National Jet Express (ex Cobham) Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-IYP Starts Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) Charter Flights into Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

Continuing a big week for Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) into Central Queensland, on Thursday 26 October, National Jet Express (formerly Cobham) Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-IYP completed the first ever visit by the airline on a FIFO charter flight into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane as JTE392.

After some time on the ground, VH-IYP returned to Brisbane but as JTE393.

As mentioned below, there are now two NJE Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen aircraft - VH-IYP and VH-IYK - operating out of Brisbane on closed FIFO charter flights to Moranbah Airport (week-daily), Emerald Airport (Tuesdays) and now Rocky.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 26 October, LifeFlight (Aeromed) Bombardier Challenger 604 bizjet VH-URR "Ambulance 604" flew down from Townsville Airport to Emerald and then Rockhampton Airports.  It then returned to Townsville.

Fellow LifeFlight (Aeromed) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-OFA "Ambulance 614" also looked to visit Emerald Airport but from Brisbane.

While Navair Flight Operations Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 bizjet VH-LXZ as "Navair 131" visited Mackay Airport from Bankstown and Cessnock.

Rural Funds Management (A.C.T.) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-STE looked to fly across from Natal Downs to Rockhampton Airport.  It seems to have flown up from its Canberra base the previous day.

UPDATE!  On Friday 27 October, VH-STE departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to Canberra.

And a pair of Nautilus Aviation Bell Textron 407GXi helicopters VH-JIW and VH-JUF flew down from Cairns to Southport together, flying via Townsville, Mackay and Gladstone Airports.

Finally, on a quiet Wednesday 25 October,  MacKellar Mining Equipment Pty Ltd (Revesco Aviation) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-MMC visited Hamilton Island Airport from the Sunshine Coast.

And Multiquip Poultry / Navair Flight Operations Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100EV bizjet VH-MQX as "Navair 169" was also noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport but from Bankstown and the Shellharbour Airport.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 29 October, VH-MQX "Navair 169" returned to the Shellharbour Airport and Bankstown from Hamo.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter John L for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a great first-time visitor to Rocky!

All photos taken by John Lee  ©