Bizjets Galore Around Hamilton Island and Other CQ Airports!

Over the last 24 hours, there has been a nice selection of Australian-based corporate bizjets noted visiting some Central Queensland Airports, with a number of them popping into Hamilton Island Airport.

On Saturday 19 September, Business Aviation Solutions Dassault Mystere Falcon 50 bizjet VH-FJQ was noted arriving into Hamo from Bankstown and the Gold Coast before it later returned to the Goldie.  

AAA Aircraft / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 650 Citation VII bizjet VH-SSZ was also noted flying into Hamilton Island Airport from the Gold Coast.  However, it looked to be staying for at least the night.

And Machjet (Machjet International) Cessna 525A Citation CJ2 bizjet VH-ZIY was noted visiting Hamilton Island Airport from its Sunshine Coast base.

https://www.facebook.com/mcdermottaviationgroup/

While new Avcair Embraer 500 Phenom 100EV bizjet VH-NJR looked to pop into Hamilton Island Airport from Townsville and later depart to Brisbane.  It looked to fly up to Far North Queensland the previous day.

On the mainland, the often-visiting American-registered Eclipse EA500 bizjet N257AK was noted once again flying into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour from Archerfield.

While Sydney-based Beluga Charter Company Pty Ltd Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express bizjet VH-LBU was noted popping into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport.  It arrived from Cairns and later departed to the Shellharbour Airport at Wollongong.

Meanwhile, late on Friday 18 September, LifeFlight (Aeromed) LearJet 45 bizjet VH-CXJ was noted visiting both Hamilton Island and Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airports while on a flight out of and back to Brisbane.

As posted below, VH-CXJ popped into Rockhampton Airport on Thursday 17 September after emerging earlier in the month after spending some time under maintenance.

Finally, on Saturday 19 September, at Rockhampton Airport, Gold Coast-based Hawker Beechcraft B300 Super King Air VH-OXF arrived from Brisbane via the Sunshine Coast.  And Austrek Aviation Cessna 310R VH-DZX also popped into Rocky but from its Toowoomba base.  It then departed to Archerfield before returning to Toowoomba.

Clive Palmer's Mineralogy Company Bombardier Global Express XRS Bizjet VH-UPH Calls into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

During the morning on Friday 18 September, Clive Palmer's Mineralogy Company's registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS bizjet VH-UPH was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport.  It looked to arrive from the Gold Coast.

File photo

At the time of writing, it appears that VH-UPH is spending at least the night on Hamo.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 18 September, Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-MMC was back in CQ, this time calling into my local Clermont Aerodrome from its Sunshine Coast base.  It returned there a little later in the afternoon.

As mentioned below, VH-MMC called into Middlemount Aerodrome on Wednesday 16 September.

The visit of VH-MMC to Clermont Aerodrome coincided with Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 VH-NDC calling from the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's Carmichael Coal Mine site.  It arrived as HND631 and later departed to Rockhampton Airport as HND632.

As mentioned below, fellow Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan VH-LZK popped into Clermont Aerodrome early on Thursday 17 September as HND610 before departing to Labona as HND611.

Another Hinterland Aviation visitor but to Rockhampton Airport, also on Friday 18 September, was Cessna 310R VH-TFY which arrived from Townsville as HND835.  It then departed to Mackay Airport and then Cairns.

Finally, also at Rockhampton Airport, also on Friday 18 September, Austrek Aviation Beech B200 King Air VH-ZMW was noted departing to Toowoomba after arriving from there on Wednesday 16 September.

Photo taken by Lloyd Fox  ©

Finally! Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 Jet VH-NUO On the East Coast and Calling into CQ Airports!

It has finally happened!

On Friday 18 September, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 jet VH-NUO has made it over the East Coast of Australia and also immediately completed its first visit into Central Queensland.

File photo

Early on Friday, VH-NUO flew across from Perth and The Granites to Brisbane before then flying up to Gladstone Airport and back on the UTY2911/2910 service on behalf of Virgin Australia.

