Spotted out at Longreach Airport This Week

It looks to have been another great week for plane spotting out at Longreach Airport this week with another odd assortment of aircraft and a RAAF-Rescue chopper all calling in.  On Tuesday 16 September, Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340B VH-ZRZ looked to have touched down from Townsville via Winton on the RXA5203 flight.  It then appears to have broken down, as it was photographed resting on the Longreach Airport apron early on Wednesday 17 September.

On Thursday 18 September, VH-ZRZ was still parked at Longreach and was photographed receiving attention on its starboard engine.

Also on Thursday 18 September, the beautiful Toowoomba-based Yakovlev Yak-18T VH-YKV was also photographed still parked at Longreach after arriving on the weekend.

Another interesting visitor but captured early on Wednesday 17 September was Dick Lang's Dessert-Air Safaris' Beech B200 King Air VH-ODI.

The Adelaide-based King Air is returning South from a 'Safari' into Papua New Guinea.  It arrived into Longreach from Normanton and earlier Horn Island on Tuesday and departed later on Wednesday for Leigh Creek and later Adelaide.

Also touching down at Longreach on Wednesday 17 September was Gulf Coast Aviation Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-KXM which seems to be making the familiar trip North from Bankstown to Vanrook Station near Normanton via Longreach.  It returned South from Vanrook Station - again to Bankstown via Longreach - on Thursday 18 September.

Later on Wednesday 17 September, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters) Sikorsky S-76A VH-HRP also arrived into Longreach.  The chopper appeared to arrive from Cloncurry, and appears to have spent recent weeks flying around Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal in Katherine - perhaps in support of recent RAAF Exercises in the 'top end'.  VH-HRP was noted using the radio callsign of "Choppa 3".

Finally, one interesting departure I noted out of Longreach on Thursday 18 September was by this Pipistrel Sinus NW Ultralight 24-4155 which departed North to Burketown.

Robert Myers / http://flightaware.com/

Another great week out in the Central West.  Thanks to visiting aviators for sending through their photos!

Photos taken by 'top_end_dude' and 'AC'  ©