A Pair of Australian Army CH-47F Chinook Helicopters A15-307 “Salty 47” & A15-306 “Easy 328” Spotted at Mackay Airport - Plus More!

On Tuesday 7 July, a pair of Australian Army Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters were spotted at Mackay Airport.  They appear to have flown down from Townsville via completing air work individually in the Whitsundays – at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport and Hamilton Island Airport – before continuing down to Mackay Airport.

The two Chinooks from the Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment based at Townsville, where identified as A15-307 which flew as "Salty 47" and A15-306 as "Easy 328".

After some time on the ground, both Chinooks departed for Townsville with A15-307 "Salty 47" again completing air work at Hamilton Island Airport.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 7 July, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-200 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-003 as "Dragon 25" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from RAAF Base Amberley and parked on taxiway Juliet. A bit later it departed to the North and completed a missed approach at Townsville before then returning to Amberley.

Finally, on the civilian side of movements, also on Tuesday 7 July, McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 bizjet VH-PIY as "Machflight 41" flew up from the Sunshine Coast to Hamilton Island Airport before then flying across to Ayers Rock. It later returned to the Sunshine Coast.

Poolhurst Aviation Air Charter Services new Pilatus PC-24 jet VH-VTF flew up from Archerfield to Hamilton Island Airport before then flying down to Adelaide.

Port Macquarie Helicopters / Graham Aviation (Cairns) Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-8DD departed Hamilton Island Airport for the Sunshine Coast. It had arrived on Saturday 4 July from Port Macquarie and Rockhampton Airport.

Mabena P/L (Wagga Air Centre) Pilatus PC-12/47E NGX VH-A8K as "Wagga Air 669" appeared to fly South from a property near Dysart.  It had earlier flown up from Archerfield and also from Wagga Wagga the previous day.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 8 July VH-A8L 'WA669' was again noted flying in the region ultimately arriving into Longreach Airport.  Then on Thursday 9 July, it departed Longreach Airport for Isisford, Wrotham Park and then Cairns.

Photos taken by Graham Kevin Jackson  ©

General Aviation Maintenance (GAM Group) (Team Global Express) Raytheon 1900D VH-YJD Calls into CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Monday 6 July, and possibly entering service in its own right, was General Aviation Maintenance (GAM Group) (Team Global Express) Raytheon 1900D VH-YJD.

It flew up from Brisbane to Rockhampton Airport and then Mackay Airport and Townsville as 'GA845' / "Gamair 845" and was due to return South from Townsville to Brisbane via only Mackay Airport on Monday evening as 'GA847'.

Of interest, VH-YJD has been noted completing several training and test flights between Brisbane and Maryborough Airport in recent weeks with still the occasional run out to Emerald Airport in place of the  Cessna 208 Caravan VH-UJK.

Meanwhile, also on Monday 6 July, Albury-based Cessna 525 CitationJet M2 bizjet VH-JSO visited the region again this time arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Canberra and Brisbane and then later departing to Bundaberg Airport.

Parker Aviation Ventures (Sydney) / Air Link (Dubbo) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom bizjet VH-PNM departed Archerfield for Canberra before then flying up to Hamilton Island Airport and then across to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport.

While Arbormeta P/L (Byron Bay) Gippsaero GA8-TC 320 Airvan VH-AUM flew up from Ballina / Byron Bay Gateway to Emerald Airport before continuing to Mareeba and Cairns.

And Parklea (Air Services) (of Victoria) Leonardo AW109SP helicopter VH-87M was spotted at Longreach Airport after earlier arriving from Winton.

Photos taken by Lloyd Fox and Liam Sellick  ©

Australian Army Airbus Helicopters H135 'Juno' Training Helicopters N52-103 "Warhorse 29" & N52-101 "Jackal 11" Both Call into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport - Plus More!

On Friday 1 May, a pair of Australian Army Airbus Helicopters H135 'Juno' training helicopters were noted visiting Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.  They were identified as N52-103 as "Warhorse 29" and N52-101 as "Jackal 11" and looked to fly up from Enoggera Army Barracks.  

Defence image...

N52-103 "Warhorse 29" later flew to the Oakey Army Aviation Centre while N52-101 "Jackal 11" returned to Enoggerra.

And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-006 as "Mitchel 12" complete airwork also at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport while on a flight out of and back to RAAF Base Williamtown.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 1 May, Gulf Aircraft Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-PYN arrived into Emerald Airport from the North-West before later departing to Brisbane. It had started its day at Melbourne (Essendon).

And it seems that the aircraft used for the skydiving out of Lakeside Airpark was swapped over with Sydney Skydivers Pacific Aerospace PAC 750XL VH-XLC noted operating and then departing to Caloundra while the usual Cessna 208B Supervan 900 Skydiving Aircraft VH-XLF returned to Lakeside Airpark late in the day from Bankstown via Wilton.

Finally, on a quiet Thursday 30 April, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Beech B350 Super King Air A32-651 as "Hudson 01" flew down from Cairns to complete a missed approach at Hamilton Island Airport and then land at Longreach Airport.  It then departed to the South.  The Super King Air had flown across from Alice Springs to Cairns the previous day.

And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-006 as "Dragon 40" was noted completing a missed approach at Rockhampton Airport.  Like all other flights this week, it arrived from RAAF Base Amberley and then departed to Brisbane Airport.

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VG First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Thursday 30 April, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VG was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport. It operated as VOZ613/6 from and back to Brisbane.

VH-8VG was delivered into Brisbane from the USA at the start of  March and entered service soon after arriving. The aircraft was named 'Peregian Beach' and is the 15th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Transwisata Prima Aviation (Indonesia) Gulfstream IV-SP (G-IV) Bizjet PK-TWY at Emerald Airport - Plus More!

