C  ©

A Study of Aeropower McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company (MDHC) 369E VH-SUV at Gladstone Airport

Local plane spotter Jamie C took great delight recently in capturing some stunning images of Aeropower McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company (MDHC) 369E VH-SUV as it completed some airwork nearby to Gladstone Airport.

Aeropower Pty Ltd is a Brisbane-based, Australia-wide airborne electrical contractor, which commenced operations in 1991.  Aeropower specializes in a full range of electrical power industry services including patrol, inspection, construction, stringing, washing, performing live-line or de-energised maintenance repairs, and providing technical analysis and reporting on the condition of the client’s assets.

Gladstone plane spotter Michael F has also captured Aeropower's MDHC 369E VH-SUV in action - cleaning high voltage powerline insulation.

Aeropower has also grown to not only encompass electrical maintenance, but to provide powerline and flight training, as well as commercial helicopter charter.

  

Their website assures clients that they are "dedicated to serving the electrical industry in airborne maintenance".

Thanks to Jamie for sending through these stunning pics of VH-SUV!

Photos taken by Jamie C  ©

Take Two! Gladstone Airport Runway 10/28 to Close Again This Weekend for ILS Testing

Local aviators are advised that as per a NOTAM released this week, Runway 10/28 at Gladstone Airport will again be closed during daylight hours over this weekend on Saturday 7 December and Sunday 8 December to all aircraft other than scheduled RPT services and emergency aircraft.  This is due to scheduled testing of the recently installed Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Gladstone Airport.

As we mentioned in a Blog post below, testing was all set to occur over last weekend, however the ILS calibration aircraft failed to complete any testing due to technical problems.

AirServices Australia / Aero Pearl flight calibration Hawker Beechcraft B300 Super King Air VH-FIZ has again ferried into Gladstone from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane on late Friday 6 December as ADA4 - callsign 'AusCal 4".

Photos taken by Jamie C  ©