New Zealand-based American-registered Cessna T206H N63PH Pops into a Couple of CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Friday 23 May, New Zealand-based American-registered Cessna T206H N63PH was noted calling into a couple of Central Queensland Airports.  It looked to fly up from the Gold Coast to land at Gladstone Airport and then Hamilton Island Airport.  It looks to have arrived into the Gold Coast from New Zealand earlier in the week.

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UPDATE!  On Monday 26 May, N63PH departed Hamilton Island Airport for Normanton.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 11 June, after completing a flight up to Darwin, N63PH returned to the region, landing at Longreach Airport from Mount Isa.  It then flew down to Roma Airport.  On Thursday 12 June, N63PH departed Roma Airport for the Gold Coast before eventually returning 'across the ditch'.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 23 May,  Townsville Airlines Beech 1900D VH-RUE arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns and Townsville and then departed back to Cairns.

Torres Strait Air Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander VH-BNC landed at Biloela / Thangool Airport from Charters Towers Aerodrome and then departed to the Sunshine Coast and Watts Bridge.  It had flown down from Horn Island yesterday. 

Machjet International Hawker Beechcraft (Beech) B200 King Airs VH-8UY as "Machflight 242" and VH-PUY as "Machflight 11" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Horn Island and are staying the night. 

UPDATE!  On Sunday 25 May, it appears that VH-PUY "Machflight 11" departed Rockhampton Airport to Horn Island and VH-8UY "Machflight 242" departed to Cairns. 

And finally, some notable General Aviation (GA) aircraft that landed at the Old Station Farm today for the fly-in and Airshow this weekend included:  Nanchang CJ-6A VH-XXB, Brisbane-based North American P51-D-30NT Mustang VH-FST, and the Paul Bennet Airshows contingent arrived led by Amateur-built Wolf Pitts Pro VH-PVB.

Three Nice Vintage Warbird Aircraft Pop into CQ Airports - And Spotted at Longreach Airport

Over the last couple of days, a nice trio of vintage warbird aircraft have been transiting through various inland Central Queensland Airports after originally departing the South-East corner of the state.  Their ultimate destination is not fully known.

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They were identified as Aerostar YAK-52TW VH-POW, North American Aviation T-28B Trojan VH-RPX and Nanchang CJ-6A VH-TWF.

On Tuesday 14 July, at least two of the three warbirds were noted departing Watts Bridge Airfield and landing at Roma Airport for fuel.  They then continued to Charleville Airport where they spent the night.

Then on Wednesday 15 July, all three warbirds departed Charleville Airport and were photographed above arriving in formation into Longreach Airport.

They then reportedly continued to Winton Airport, but as mentioned, their final destination is unknown.

UPDATE!  On Monday 27 July, the Aerostar YAK-52TW VH-POW was noted departing Gladstone Airport for Watts Bridge.

Awesome!

FastJet Adventure Flights Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatross VH-LCJ Spotted at Roma Airport on way to Airlie Beach Airshow

The spectacular sight of FastJet Adventure Flights Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatross VH-LCJ was captured at Roma Airport by local plane spotter Graham M on Friday 25 September.

VH-LCJ called into Roma for fuel while flying from its Bathurst home to the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour where it is due to be part of the Airlie Beach Airshow over the weekend.

I'm told VH-LCJ will return South to Bathurst again via Roma on Tuesday 29 September - certainly a sight worth seeing!

Of interest, FastJet Adventure Flights 'other' Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatross VH-NLD which has also made regular visits to the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour continues to be stored at Bundaberg Airport awaiting its next flight - possibly operating joyflights in the Bundy area - or in another location - possibly Toowoomba.

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Meanwhile, also on Friday 25 September, Graham captured a couple of nice photos of the locally-based Careflight Bell 412EP VH-XCI as returned to Roma Airport from a local flight.

Finally, on Wednesday 23 September, Graham captured a couple of great photos of an unidentified Nanchang CJ-6 as it called into Roma Airport for fuel.

I am none-the-wiser to its identity - any takers?

Sincere thanks to Graham for taking the time to capture and send through these awesome photos!

Photos taken by Graham McKnight and Micah S  ©

Whitsunday-based Nanchang CJ-6 VH-WOA Also Calls into Rockhampton Airport Wednesday

Calling into Rockhampton Airport for a short time on Wednesday 6 May was the beautifully presented Warbirds over Whitsundays Nanchang CJ-6 warbird VH-WOA.

It called in from its base at the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour / Airlie Beach and after taking in fuel, it departed to Archerfield.

