Local Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 Bizjet N142GZ Back in The Air out of Mackay Airport - Plus More!

On Saturday 23 January, the locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ was back in the air, noted departing Mackay Airport for Brisbane.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 23 January, American-registered (but Australian-based) SOCATA TBM 700 N700RU looked to depart the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour for Archerfield.

It has arrived from there on Wednesday 20 January.

Finally, also on Saturday 23 January, Sharp Airlines Cessna 441 Conquest II VH-JVL was noted visiting Roma Airport. It arrived from and later departed back to Moomba.

It seems to operate quite a number of flights between Moomba and Ballera and Adelaide in South Australia.

American-Registered Piper PA-31T Cheyenne N500 Pops into Emerald Airport - Plus More!

An interesting visitor into Emerald Airport on Wednesday 20 January was American-registered Piper PA-31T Cheyenne N500 which was noted popping into for a visit after flying up from Swan Hill in Victoria via Moree in New South Wales and Gympie.

File photo

The Cheyenne originally departed what appears to be its Bendigo base also in Victoria the previous day.

After some time on the ground, N500 departed Emerald Airport for Gympie where it looks to be spending the night.

The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne is a turboprop development of the earlier PA-31P pressurised Navajo.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday 20 January, Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan VH-HLL was spotted at my local Clermont Aerodrome.

It arrived from Rockhampton Airport as HND310 and later departed to the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's (Bravus Mining & Resources) Carmichael Coal Mine site as HND311 before then flying back to Rocky but as HND312.

Of interest, fellow Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan VH-NDC was later noted calling into my local Clermont Aerodrome from Rockhampton Airport and Labona as HND360/1 before returning to Rocky as HND362.

While Ipswich-based Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-PLE was noted visiting a Station to the West of Clermont, flying up from and returning to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

And American-registered (but Australian-based) SOCATA TBM 700 N700RU was noted arriving into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour from Archerfield also on Wednesday 20 January.

UPDATE!  N700RU returned to Archerfield on Saturday 23 January.

Finally, also on Wednesday 20 January, Link Airways / Vee H Aviation Cessna 441 VH-VEJ was noted flying up from Brisbane to Collinsville Aerodrome.  It then called into Mackay Airport before returning to Brisbane.  This could possibly be a replacement for the former Seair Pacific / Istelcote De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter flights that operated last year.

Photo taken by Simon Coates  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjets A56-002 & A56-003 Back at CQ Airports as PM Morrison Continues Regional Qld Tour

On Wednesday 20 January, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjets, A56-002 as "Envoy 11" and A56-003 as "Envoy 12", were both back at Central Queensland Airports as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and entourage continued on a regional tour of the State.

They looked to fly up from Canberra to Cloncurry Airport before continuing up to Trepell Airport.  They then flew South and were spotted as they arrived into Gladstone Airport where it appears that they are staying for at least the night.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday 20 January, RAAF Alenia C-27J Spartan transport A34-009 as "Envoy 10" was noted departing Cloncurry Airport for RAAF Base Amberley. 

While fellow C-27J Spartan A34-010 as "Wallaby 35" departed Longreach Airport and was noted flying to the East.

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

All photos taken by Michael Fleetwood  ©

Albury-based Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ Bizjet VH-JSZ Pops into CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Tuesday 19 January, Albury (New South Wales) based Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ was noted visiting a couple of Central Queensland Airports.  

File photo

It looked to fly up from Archerfield to Charters Towers Aerodrome before then flying down to Rockhampton Airport.

VH-JSZ is becoming a semi-regular visitor with similar visits to the Towers in recent months.

At the time of writing, VH-JSZ appears to be staying at Rocky for at least the night.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 20 January, VH-JSZ departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to Archerfield.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 19 January, Linfox Express Charter / Air National Australia Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 605 bizjet VH-LEF was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport from the Gold Coast.

It too, seems to be staying parked for at least the night.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 24 January, VH-LEF finally departed Hamilton Island Airport and flew to Melbourne (Essendon).

Finally, also on Tuesday 19 January, Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY was noted back in CQ.  It departed Melbourne (Moorabbin) and called into Roma Airport before continuing to Mackay Airport.

At the time of writing, it appears that VH-WMY is staying at Mackay Airport for at least the night.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 20 January, VH-WMY departed Mackay Airport for Townsville.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 21 January, VH-WMY flew back into Mackay Airport from Townsville before retuning 'home' to Moorabbin.

Photo taken by Jonathan Williams  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjets A56-002 & A56-003 Both Call into Longreach Airport Bringing PM Morrison to Regional Qld

On Tuesday 19 January, a pair of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjets were noted calling into Longreach Airport, bring Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and entourage to Central Western Queensland at the start of a regional tour.

 Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP/NCA NewsWire

A56-002 as "Envoy 11" and A56-003 as "Envoy 12" both landed at Longreach Airport in quick succession from Canberra.  They both departed back to Canberra a short time later.

