Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The Visiting United States Army (US Army) Beech C-12V Huron (B200 King Air) Aircraft Have an Identity Crisis at Both Proserpine and Rockhampton Airports

Some of the busiest aircraft in the skies during joint Military Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 (TS19) are the three United States Army (US Army) (US Army Reserve Command) Beech C-12V Huron (Beech B200 King Air) aircraft.  Although during this week, they looked to suffer a little bit of an identity crisis with aircraft serial numbers not matching their aircraft radio callsigns!


On Tuesday 23 July, 95-00094 was noted flying as "Pat 320" and completed a flight from Townsville to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport and then Rockhampton Airport and back.  It was closely followed by 95-00088 which was flying 'correctly' using its usual radio callsign of as "Pat 088" as it too completed a flight from Townsville to Proserpine and Rockhampton Airports and back.

Then, later on Tuesday 23 July, 95-00088 was back in the air but this time as "Pat 094" as it completed another flight from Townsville to Rockhampton Airport and Brisbane.  Confusing!

Meanwhile, everything had returned to 'normal' on Wednesday 24 July as both 95-00088 as "Pat 088" and 95-00094 as "Pat 094" were spotted once again calling into Rockhampton Airport.






They both looked to arrive from Townsville and depart to Brisbane before later returning to Rocky and departing back to Townsville.

As mentioned previously, all three C-12V Huron aircraft are flown by the US Army's 2nd Battalion 228th Aviation Regiment 'Winged Warriors' out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, located in Burlington County, New Jersey, USA.  They have been making almost-daily visits into Rockhampton Airport, flying between Townsville and Brisbane, with the occasional trip down to RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales.


The Beech C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beech B200 Super King Air and Beech 1900C.

UPDATE!  It appears that this was the final visit of the Huron aircraft with all three noted departing Townsville for Darwin and further on Friday 26 July.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 23 July, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Beech B350 Super King Air A32-671 also visited Rockhampton Airport.  It touched down from RAAF Base Amberley as "Beaufort 01" and later departed to Townsville.

All photos taken by Steve Vit  ©

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