RAAF Challenger 604 Bizjet A37-002 Calls into Bundaberg and Emerald Airports Over the Weekend

A busy weekend for Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet A37-002.  On Saturday 17 November, it was noted visiting departing Canberra for Cairns before it flew down to Bundaberg Airport.  It was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Regent 89".  A37-002 then departed Bundy for Temora in New South Wales.

File photo

Then on Sunday 18 November, A37-002 was back in CQ noted arriving into Emerald Airport from Wagga Wagga this time as "Regent 82".

It was reported that it brought Australian Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack to town for a series of engagements.

At the time of writing, it appears that A37-002 is staying at Emerald Airport for the night.

Photo taken by 'AC'  ©

Hevilift Australia ATR 72-500 VH-FVM - Plus Citations VH-MOR & VH-CDG - All Pop into Roma Airport - Plus More

An interesting visitor into Roma Airport on Friday 16 November was Hevilift Australia (Fixed Wing Division) ATR 72-500 VH-FVM.  It presume it completed a Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight from and back to Brisbane as HT741/742.

VH-FVM departs Brisbane during a recent test flight  (File photo)

The commencement of flights into Roma Airport is an interesting development for Hevilift with both VH-FVM and their ATR 42-300 VH-YWH still also completing regular FIFO charter flights from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to Biloela / Thangool, Middlemount and Moranbah Airports.

Fellow ATR 72-500 VH-FVH remains in Cairns undergoing maintenance prior to also presumably entering service with Hevilift.

Meanwhile, a little earlier also on Friday 16 November, a nice pair of Cessna Citation bizjets were also noted visiting Roma Airport.   Brisbane-based Cessna 525A CitationJet2 VH-MOR flew in from Bankstown while Professional Jet Aviation Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 VH-CDG flew in from its Gold Coast base via Archerfield and Bankstown.

After both took on fuel, VH-MOR and VH-CDG both departed to Lizard Island in the Far North Queensland.

Finally, the 'usual' array of light General Aviation (GA) aircraft that complete FIFO and other closed charter flights in and out of Roma Airport continued on Friday 16 November.  Austrek Aviation Cessna 310R VH-DZX arrived from Cungelella and departed to Archerfield.  Great Western Aviation Beech B200 King Air VH-XGV visited from Brisbane.  And Brisbane-based Piper PA-31-350 VH-RPV arrived from Archerfield and departed to Charleville and then Moomba.

Aviair (NT) Cessna 208B Caravan VH-NCK Calls into Longreach Airport - Plus More!

An interesting arrival into Longreach Airport around dawn on Friday 16 November with Aviair Cessna 208B Caravan VH-NCK noted arriving from its Kununurra base in Western Australia via Mount Isa.

VH-NCK at Broome Airport in 2017  (File photo)

At the time of writing, VH-NCK is now heading to Redcliffe where I presume it will undergo planned maintenance.

Meanwhile, also noted arriving into Longreach Airport early on Friday 16 November but from Camooweal was Wagga Air Centre (Mabena) Cessna 310R VH-JUB as "Wagga Air 658".

Of interest, another aircraft using a similar callsign in the form of SOCATA TBM-850 VH-PVM was noted passing through Longreach Airport back on Saturday 3 November while on a flight from its Wagga Wagga base in New South Wales to Bourketown.  It was heard to use the radio callsign of "Wagga Air 669".  VH-PVM was also noted calling into Roma Airport late on Thursday 8 November.

Finally, one other light General Aviation (GA) visitors to be noted calling into Longreach Airport in recent days was Interair (Photomapping Services) Cessna 404 Titan VH-TTZ which arrived from Cairns via survey work around Mount Isa on Thursday 8 November. It departed the next day to Bankstown.

Photo taken by Simon Coates  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2018 - Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules '735' Arrives into Rockhampton Airport

On Thursday 15 November, Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules '735' arrived at Rockhampton Airport as "SAF9859" from Darwin where it arrived from Singapore the previous day.