A real beaut bizjet that was almost missed but was spotted late on Wednesday 29 April was Transwisata Prima Aviation Gulfstream IV-SP (G-IV) bizjet PK-TWY.  It was spotted below departing to Brisbane.

It appears that PK-TWY brought high-ranking mining officials to town with the sleek Gulfstream looking to have arrived the previous day from Jakarta (Halim) via Darwin.

Meanwhile, a blast from the past with former Bundaberg-based - now Indi Flight of West Bathurst (NSW) - Cessna 414A VH-CBT noted departing Longreach Airport for Kempsey.  It looked to have flown down from Darwin and Mount Isa into Longreach Airport late on Tuesday 28 April.

Finally, late on Wednesday 29 April, there were more Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) training flights into Rockhampton and Bundaberg Airport - as there has been each night this week so far!

RAAF Airbus A330-200 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-002 as "Dragon 65" called into Rockhampton Airport while on a flight out of RAAF Base Amberley and then to Brisbane Airport.

And a pair of RAAF Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-001 as "Kaos 33" and A34-010 as "Wallaby 41" were noted completing airwork at Bundaberg Airport while on flights out of and back to Amberley.

Photos taken by 'AC'  ©

Robindale Group / Air Link Cessna 510 Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-CMK Pops into CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Tuesday 28 April, Robindale Group / Air Link Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-CMK flew up from Orange to the Sunshine Coast before it then continued to Bundaberg Airport and Emerald Airport.

File photo

UPDATE!  On Thursday 30 April, VH-CMK departed Emerald Airport and returned to Bundaberg Airport and then the Sunshine Coast and Orange.

While in the evening, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-200 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-002 as "Dragon 63" was noted completing a missed approach at Rockhampton Airport while on a flight out of RAAF Base Amberley and then to Brisbane Airport.

And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-009 as "Kaos 34" was noted completing airwork at Bundaberg Airport while also on an evening flight out of and back to Amberley.

Photo taken by Ross Huntington  ©

National Jet Express Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-8QB Pops into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport - Plus More!

On Monday 27 April, National Jet Express Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-8QB was spotted visiting Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.

Photo contributed...

It seemed to be a closed charter flight with it arriving from and then departing back to Brisbane as WO454/3.

Also at Hervey Bay Airport, American Registered but Australian based Pilatus PC-12/47E N81DW was noted visiting.  It arrived from the Sunshine Coast and departed to Roma Airport.

Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY arrived into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour from Mackay Airport before departing to Ararat and Melbourne (Essendon).

VH-WMY had arrived into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour last Thursday 23 April after flying up from Melbourne (Moorabbin), Ararat, Tamworth and the Gold Coast before it then hopped down to Mackay Airport for parking.

VH-WMY also appeared to visit Roma and Chinchilla Airports early last week as well.

Finally, late on Monday 27 April, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-200 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-005 as "Dragon 60" was noted visiting Rockhampton Airport.  It arrived from RAAF Base Amberley and then flew to Brisbane Airport.

And a pair of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-005 as "Kaos 04" and A34-001 as "Wallaby 06" were both noted completing airwork at Bundaberg Airport while on flights out of and back to RAAF Base Amberley.

Qantas Airways Boeing B737-800 VH-XZR (ex 9V-MGL) First Visit to CQ at Mackay Airport

On Monday 27 April, Qantas Airways Boeing B737-800 VH-XZR was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland after it was acquired by the airline from Singapore Airlines (SilkAir).

VH-XZR made its first visit to CQ operating into Mackay Airport on the QFA984/5 service from and back to Brisbane.

As mentioned, the B737-800 was previously operated by SilkAir (now merged with Singapore Airlines) as 9V-MGL and was  registered to and delivered to Qantas Airways at Alice Springs in October 2025.  

In early March this year, VH-XZR was ferried across from Alice Springs to Brisbane before it then entered service at the start of April.  As shown, it currently wears an all white livery.

UPDATE!  In late May, VH-XZR was re-painted in Townsville into the standard 'silver roo' Qantas Airways livery.  It was also given the name 'Tathra'.  VH-XZR looked to make its first visit into CQ at Mackay Airport once again as QFA984/5 wearing this new livery on Monday 25 May.

It was announced mid-last year that Qantas was to acquire four additional Boeing B737-800 aircraft from to expand capacity as delivery delays impact its new Airbus A321XLR order. The leased jets were previously operated by Singapore Airlines (SilkAir) and would be planned to enter service by the end of 2025.

They are reported to be 9V-MGK (to become VH-XZQ), 9V-MGL (VH-XZR), 9V-MGM (VH-XZS) and 9V-MGN (VH-XZT).

Each will be painted into the Qantas Airways livery and have 'new' interiors fitted prior to them entering service.

File photo taken by Lloyd Fox  ©

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

On Sunday 26 April, Jetstar Airways Airbus A321-251NX (A321neo) VH-OFU made its first visit into Central Queensland at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport. It operated as JST832/3 from and back to Melbourne (Tullamarine).

VH-OFU was delivered into Melbourne (Tullamarine) from Hamburg (Germany) in early March 2023 and entered service only a few days after arriving in Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Ryan Hothersall  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VB First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport

On Saturday 25 April, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8VB was finally noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport.  It arrived as VOZ613 from to Brisbane.  At the time of writing, it is due to return to Brisbane early on Sunday 26 April as VOZ600.

VH-8VB was delivered into Brisbane from the USA in mid-September last year and entered service soon after arriving.  It seems to have spent the majority of its time operating out of Perth in Western Australia.

The aircraft was named 'Tamar River' and is the 13th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

File photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©