And a Few Plane Spotting Photos from Rockhampton and Gladstone Airports Last Weekend

As mentioned below, I ventured to Rockhampton last weekend and joined the Rockhampton Aero Club on the breakfast flyaway to Gladstone Airport early on Sunday 11 May.  I also managed to sneak in some plane spotting time at Gladstone and captured a couple of commercial visitors, as as a few local aircraft that I have seen for the first time!  

One of these was Air Charter CQ / Australia by Seaplane De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Mk1 Floatplane VH-IDO, which we had a pleasure of watching make a spectacular departure from Gladstone presumably to Heron Island on another passenger transfer flight.

Parked on the relatively quiet General Aviation (GA) Apron at Gladstone was Brisbane-based Cessna T303 VH-TFA.

And nearby was locally-based Dova DV-1 Skylark which now wears the registration E24-5123.

I'm told the 'E' prefix on Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) registration marking means the aircraft is 'Experimental' and is due to the aircraft having an In-Flight Adjustable (IFA) propeller of which there is no standard in Australia.

From inside the Gladstone Airport terminal I could see across to the Northern side of the Airport where several light GA aircraft and helicopters were parked.  On this side of the Airport lives local aircraft maintenance company Aerotor, plus the hangars of Gladstone Helicopters.

Nearby is also where the new Airport fire station is being constructed.

From inside the terminal I also captured two of the Sunday morning visitors to Gladstone Airport.  QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOF was captured departing Brisbane as QLK2331

Meanwhile, Dash-8-Q300 VH-TQL was spotted arriving from Brisbane and later departing to Rockhampton as QLK2308.

And finally as we returned to our aircraft for departure back to Rockhampton, QantasLink Dash-8-Q300 VH-SCE was capture arriving into Gladstone from Rockhampton as QLK2301.

Back at Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 11 May, I captured photos of several of the Rockhampton Aero Club's other aircraft, plus a couple of others!

The Rocky Aero Club's Cessna 150 VH-RZN was resting peacefully on the General Aviation (GA) apron.

Gladstone-based - but utilised in Rockhampton - Cessna 210 VH-SOV.

Another Cessna 210 utilised by the Rocky Aero Club in the form of VH-EKW.

And Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-8 Islander VH-SLM.

Finally, one of the Aero Club's newer Cessna 172s VH-ZDX.

A really great morning!