Other Noteworthy Movements at Central Queensland Airports on Sunday and Monday

I've received some news from spotters of some interesting movements over the last couple of days - it's such a shame that the weather is so poor at the moment - the rain is chasing the cameras away!

A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330/KC-30A (MRTT) reportedly paid a visit to Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 24 June.

It was also noted at Rockhampton Airport that the RAAF Brittish Aerospace (BAe) Hawk 127 jets that have been operating sorties from the Airport, have gone, and have returned to their home base. Rumours at Rockhampton Airport suggest that these exciting fast jets may be back later this week or next week.

Also nearby to Rockhampton Airport, as many as eight Australian Army Commonwealth CA-32 (Bell 206B/OH-58A) Kiowa helicopters have been spotted, although, photographs of these machines are unable to be taken. (The photos below are from Rockhampton Airport in 2011.)

On Monday 25 June, Virgin Australia has commenced flying its Skywest Airlines-operated ATR’s between Rockhampton Airport and Townsville Airport.

After arriving into Rockhampton from Brisbane as DJ1239, ATR 72-500 VH-FVX then departed for Townsville as DJ1901. It later arrived operated the return Townsville to Rockhampton flight as DJ1904, and later departed back to Brisbane.

These flights had previously been operated by Embraer E-190 jets, and Rockhampton spotters noted that the callsign of the Skywest Airlines-operated ATRs were “Virgin 901 Alpha”.

One other interesting movement to note on Monday 25 June was the – now becoming frequent – visit of a pair of Seair Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft operating a fly-in fly-out charter.

VH-LMD and VH-LMZ were noted flying closely together, arriving in Gladstone before dawn from Maryborough. They later departed Gladstone for Moranbah, before later departing to Hervey Bay.