Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Jetstar Airways Airbus A320-232(WL) VH-X3B (ex 9V-JSK) Makes First Visit to CQ at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport

On Wednesday 17 December, Jetstar Airways Airbus A320-232(WL) VH-X3B was noted making its first visit to Central Queensland at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport as it completed the JST842/3 service from and back to Adelaide.

VH-X3B at Adelaide yesterday.

UPDATE!  VH-X3B was also back at Prosie from and back to Adelaide on Friday 19 December.

Of interest, VH-X3B is one of nine recently delivered Airbus A320 aircraft that have entered service with Jetstar Airways that all previously operated with the collapsed Jetstar Asia. This A320 was previously operated by Jetstar Asia as 9V-JSK.

9V-JSK at Singapore in 2024.

9V-JSK was ferried from Singapore to Alice Springs in mid-September this year. It was then placed on the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-X3B with this registration marking 'taped' over the Singaporean registration marking. VH-X3B was the 'delivered' to Jetstar Australia at Melbourne (Tullamarine) on Thursday 27 November before it then entered service a week later.

Of interest, the collapse of Jetstar Asia has seen nine of their Airbus A320 ‘classic’ aircraft joining (or for three of them re-joining) the Jetstar Australia fleet. They are all currently planned to be placed into storage at Alice Springs where they will be placed on the Australian Aircraft Register. The aircraft include: 9V-JSM (ex VH-XNN) which is to become VH-X3D, 9V-JSN (ex VH-XNI) which is to become VH-X3E, 9V-JSU (ex VH-XNP) which is to become VH-X3L, 9V-JSO which is to become VH-X3F, and 9V-JSX (ex 9V-TAZ with Tigerair and Scoot) which will become VH-X3P, 9V-JSV (ex VH-XNW) which is to become VH-X3N, 9V-JSK which is to become VH-X3B, 9V-JSR which is to become VH-X3J, and 9V-JSQ which is to become VH-X3H.

Photos taken by Ryan Hothersall and Tony Haynes  ©

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Avcair LearJet 60 Bizjet VH-AVL Overnight Visit into Mackay Airport - Plus More!

On Tuesday 16 December, Avcair LearJet 60 bizjet VH-AVL looked to make a pre-dawn visit to Mackay Airport.

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It arrived from Brisbane and Cairns before later returning to Brisbane.

(Possibly a first visit?)

While McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 bizjet VH-PIY "Machflight 06" visited Charleville Airport from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.

And Metro Holdings / Air Link Beech B200 King Air VH-XDW landed at Bundaberg Airport from Archerfield and then departed to Weipa.

Photo taken by Lloyd Fox  ©

Monday, December 15, 2025

The Queensland Police Service (Airwing) / Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Beech B300 King Air 350i VH-8TT Spotted at Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Monday 15 December,  the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) / Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Beech B300 King Air 350i VH-8TT was spotted landing back at Rockhampton Airport.  It had completed yet another aerial survey flight out of and back to Rockhampton Airport.


VH-8TT had originally looked to arrive into Rockhampton Airport late last week and returned on Sunday 14 December via yet more aerial surveying in the area.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 16 December, VH-8TT departed Rockhampton Airport to complete yet more survey work over the Rocky area and then to the South before it then continued to land down at Brisbane.

Meanwhile, also on Monday 15 December, Alliance Airlines (ex JetBlue Airways - USA) Embraer ERJ-190AR VH-A2S (ex N274JB) arrived back into Rockhampton Airport from Wagga Wagga as UTY9826.


As shown, it has been re-painted in full Alliance Airlines livery having flown down there in a basic JetBlue Airways livery in late November.

Finally, also on Monday 15 December, the locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ was back in the air, noted departing its Mackay Airport base for Brisbane.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 24 December, N142GZ returned to Mackay Airport from Brisbane but then turned around and returned to the capital!

UPDATE!  On Sunday 28 December, N142GZ returned to Mackay Airport from Brisbane.

While Auslink Aviation / Aircrew Training and Support Diamond DA-40 VH-END flew up from Archerfield to Cairns via Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville Airports.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 18 December, VH-END, flew back down from Cairns to Archerfield, again via Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton Airports.

Western Downs Civil (Chinchilla) Raytheon B200 King Air VH-85H flew up from Chinchilla Aerodrome to The Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour.

And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-008 as "Wallaby 33" was noted completing airwork around Monto Aerodrome while on a flight out of and back to RAAF Base Amberley.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 16 December, A34-008 but as "Wallaby 34" completed another flight in the region out of and back to Amberley.

All photos taken by Steve Vit  ©

Sunday, December 14, 2025

Stroud Aviation and Transportation / Navair Flight Operations Cessna 510 Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-SHI "Navair 173" Pops into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport

On a quiet Sunday 14 December, Stroud Aviation and Transportation (Boonah) / Navair Flight Operations Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-SHI as "Navair 173" was noted visiting Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.

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It looked to arrive from Archerfield and then later depart to Bankstown.

Photo taken by Trevor Hardsman  ©

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ Bizjet VH-JSZ Calls into CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Saturday 13 December, Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ flew up to Clermont Aerodrome from Toowoomba-Wellcamp and Dalby. It then departed to Natal Downs and then all the way down to Archerfield.

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Of interest, on Friday 12 December, VH-JSZ flew up from Archerfield to Natal Downs then down to Clermont Aerodrome and back to Dalby and Archerfield.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 13 December, very recently re-registered (only this last week) Microflite (Victoria) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-WJA landed at Barcaldine Airport from Melbourne (Moorabbin) and then departed to Horn Island.