Local plane spotter 'IAD' was able to capture a couple of photos as the Herc touched down and then was parked on the Northern part of the Rockhampton Airport parking apron, alongside the remaining three of the four RSAF Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters.

With the conclusion of Exercise Wallaby 2018 it would make sense that '735' has come to Rocky to collect equipment and transport it back to Singapore.  At the time of writing '735' remains at Rockhampton Airport and it is expected to return to Darwin early on Friday 16 November.

Of interest, the Herc is one of six C-130H aircraft which are flown by the RSAF's 122 Squadron "Condors" based at the Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) in Singapore.

The squadron goes by the motto of "Dependable".

Thanks mate!

All photos taken by 'IAD'  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2018 - Air New Zealand B777-200 ZK-OKE and Royal Brunei B787-8 Dreamliner V8-DLD Both at Rockhampton Airport on Final Heavy Jet Charter Flights

The fourth and final 'wave' of heavy jet charter flights at Rockhampton Airport in support of the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2018 started and finished in one night late on Wednesday 14 November and early on Thursday 15 November.

The only Air New Zealand operated charter flight for the Exercise touched down first with Boeing B777-200 ZK-OKE positioning from Auckland empty as ANZ6006.  It was then loaded with a full flight of personnel and their bags before it later departed Rockhampton Airport direct to Singapore's Changi Airport as ANZ1946.

Of interest, ZK-OKE has since positioned back to Auckland direct from Singapore but as ANZ6005.

Then, in the wee small hours on Thursday 15 November, Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner V8-DLD arrived into Rockhampton Airport, positioning direct from Brunei as RBA4271.  It too was loaded with a full flight of personnel and their bags and it then also departed direct to Changi but as RBA4272.

Of interest, V8-DLD has since positioned back to Brunei as a continuation of RBA4272.

These flights see the end of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of this year's Exercise.  All up, there were four 'waves' of 13 aircraft with the vast majority flown by Royal Brunei Airlines Dreamliners.

With the Volga Dnepr Antonov AN-124 been and gone, transporting the four Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters home to Singapore, and the six RSAF Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS332M Super Puma helicopters and a sole RSAF Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter all returning 'home' to Oakey, the RSAF flying operations around Rockhampton Airport are slowly coming to an end once again for another year.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters Kayanne H and Russell P for yet again taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

Photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman and Russell Prothero  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2018 - Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) AS332M Super Puma Helicopters Begin to Depart Rockhampton Airport For Good

Sadly, the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2018 is rapidly coming to an end and on Tuesday 13 November, the remaining Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopters deployed to Rockhampton Airport looked to complete their final flights and return to their home base at Oakey.

Local photographer Russell P popped out to Rockhampton Airport and was able to capture some photos as RSAF Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS332M Super Puma helicopter '292' returned to Rcky from the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) as "Starling".

Soon after, four of the other RSAF Super Puma helicopters then taxied out and departed Rockhampton Airport returning to their home base at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre as "Diamond".

This left two Super Pumas on the ground at Rockhampton Airport.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 14 November, the remaining two Super Puma helicopters were also noted departing Rockhampton Airport for Oakey also as "Diamond".

Meanwhile, back at Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 13 November, RSAF Boeing CH-47D Chinook '88183' was photographed transferring across from 'Warriors Camp' to Rockhampton Airport as "Celtic".

While fellow RSAF Chinook '88188' was loaded and then departed 'Warriors Camp' for Oakey but as "Cyclops".

This left three Chinooks on the ground at Rockhampton Airport.

Finally, it appears that the fourth and final 'wave' of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of Exercise Wallaby 2018 will touch down at Rockhampton Airport over the coming days with - at this stage - an Air New Zealand Boeing B777-200 scheduled to touch down late on Wednesday 14 November.

Stay tuned to the CQ Plane Spotting Blog for all the latest news and updates via our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/cqplanespotting/

Sincere thanks to Russell for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of the Super Puma's departure!

All photos taken by Russell Prothero  ©