Mackay Airport Wednesday - Government Hawker 850XP VH-SGY - Islander VH-URJ - Problems with Virgin Australia E-190 VH-ZPR

Making another appearance in Central Queensland on Wednesday 29 October was the Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY.

File photo

On this occasion, it was noted calling into Mackay Airport from Brisbane.  After a couple of hours on the ground, it departed back to the capital.

Colville Aviation Services Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander VH-URJ was also noted calling into Mackay Airport on Wednesday 29 October.  The formerly Cairns-based Barrier Aviation aircraft arrived from Archerfiled and later departed to Marreba.

Meanwhile, later on Wednesday 29 October, Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPR was operating as VOZ617 from Brisbane to Mackay and was forced to turn back to Brisbane as it was approaching Yeppoon.

Reports suggest that VH-ZPR had an altitude mis-match problem and it seems that to land the aircraft successfully, VH-ZPR returned to Brisbane to land via an ILS approach.

Fellow E-190 VH-ZPH operated the 'replacement' VOZ617/620 service later in the evening.

Finally, it's worth noting that locally-based Raytheon 390 Premier 1 bizjet N7088S arrived back into Mackay Airport on Tuesday 28 October from the Gold Coast.  It had flown to the Gold Coast the week before.

UPDATE!  N7088S operated a return flight to Brisbane from Mackay on Thursday 30 October.  And now a flight for N7088S is scheduled on Friday 31 October also from Mackay to Brisbane.