UPDATE!  VH-NUO was back in CQ on Saturday 19 September, calling into both Bundaberg and Gladstone Airports while operating as UTY2905/2904.

Sadly too, it was announced this week that Alliance Airlines flights into Gladstone Airport will be increasing at the cost of flights to Bundaberg Airport with both its Brisbane-Bundaberg and Bundaberg-Gladstone routes being axed from the end of this month.

Operated by Alliance Airlines on behalf of Virgin Australia, the last Bundaberg flights will run on Sunday 27 September – after which, Brisbane-Bundaberg will become a QantasLink monopoly, while Bundaberg and Gladstone will no longer be linked by air.

Of interest, Alliance Airlines took delivery of Fokker F-70 VH-NUO at Perth Airport in Western Australia in late June 2019.  It had been operating out of Perth on mostly Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights around the state and other parts since early July and it is believed that this is the first time we have seen VH-NUO in the East Coast of Australia!

We also hope to be able to share a photo of it in CQ soon!

Photo taken by David Eyre  ©

RACQ LifeFlight Aero Medical Bizjets - LearJet 45 VH-CXJ "Ambulance 452" & Challenger 604 VH-OFC "Ambulance 634" - Both Pop into Rockhampton Airport

On Thursday 17 September, a pair of RACQ LifeFlight Aero Medical bizjets were noted visiting Rockhampton Airport.

VH-CXJ pictured in June  (File photo)

LifeFlight (Aeromed) LearJet 45 bizjet VH-CXJ "Ambulance 452" was noted arriving from and later departing back to Brisbane. It is the LearJet's second flight in September after spending most of July and all of August seemingly undergoing planned maintenance.

While LifeFlight (Aeromed) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-OFC "Ambulance 634" was noted arriving from Townsville and later departing to Brisbane.

VH-OFC "Ambulance 634" then completed a flight to Winton from Brisbane before returning to its Townsville base.

Photo taken by Steve Vit  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules A97-441 Completes Airwork at Roma Airport as "Trojan 13"

On Thursday 17 September, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules transport aircraft A97-441 was noted completing airwork around Roma Airport while on a flight out of and back to RAAF Base Amberley.

File photo

The Herc of the RAAF's 37 Squadron, had originally started the day at its 'home' at RAAF Base Richmond near Sydney.  It looked to return there later in the day from Amberley.

It's been a good run of visits by RAAF Hercules aircraft in recent days for CQ Plane Spotters, with another pair completing airwork at various CQ Airports over the last weekend - see Blog posts below!

Photo taken by 'IAD'  ©

RACQ-LifeFlight Kawasaki BK117 B-2 Helicopter VH-EHQ "Rescue 400" Pops into CQ Airports Heading Home to Mount Isa

On Thursday 17 September, RACQ-LifeFlight Kawasaki BK117 B-2 helicopter VH-EHQ "Rescue 400" was noted ferrying home from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa via Emerald and Longreach Airports.

File photo

It was planned to complete the final leg from Longreach Airport to Mount Isa early on Friday 18 September.

VH-EHQ "Rescue 400" has spent the last month in the LifeFlight hangar at the Sunshine Coast Airport undergoing planned maintenance.  It had ferried into there via Longreach, Emerald and Bundaberg Airports at the start of August.

Photo taken by Johno Neilsen  ©

Aalliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-NUU Pops into Rockhampton Airport on School Holiday Run to Horn Island - Plus More!

On Thursday 17 September, Alliance Airiness Fokker F-70 jet VH-NUU was noted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane as UTY562. It then departed to Horn Island as UTY564 before heading to Cairns as UTY567.

File photo

We see these types of flights between Rocky and Horn Island quite regularly particularly around school holiday time prompting speculation that these flights ferry boarding school children home to school holidays - which start next week.

