I spent a couple of lovely days in the Beef Capital, attending the Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show over the weekend - see our Blog Post below - and of course managed to fit in some plane spotting at Rockhampton Airport.
First up on Saturday 25 May I spotted the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Beech B200 King Air VH-FFI which actually arrived into Rockhampton in mid-March and has been undergoing maintenance at Rockhampton Airport.
Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander VH-YVH is visiting Rockhampton again, having flown in from Tamworth during the week. VH-YVH is all kitted out with the Wescam MX-15 camera turret on the nose. The aircraft is registered to Britten Norman, and according to some sources is operated by Airborne Surveillance. It carries the code ‘220’.
Locally-based Double A Aviation Robinson R-44 VH-HJJ was parked on the Eastern grass.
I returned to Rockhampton Airport later on Saturday 25 May and spotted Surveillance Australia / Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Cobham Aviation) Dash-8-202 VH-ZZB. It was noted departing Rockhampton for Cairns on Sunday 26 May as "Customs 22".
Arriving at Rockhampton Airport was Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YIT which touched down as VOZ1245 from Brisbane.
On Sunday 26 May, I enjoyed a great morning of plane spotting with some of the local spotters. I first photographed QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOV which had stayed overnight from Saturday. It later departed to Brisbane as QLK2349.
Also noted arriving and departing early on Sunday was Virgin Australia Regional Airlines ATR 72-600 VH-FVY which was operating the VOZ1233/1234 flight from and back to Brisbane.
QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXN was also photographed as it touched down from Brisbane as QJE1730.
A little later in the morning, QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOH touched down from Brisbane as QLK2364. VH-QOH sticks out in the sky still wearing its distinctive 'Breast Cancer Awareness' colours.
QantasLink Dash-8-Q300 VH-SBJ also touched down from Gladstone and Brisbane as QLK2300. VH-SBJ is one of a handful of the Q300 fleet to be repainted into the Qantas/QantasLink new colours.
On the 'lighter side' at the General Aviation apron, I spotted Amateur-build Lancair Super ES VH-TEJ. The Lancair is based at Julia Creek and operated by the Argyle Pastoral Company.
And Bell 206B (II) VH-JAQ of Stirling Helicopters (Stirling Consolidated) of Theodore was also spotted basking in the morning sun.
Far North Queensland-based Eurocopter EC120B VH-FNQ arrived from the Whitsunday Airport later on Sunday 26 May, and was captured by local plane spotter Trevor H.
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| Photo taken by Trevor Hardsman © |
Trevor also captured a lovely photo of the visiting Britten-Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander VH-YVH.
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| Photo taken by Trevor Hardsman © |
A number of other light aircraft also touched down from various parts during the afternoon, as well as an interesting helicopter visitor in the form of Bell 206L-4 VH-DIK which is operated by Dick Smith Properties in Sydney. VH-DIK was heard to arrive and take on fuel before departing to the North.
Of course - and as posted below - the most interesting visitors to Rockhampton Airport late on Sunday 26 May were the six Royal Australian Navy (RAN) helicopters.
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| Photo taken by Trevor Hardsman © |
The four four Aerospatiale AS350B Squirrel choppers and two Bell 429 choppers were a surprise arrival into Rockhampton Airport, and looked to be preparing to stay the night.
Thanks to Trevor H for sending through some lovely images from Sunday at Rockhampton Airport!
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