A Double Treat as Two Bechtel Dassault Falcon 900EX Bizjets Arrive at Gladstone Airport

What a fantastic sight!!

Local plane spotter Michael F has sent through some superb images of a pair of Bechtel Dassault Falcon 900EX bizjets that have arrived into Gladstone Airport late on Sunday 29 September from Brisbane.

First to touch down around dusk was N970SF.

Later in the evening N980SF also touched down.

As shown, the two Falcons were parked on the main taxiway at Gladstone Airport.  Reports suggest that it was quite crowded with aircraft at Gladstone Airport on Sunday evening with the usual commercial turbo-prop aircraft being joined by an Alliance Fokker F-100 (VH-XWN) and Virgin Australian E-190 VH-ZPD which appears to have broken down.  Departure details for the Falcons are unknown at the time of writing.

We hope to have more photos of these fantastic bizjets - and the other visiting aircraft - in the coming days!

Thanks Michael!

All photos taken by Michael Fleetwood  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2013 - Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Super Puma Helicopters Arrive at Rockhampton Airport

The Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby is due to start today, and after the exciting afternoon of arrivals at Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 29 September, it would seem that all the participating Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopter equipment is in place for the start of the exercise.

On Sunday, a flight of five Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS332M Super Puma helicopters touched down at Rockhampton Airport from their home at Oakey.  

Local plane spotter Ben O was one of a few interested spectators who captured some fantastic images as they arrived.  He also reports that four of the five Super Puma have been identified as 220, 276, 292, and 293.  The fifth was not identified.

They joined five RSAF Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters - yet to be identified - that have been prepared following their arrival at Rockhampton Airport during the previous week.

And also a pair of RSAF Boeing CH-47SD Chinook helicopters - identified as 88195 and 88196.

So all seems to be in readiness for the start of Exercise Wallaby 2013.  There is a series of heavy jets expected into Rockhampton Airport this week from Singapore carrying more troops into the city for the Exercise which will take place in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) until December.  Bring it on!

Thanks to Ben for braving the heat and capturing some great images!

All photos taken by Ben O’Dowd  ©

A Few Recent Bizjets at Hamilton Island Airport and Others!

During my holidays, I was lucky enough to enjoy some great bizjet plane spotting at Hamilton Island.

Throughout the period of my week 'in paradise', Holypeak Pty Ltd Canadair CL600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-VLC was parked on the Western side of Hamilton Island Airport.

VH-VLC had arrived from Melbourne (Essendon) Airport on Sunday 22 September.  It eventually departed back there on Friday 27 September.

On Thursday 26 September I spotted three more bizjets on Hamo including Gojet Raytheon Hawker 850XP VH-BMW was there.  It's movements are not known, but it is assumed that it flew from its Melbourne (Essendon) base on Wednesday 25 September.  By Friday 27 September VH-BMW had departed Hamilton Island.

Also spotted Shortstop Jet Charter British Aerospace BAe-125-1000B VH-LMP, which arrived into Hamo from Melbourne (Essendon) on Wednesday 25 September.

Lastly, Aeromil Pacific / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 650 Citation III bizjet VH-SPJ was spotted on Hamo. VH-SPJ was believed to be carrying legendary American country singer Alan Jackson during his Australian concert tour. After arriving on Wednesday 25 September from Bankstown, it departed on Thursday 26 August for Brisbane and returned much later in the night. It did the same on Friday. Finally VH-SPJ flew to Townsville and back on Saturday 28 September. At the time of wiring VH-SPJ is still on the island.

Meanwhile, it's with mentioning some other bizjet movements in Central Queensland over the last couple of weeks.

Hamilton Island has also played host to Maxem Aviation Cessna 560 Citation Encore VH-MXD which arrived from Ayres Rock and Perth on Wednesday 18 September and departed for Sydney on Friday 20 September.

Dave Parer / http://flightaware.com/

Cessna 510 Citation Mustang also visited Hamilton Island during this time, being noted departing for Bankstown on Saturday 21 September.  And also Brenzil's Dassault Falcon 2000EX bizjet VH-KRW departed for Brisbane on Wednesday 18 September.

Out at Emerald Airport, Mackellar Mining Equipment (ex-Aeromil) / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra VH-SJP has visited a couple of times recently - most recently it departed to the Sunshine Coast on Friday 27 September.  Brisbane plane spotter Brendan B captured VH-SJP departing Emerald Airport during its previous visit on Wednesday 11 September.

Photo taken by Brendan Berry  ©

Photo taken by Brendan Berry  ©

Mackay based bizjets N7088S and VH-ZGP have had a busy couple of weeks, with Raytheon 390 Premier 1 N7088S flying out and back to Mackay several times to places including  the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Townsville, Adelaide and Rockhampton (where it pictured below on Tuesday 24 September).

Photo taken by Ash Burggraaff  ©

And of course - as we've posted below - Central Queensland has seen Earth Commodities Cessna 550 Citation Bravo VH-CCJ pass through again on Monday 23 September and Tuesday 24 September, Flight Options Cessna 510 Citation Mustang VH-PWX on Friday 20 September and Saturday 21 September, and Marcplan Charter Raytheon Hawker 800XP VH-MEP pass through Gladstone on Tuesday 24 September and Wednesday 25 September.

Photo taken by Jamie C  ©

Lastly, perhaps the highlight of the last couple of weeks of bizjet movements was the visit of ASP Aviation Dassault Aviation Falcon 2000 Bizjet M-ABCD, which passed through Gladstone on Wednesday 18 September.

Photo taken by Jamie C  ©

Photo taken by Jamie C  ©

A great couple of weeks!

Stay tuned for more photos from my time on Hamilton Island!

More Great Photos of Polet Aviakompania (Polet Airlines) Antonov AN-124 RA-82068 at Rockhampton Airport Friday

Local plane spotter 'IAD' was also on hand on Friday 27 September as Polet Aviakompania (Polet Airlines) Antonov AN-124-100 RA-82068 arrived into Rockhampton Airport as "POT4754" direct from Paya Lebar Airbase in Singapore.

It was the second time during the week that the massive Russian freighter had visited Rockhampton, and on both occasions, it was carrying Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopters that will be utilised during the upcoming Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2013.

RA-82068 evenutally departed Rockhampton Airport late on Friday 27 September for U-Tapao-Pattaya International Airport in Thailand.

Big thanks to 'IAD' for capturing these fantastic images of the Polet Antonov - if you missed the visit of the mighty aircraft this week, it is expected that it will return to Rockhampton in early December the end of Exercise Wallaby.

All photos taken by 'IAD'  ©

Polet Aviakompania (Polet Airlines) Antonov AN-124 RA-82068 Touches Down at Rockhampton Airport Again!

Polet Aviakompania (Polet Airlines) Antonov AN-124-100 RA-82068 has touched down at Rockhampton Airport for the second time this week early on Friday 27 September.

It arrived as "POT4754" direct from Paya Lebar Airbase in Singapore, and touched down on Runway 33 at around 7.30am.

On this occasion, the massive Russian freighter was noted carrying five Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters that will be utilised during the upcoming Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2013.

It is expected that the Polet Antonov will depart Rockhampton later on Friday evening.

Big thanks to local plane spotters Don W and Ash B for capturing these fantastic images of the Antonov's arrival and the line up of Apache helicopters on Rockhampton Airport's Runway 04/22.

Photos taken by Don Williams and Ash Burggraaff  ©