UPDATE!  On Friday 18 September, VH-NUU operated from Cairns to Townsville and then Horn Island perhaps on another school charter as UTY561/564.  It then returned to Cairns as UTY565.

Meanwhile, earlier on Thursday 17 September, also at Rocky, the two resident Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravans VH-NDC and VH-LZK were both noted departing Rockhampton Airport heading separate ways on Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights to the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's Carmichael Coal Mine site.

VH-NDC flew as HND310/1 to and from Labona direct, while VH-LZK flew into my local Clermont Aerodrome as HND610 before continuing up to Labona as HND611.  It then returned to Rockhampton Airport direct as HND531.

Also early on Thursday 17 September, Brescon (Toowoomba) Beech B200 King Air VH-XDW popped into Clermont Aerodrome. It looked to arrive from Labona and then depart to Toowoomba-Wellcamp.

VH-XDW flew up to Labona from Wellcamp late on Wednesday 16 September.

Pegasus Air (New South Wales) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-JKU Spotted at Mackay Airport - Plus More!

Some nice arrivals into Mackay Airport on Wednesday 16 September, and local plane spotter 'JM' popped out to Mackay Airport early on Thursday 17 September and captured some photos of these light General Aviation (GA) aircraft and a helicopter.

On the Western General Aviation at Mackay Airport, Pilatus PC-12s VH-JKU and VH-WPH were both photographed parked together.  

Pegasus Air (New South Wales) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-JKU had arrived on Wednesday from Adelaide and Hamilton Island Airport.  It was due to return to Adelaide later on Thursday.

While Vanderfield Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH arrived on Wednesday from Townsville.  It was due to depart to Archerfield and Toowoomba later on Thursday.

Of interest, VH-WPH also popped into Mackay Airport on Tuesday 15 September while flying from Emerald Airport to Townsville.

Also shown above is Aero Logistics Cessna 404 VH-AZU which has been completing aerial survey flights out of Mackay Airport for around the last week.

And around near the terminal, Clive Palmer's Mineralogy Company Agusta A119 'Koala' helicopter VH-KOL was photographed after spending the night.

It had a busy Wednesday, departing Hamilton Island Airport for Mackay and then Gladstone Airports before later returning to Mackay Airport.  VH-KOL was due to return to Hamilton Island Airport on Thursday.

VH-KOL looked to arrive into the region from the Gold Coast on Tuesday 15 September.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter 'JM' for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by 'JM'  ©

Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra Bizjet VH-MMC Pops into Middlemount Aerodrome

On Wednesday 16 September, Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-MMC was noted visiting Middlemount Aerodrome.  It looked to arrive from and then later depart back to its Sunshine Coast base.

File photo

Meanwhile, a couple of light General Aviation (GA) movements around Central Queensland Airports also on Wednesday 16 September included Brescon (Toowoomba) Beech B200 King Air VH-WXN which visited the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's Carmichael Coal Mine site from Archerfield.

While Austrek Aviation Beech B200 King Air VH-ZMW was also noted arriving into Labona but from Toowoomba-Wellcamp.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 17 September, VH-ZMW popped into Clermont Aerodrome from Labona before it continued to Wellcamp.

And Townsville Airlines Beech 1900D VH-RUE was noted visiting Rockhampton Airport.  It arrived from Wellcamp having earlier flown down there from Cairns.  VH-RUE then departed Rockhampton Airport for Kowanyama and Cairns.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjet A56-001 "Envoy 76" Back in CQ at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport

On Wednesday 16 September, and for the second day in a row, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet A56-001 was noted visiting Central Queensland.  It was again flying as "Envoy 76" and this time looked to visit Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.

A56-001 looked to arrive from Canberra and RAAF Base Williamtown before later departing to the Gold Coast and then Canberra.

As mentioned below, on Tuesday 15 September, A56-001 "Envoy 76" was noted visiting Bundaberg and Hamilton Island Airports while on a flight also out of and back to Canberra.

Photo taken by Michael Fleetwood  ©