Along with the Skytraders Pty Ltd Airbus A319-115(LR) VH-VHD "Snowbird 1" visiting, after dark at Gladstone Airport on Wednesday 12 April was a very busy time with multiple medical aircraft and helicopters touching down on various missions. There was also the rare visit to Gladstone Airport of an Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-UQW, which seemed to operate a flight on behalf of Virgin Australia as UTY2600/2601 flying from and back to Brisbane.
Of the medical arrivals, LifeFlight (Aeromed) LearJet 45 bizjet VH-VVI "Ambulance 451" arrived into Gladstone Airport late on Wednesday 12 April from Longreach having earlier departed from Brisbane. After over an hour on the ground, VH-VVI returned to Brisbane.
As has been occurring several times each day, with Rockhampton Airport closed, the Rocky-based Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service Bell 412 helicopters VH-VAU "Rescue 300" and VH-LSY "Rescue 310" were both noted completing flights from Rockhampton Base Hospital to Gladstone Airport late on Wednesday 12 April. VH-LSY is pictured below on completing a similar flight into Gladstone Airport on Sunday 9 April.
These flights from the CHRS seemed to coincide with the visit to Gladstone Airport also late on Wednesday 12 April of a pair of Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) King Air turboprops. Hawker Beechcraft B200 VH-FDM "FlyDoc478" arrived from Barcaldine and departed to Bundaberg, while Hawker Beechcraft B200 VH-FDI "FlyDoc 467" arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane.
As we've mentioned below, there has also been a wide variety of other helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to call into Gladstone Airport over the last few days - some of the busiest days the Airport has seen!
Also on Sunday 9 April, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) Eurocopter (Bolkow) BO105 CBS-5 helicopter VH-NVI "Polair 41" called into Gladstone Airport returning to Archerfield following a period of time of being deployed to flood-hit Rockhampton.
While the three Royal Australian Navy (RAN) NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopters currently also remain based at Gladstone Airport.
Last weekend saw some State and Federal politicians fly into Rockhampton via Gladstone Airport. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Beech B350 Super King Air A32-675 was spotted visiting Gladstone Airport on Sunday 9 April, while sistership A32-670 popped into Gladstone Airport on Saturday 8 April.
Also on Sunday 9 April, the Queensland Government Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY visited Gladstone Airport arriving from and later departing to Brisbane.
Finally, several light General Aviation (GA) aircraft that are normally based at Rockhampton Airport were also spotted parked at Gladstone Airport, presumably escaping the predicted flooding. These included Atlass Aviation (Aerial Topographic Laser Survey Systems) Beechcraft A36 Bonanza VH-IOL and Mooney M20K VH-MYV. These were spotted alongside Albury (NSW) based 1969-built Piper PA-24-260 Comanche VH-RUK on the GA Apron on Saturday 8 April.
Australasian Jet (AusJet) Cessna 206 VH-KPG was also spotted on Saturday 8 April returning to Gladstone Airport after operating an aerial survey flight over the region.
Finally, the Rockhampton Aero Club's Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-8 Islander VH-SLM was also spotted visiting Gladstone Airport on Sunday 9 April.
As we mentioned on our Facebook page, the Rockhampton Aero Club positioned six of their aircraft to Hedlow Airfied to North-West of Rockhampton.
Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Michael F for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos from the last few days!
All photos taken by Michael Fleetwood ©
No comments:
Post a Comment