And Aero Express Investments (Brisbane) Diamond DA62 VH-8R8 flew up from Archerfield to Gladstone Airport and then The Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 18 December, VH-8R8 departed Shute Harbour and returned to Archerfield.

Thursday, December 11, 2025

A Pair of Queensland Police Service (POLAIR) / Jet Aviation (NSW) Bell Textron 429 Global Ranger Helicopters VH-4QP and VH-5QP Ferry North via CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Thursday 11 December, a Pair of Queensland Police Service (POLAIR) / Jet Aviation (NSW) Bell Textron 429 Global Ranger helicopters VH-4QP and VH-5QP were noted ferrying North to Townsville via a couple of Central Queensland Airports.

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Bell 429 VH-4QP was flying as "Polair 4" and arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Redcliffe and then departed to Townsville.

Later Bell 429 VH-5QP also flew up from Redcliffe but via Gladstone Airport and Mackay Airport to Townsville.

Of interest, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) has recently taken delivery of three Bell 429 Global Ranger helicopters and will now be operating six Bell helicopters, making it Australia's largest Bell law enforcement fleet.

In 2022, contract provider Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) signed for three Bell 429s, operating the QPS POLAIR fleet responsible for patrolling and supporting on-ground policing efforts in southeast Queensland.  They are registered VH-XP7, VH-XP8 and VH-XP9.

The new batch of Bell 429s is part of a POLAIR service provision contract between QPS and Townsville-based Meridian Helicopters to provide a similar airborne law enforcement capability in north Queensland for the next 10 years.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 11 December, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) / Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Beech B300 King Air 350i VH-8TT, which had flown from Brisbane to complete a few hours of survey over the Rocky area, eventually landed at Rockhampton Airport.

UPDATE!  Across the next few days, VH-8TT completed several hours of aerial survey flights, each time taking off and then landing back at Rockhampton Airport.

Finally, also on Thursday 11 December, Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY  flew up from the Gold Coast to The Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour. It then flew down to Roma Airport and Melbourne (Essendon) and Melbourne (Moorabbin).

And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-009 as "Wallaby 24" completed airwork at Bundaberg Airport while on a flight out of and back to RAAF Base Amberley.

Photo taken by Wayne Bass  ©

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Re-Registered SHM Aviation Textron Aviation (Cessna) 525B CitationJet CJ3 Bizjet VH-TCS Calls into Bundaberg Airport - Plus More!

On Wednesday 10 December, re-registered SHM Aviation (Gold Coast) Textron Aviation (Cessna) 525B CitationJet CJ3 Bizjet VH-TCS was noted visiting Bundaberg Airport from Archerfield.

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VH-TCS was re-registered to SHM Aviation of Robina on the Gold Coast in late October after previously being operated out of Canberra.

UPDATE!  VH-TCS returned to Bundy on Friday 12 December again visiting from Archerfield.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday 10 December, Townsville Airlines (Flightech Air Logistics) Cessna 402C Utiliner/Businessliner VH-UCM visited Hamilton Island Airport from Cairns on the scheduled EA1/2 flight service for East Air.

UPDATE!  VH-UCM operated the same flight into Hamo also on Friday 12 December.

While former QantasLink Dash-8-Q300 VH-SBT ferried up to Alice Springs from Tamworth via Charleville Airport.

And CHC Helicopters Australia / Lloyd Helicopters Agusta AW139 helicopter VH-RQY as "Choppa 41" flew down from Townsville to Mackay and Gladstone Airports before continuing to RAAF Base Amberley.

Finally, on a quiet Tuesday 9 December, Air Gold Coast Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 bizjet VH-ZDM landed at Biloela / Thangool Airport from the Gold Coast and Newcastle (Williamtown) before it then departed back to the Gold Coast.

Jetstar Airways Airbus Airbus A321-251NX (A321neo) VH-OFV First Visit into Central Queensland at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport

On Wednesday 10 December, it is believed that Jetstar Airways Airbus A321-251NX (A321neo) VH-OFV made its first visit into Central Queensland at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport. It operated as JST840/1 from and back to Sydney.


VH-OFV was delivered into Melbourne (Tullamarine) from Toulouse in May 2023 and entered service later in that month.

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Monday, December 8, 2025

Elite Aero P/L Cessna 510 Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-ACH "Navair 151" Pops into Rolleston Aerodrome - Plus More!

On Monday 8 December, Elite Aero P/L Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-ACH as "Navair 151" was noted arriving into Rolleston Aerodrome from Bankstown.

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It later returned there, flying via Roma Airport.

VH-ACH also visited the region last week - see Blog post below!

Meanwhile, also on Monday 8 December, Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ was back at my local Clermont Aerodrome again, flying up yet again from Archerfield and Dalby. It then continued up to Natal Downs before returning back down to Dalby and Archerfield.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 9 December, VH-JSZ flew up from Archerfield and Dalby to the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour. It later returned back down to Dalby and Archerfield.

And Townsville Airlines Cessna 208B Grand Caravan VH-OUS looked to operate the EA1/2 flight into Hamilton Island Airport from and back to Cairns.

Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules A97-447 "Trojan 02" Completes Airwork at Hamilton Island Airport

On Sunday 7 December, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules transport aircraft A97-447 as "Trojan 02" was noted completing airwork at Hamilton Island Airport.

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It flew down from Townsville and then continued all the way down to RAAF Base Richmond.

The Herc had originally flown up to Townsville from Richmond at the start of last week and has completed daily flights to places including Cloncurry Airport.