Thank to Rockhampton Aero Club (RAC) Board member and Newsletter Editor Paul T for capturing and allowing us to share these great photos of yet another great visitor to Rocky Airport this week!

All photos taken by Paul Tyler  ©

A Few Plane Spotting Photos from the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour / Airlie Beach

During my week in the Whitsundays, I also called into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour / Airlie Beach.  While only being the home of light General Aviation (GA) aircraft and helicopters, I feel they still make for some interesting reporting.  

There are two major operators at the Airport - GSL Aviation and Air Whitsunday Seaplanes.  Both operate transfer flights to the nearby Whitsunday islands, as well as several sight-seeing and other tourist flights over the beautiful Whitsundays.  

I ventured to the Whitsunday Airport about lunch time on Thursday 3 July, just after a heavy rain-shower had passed through, and captured several aircraft belonging to one of these operators - GSL Aviation.

Cessna 206 VH-HTO looks magnificent in its recently applied GSL Aviation livery.

Nearby was a pair of GSL's Airvans - its older GA-8 VH-URB - and its recently acquired GA8-TC 320 VH-EKS.

During the afternoon of Thursday 3 July, I popped back to the Whitsunday Airport - making sure I grabbed a coffee at the resident 'Beaver Bar' Cafe - and it was a great coffee too!  As the afternoon wore on, three of Air Whitsunday's fleet of seaplanes landed at the Airport after completing their various sight seeing and tourist operations for the day.

Cessna 208 Caravans VH-PGB arrived and was quickly joined by fellow Caravan VH-PGT

A little later, the unmistakable sound of a Pratt & Whitney radial engine echoed over the Airport and soon after, Air Whitsunday's De Havilland DHC-2 Mk1 Beaver Float Plane VH-AWI landed after completing a scenic flight. 

It joined the two caravans on the parking apron, making for a beautiful sight in the late afternoon sun!

A new operator at the Whitsunday Airport is the recently launched North Queensland Heli Taxi.  Their Robinson R66 VH-VRN was spotted resting in between the lunch-time rain showers.

North Queensland Heli Taxi provides helicopter taxi, tour, and air work services based in the Proserpine and Airlie Beach area.  This includes transit 'Heli Taxi' flights on request from travellers, from the Whitsunday Airport to and from:  Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport, Bowen, Collinsville, Abbot Point, Montes, and the islands (only exclusions being Hamilton and Hayman Islands).  North Queensland Heli Taxi also provides tours to the Great Barrier Reef to view Heart, Hardy and Hook reefs as well as Whitehaven Beach and other unique destinations around the Whitsunday and Bowen Basin regions.

While I was taking the above photos of VH-VRN, Warbirds over Whitsundays beautiful 1977 Chinese-built Nanchang CJ-6 warbird VH-WOA was towed past.

I spotted the Nanchang in the skies over Airlie Beach on Tuesday 1 July shortly after it arrived from the South.  Local plane spotter Kayanne H photographed VH-WOA as it refuelled at Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday on its journey North to the Whitsunday Airport.

Having one of their bases at the Whitsunday Airport is Heli-Biz - one of the nation's best known helicopter sales and training providers for the last 25 years.  Heli-Biz is Australia's authorised seller and service provider of Robinson helicopters, and as I was enjoying my coffee late on Thursday afternoon, Robinson R44 II VH-DCN was conducting what appeared to be a training flight at the Airport.

In all, it was a really enjoyable week in the Whitsundays - and while I didn't get much plane spotting time, I did thoroughly enjoy the time I did get to spend at Mackay, Proserpine and the Whitsunday Airports.

Whitsunday-based Nanchang CJ-6 VH-WOA Spotted at Rockhampton Airport

This beautiful Nanchang CJ-6 warbird VH-WOA of Warbirds over Whitsundays was spotted near the Rockhampton Aero Club at Rockhampton Airport last Thursday 3 October while it was on a flight from its Whitsunday Airport base at Shute Harbour / Airlie Beach to Archerfield in the South-East corner.

Aero Club Secretary, Paul T captured some great photos of the Nanchang as it stopped in for fuel at Rockhampton.  The old warbird was even fitted out with a modern glass cockpit!

Thanks to Paul for sending through these great photos!  

Incidentally, Paul has also sent through notification that The Rockhampton Aero Club's Chief Flying Instructor (Lesley Crowther-Scott) will be running a Private Pilots Licence (PPL) Theory Course over

two weekends in November.  The Registration fee is $800, however the CASA PPL Exam Fee is not included.  For more information or to register, please contact the Club's office on (07) 4922 4596.

Photos taken by Paul Tyler  ©