Former Mackay-based Pilatus PC-12 VH-YDO Departs Australia from Adelaide Airport on Thursday

I've been reading with interest that a former resident aircraft based at Mackay Airport - and frequent visitor to most other Central Queensland Airports on Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) and other charter flights - has been re-registered and seems to be about to depart Australia for good.

VH-YDO parked at its Mackay Airport base in 2012

Around the start of 2014, I noted that Pilatus PC-12/45 VH-YDO departed Mackay and eventually found its way to Adelaide Airport where Pilatus have a major maintenance and engineering hangar.

VH-YDO at Emerald Airport in November 2012

VH-YDO was registered to Kergil Investments (of Mackay), and was in fact no stranger to Australian skies having being operated by the Northern Territory Police for some years out of Darwin Airport.

VH-YDO at Darwin Airport with the NT Police in 2007

After changing ownership and operator details in April this year, and after completing a test flight on Friday 20 June, VH-YDO was re-registered to wear the American markings of N15NE.

N15NE at Adelaide Airport  (Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©)

Adelaide plane spotter Tony H kindly shares his great images of N15NE taken at Adelaide Airport on Wednesday 2 July.

N15NE at Adelaide Airport  (Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©)

On Thursday 17 July, N15NE - now registered to Pro Star Pilatus Centre in the USA - departed Adelaide for Alice Springs and Darwin.

At the time of writing, N15NE is scheduled to continue overseas on Friday 18 July, departing Darwin for Francisco Bangoy International Airport, Davao City, in the Philippines.

A great little turbo-prop that will be missed!

Sincere thanks to Tony H in Adelaide for allowing us to share his great photos of N15NE.