Motor Yacht "Plan B" Eurocopter EC-145 VP-CPB Ferries South from Cairns via Mackay, Rockhampton and Bundaberg Airports

A real unique helicopter was noted calling in to several Central Queensland Airports on Monday 11 August, with Eurocopter EC-145 VP-CPB touching down at Mackay, Rockhampton and Bundaberg Airports while ferrying South from Cairns to the Sunshine Coast.

File photo taken by The FNQ Skies Blog  ©

VP-CPB was captured on the ground at Cairns on Sunday 10 August by the FNQ Skies Blog.

VP-CPB is usually 'parked' on the rear deck of the massive motor yacht "Plan B" or "PB".

From a post on the Aviation Enthusiast website Pprune, the motor yacht "Plan B" is a former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) survey ship which was launched in 1973 and decommissioned in 1998. It was converted into a luxury expedition yacht, and at that time was noted spending most of its time in New Zealand waters. 

http://www.pprune.org/

The yacht is 160ft long, of steel construction, powered by two Paxman diesels producing a combined 3360hp, and can cruise at 14kts, and has a range of 5000 statute miles.

"Plan B" was initially equipped with a Bell 407, but now sports the EC-145.  Both aircraft carried/carry the same registration of VP-CPB.  Both the yacht and the on-board helicopter are registered in the Cayman Islands.