It is believed that the Prime Minister and others then completed visits to other nearby towns on board RAAF Alenia C-27J Spartan transport A34-009 as "Envoy 10" which landed at Longreach yesterday - see Blog post below.

Ann Leahy / https://www.northweststar.com.au/

On Tuesday 19 January, it departed Longreach Airport for Quilpie - as pictured above. 

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 19 January, fellow C-27J Spartan A34-010 as "Wallaby 35" also landed at Longreach Airport but from RAAF Base Amberley.  Later, it departed to hold over Quilpie for nearly two hours, acting as a standby aircraft. 

Later on Tuesday, A34-009 "Envoy 10" departed Quilpie to Winton. While A34-010 "Wallaby 35" returned to Longreach Airport for fuel before it then took off and completed more holding near Winton.

And later still, A34-009 "Envoy 10" departed Winton for Cloncurry Airport where it appears to be spending the night. While A34-010 "Wallaby 35" returned to land at Longreach Airport.

A Couple of Cessna Citation Bizjets - VH-MSU & VH-VDF - Come and Go at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport - Again!

This post is pretty much the same as one posted last Monday!

On Monday 18 January, Jetstream Aviation (Emprja P/L) Cessna 550 Citation II VH-VDF was noted visiting Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport.  As usual, it arrived from and later departed back to its Sunshine Coast base.

File photo

VH-VDF visited Prosie last Monday 11 January.

Meanwhile, after arriving last week and staying parked on the Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport apron, also on Monday 18 January, via Aviation (Victoria) Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-MSU looked to depart Prosie for Hamilton Island Airport before returned 'home' to Melbourne (Moorabbin) via Bourke in New South Wales.

Photo taken by the Sunshine Coast Plane Spotting Facebook Page

A Pair of RAAF Alenia C-27J Spartan Transport Aircraft at CQ Airports - A34-002 "Wallaby 16" & A34-009 "Envoy 10"

Also on Monday 18 January, a pair of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft which were noted completing airwork and visiting a couple of Central Queensland Airports.

Spartan A34-002 as "Wallaby 16" looked to fly up from RAAF Base Amberley to complete airwork around Bundaberg Airport.  It later returned to Amberley.

While A34-009 as "Envoy 10" was photographed (above) as it landed at Longreach Airport after completing airwork in the area.

It also appears that A34-009 is staying at Longreach Airport for the night.

Photo taken by Greg Weir  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Heavy Transport Aircraft Spotted at Rockhampton Airport - KC-30A MRTT A39-006 & C-17A Globemaster III A41-208

On Monday 18 January, a pair of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) heavy transport aircraft were photographed as they visited and completed missed approaches at Rockhampton Airport.

First, RAAF Airbus A330-200 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-006, which was flying as "Dragon 20" flew down from Townsville to Rockhampton Airport where it landed for a time.

After completing a crew change, A39-006 departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to Amberley.

It had earlier departed RAAF Base Amberley and landed at Townsville for a short period of time before coming down to Rocky.

Then, soon after the KC-30A departed, RAAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft A41-208 flew up from Amberley but as "Stallion 27" to also complete a missed approach at Rockhampton Airport.

It then departed Rocky and returned to Amberley.

Sincere thanks to local photographer Steve V for allowing us to share these great photos!

All photos taken by Steve Vit  ©

Jampair P/L Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300E Bizjet VH-NSQ Departs Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport - Plus More!

On Sunday 17 January, Jampair P/L Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300E bizjet VH-NSQ was noted departing Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport. It looked to depart to Darwin before heading to Brisbane.

VH-NSQ at Darwin Airport before departing to Hervey Bay Airport

As posted below, VH-NSQ arrived into Hervey Bay Airport on Thursday 14 January from Darwin - where it is pictured above.

Also on Sunday 17 January, the often visiting American-registered Eclipse EA500 bizjet N257AK was noted arriving into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour from Archerfield.

Meanwhile, also at the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour, also on Sunday 17 January, Cirrus SR22 VH-NKY was noted departing home to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory after arriving late in 2020.

While also on Sunday 17 January, Basair Aviation Piper PA-28-181 Archers VH-BIE and VH-BWJ departed Mackay Airport for Rockhampton and Bundaberg Airports before returning to their Archerfield base at the end of a four day flight which also passed through Roma, Longreach, Winton and Emerald Airports.

And private Piper PA-28R-180 Arrow VH-CHC departed Hedlow Airfied for Rockhampton Airport before departing to Toowoomba.  It had arrived into Hedlow from the Gold Coast the previous day.

Photo taken by Sid Mitchell  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjet A56-002 "Envoy 12" Pops into Rockhampton Airport

On Sunday 17 January, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet A56-002 was spotted visiting Rockhampton Airport.

The Falcon 7X bizjet, which is flown by the RAAF's VIP 34 Squadron, looked to arrive into Rockhampton Airport from Canberra and Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. 

 

A56-002 then departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to Canberra.

A56-002 was heard to be flying as "Envoy 09".

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

All photos taken by Scott Harris  ©