Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine Closed due to Heavy Rain and Flooding - UPDATED!!

The Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine, has been closed this week because of extensive flooding caused by torrential rain falling on the Whitsundays.

Proserpine has received in excess of 500mm of rainfall this week, and the resulting flooding in the region has seen the closure of the Bruce Highway south of Proserpine. This has cut access to the Airport. Airlie Beach is also currently isolated because of the flooding.

All scheduled flights to the Whitsunday Coast Airport on both Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 March were suspended.

UPDATE: The Airport has resumed normal operations on Thursday 30 March, and, weather permitting, should stay open for flights into the weekend.

Mackay Airport reaches One Million Passenger Milestone

There was a celebratory vibe at Mackay Airport on Monday 28 March.

It was the first time that Mackay Airport reached the milestone of one million passengers in a rolling calendar year.

The past 12 months have seen significant growth and development at the airport, with record-breaking numbers of passengers passing through in recent months.

A Mackay Airport spokesman credits the airport's airline partners, who have increased services and capacity, which has helped to boost passenger numbers to Mackay. There has also been strong demand from the resources sector.

Tiger Airways Returns and a New Alliance Fokker 100 at Rockhampton Airport

Tiger Airways has resumed services into Rockhampton with Airbus A320 VH-VNO operating the TT5584/5585 from and back to Melbourne (Tullamarine) on Tuesday 29 March. The service will operate three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Also noted recently at Rockhampton Airport is Alliance Airlines Fokker 100 VH-XWT. This is the airlines most recent Fokker aircraft into service, and the aircraft has been operating on behalf of QantasLink, flying between Brisbane and Rockhampton.

Other visiting aircraft noted recently have included Brisbane-based Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-VTF and Tamworth-based SOCATA TBM700 VH-ICA.

It's also been announced that as of late last week, the full length of Rockhampton's main Runway 15/33 has been available to all traffic, after being closed for some time in the wake of the city's devastating floods.

Upcoming Airshows and Events in Central Queensland - Whitsunday Airport Grand Airshow - Shute Harbour

A BIG REMINDER that the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour (near Airlie Beach) is celebrating 50 years with the 2011 Grand Airshow to be held on Sunday 1 May.



There will be air displays by the RAAF Roulettes, MaxxG Aerobatics, Dwyer Aviation, Skydive Airlie Beach and CHC Helicopters. Local radio station, HOT FM will be broadcasting live. There will also be scenic joyflights available, as well as plenty of other entertainment and plenty of food stalls. There is also a huge static display giving you a chance to get up close and personal with aircraft and pilots.

The entry fee is $5 (children 5 and under are FREE) and the action starts at 10am.

PLEASE NOTE! There will be NO PARKING at the Airport - people are encouraged to use the 'Park and Ride' bus service from the PCYC at Jubilee Pocket.

The last airshow at the airport was two years ago to celebrate the official opening of the Whitsunday Aviation Village Estate (WAVE), and judging by these photos below of that event, this years show looks like it will be a great day for all!

Tiger Airways to Resume Flights to Rockhampton Airport

A reminder that Tiger Airways is scheduled to resume services to Rockhampton tomorrow - Tuesday 29 March - after temporarily suspending operations due to the flood crisis at the beginning of the year.

At this stage, only flights from Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Rockhampton and return are being reinstated, with the service operating three days a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

To celebrate a “return to Rocky” Tiger Airways is offering airfares between
Rockhampton and Melbourne (Tullamarine) from just $1. The offer is available to passengers who book online to travel on a round trip between Melbourne (Tullamarine)and Rockhampton as Tiger Airways continues to support the recovery efforts in far north Queensland.

In addition, the airline is also celebrating two other important milestones this week with 100,000 passengers through Rockhampton Airport, and seven million passengers flown around Australia. The 100,000th passenger through Rockhampton Airport will be greeted at Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 29 March before departing on flight TT5585 bound for Melbourne (Tullamarine) at 10am.

US Military Engineers Fly in to Assist with Rockhampton Airport Flood Recovery

Two high-ranking US military engineers flew into Rockhampton Airport recently, and immediately got down to the business of making sure that the city's airport will stay open during the next big flood.

The US Army officers are on a mission to help with re-build and flood-proofing of the airport, and their report could lead to increased American involvement in fixing the problem.

Major General Mick Slater, who leads the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, said yesterday the engineers had the expertise necessary to find a solution, but it would eventually be up to politicians to make it happen.

The engineers are highly trained and experienced, and may come up with new options. They will return to the US to finalise their report and provide advice about what they think is possible. Then it will be up to the politicians here and in the US to discuss how best to get the work done.

Major General Slater said there was now a partnership between the council, the reconstruction authority and the US military engineers to help find a solution to the airport flooding problems. There is the possibility is that the US could make a contribution to some of the work required at the Airport.

Two Lieutenant Colonels – one a construction specialist and the other a hydrology engineer, will spend the next few days in Rockhampton working with the airport's engineers and studying the lay-out of the airport which sits on low-lying land on the Yeppen flood plain.

On arrival from Hawaii they spent an hour with Major General Slater in Brisbane during which he briefed them on the importance of the airport.

He believes that they now understand the role the airport plays, not just for the Rockhampton community, but as a hub for the whole of Central Queensland.

On their arrival in Rockhampton, the engineers met with Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter and airport management and engineers, who explained the specific nature of the flooding, which closed the airport for 23 days in January, and the extensive work already carried out on possible ways to fix the problems.

Meanwhile, Cr Brad Carter met Australian Defence Force top brass in Canberra recently to discuss the future of the Shoalwater Bay military training area, but the council’s own experts refused to brief him so he could prepare for the meeting.

He was told that the information that council officers had on the next war games exercises involving Australian and US defence forces, was secret.

Cr Carter had requested a brief about the forthcoming Talisman Sabre joint exercises, to be held in the military training area north of Byfield, to prepare for his meeting with the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, David Feency. He received advice that council officers were required to comply with confidentiality arrangements with the Australian Defence Force and they were not able to provide him with the information that he requested.

Cr Carter has indicated he favours greater use of the Shoalwater Bay training area and closer links to the military to benefit the regional economy. Also on the agenda at yesterday’s meeting were road issues, military use of Rockhampton Airport and possible new investments.

Alpha Aerodrome is "Ready" for an Upgrade

Interestingly, after yesterday's post on our blog, the CQ News has reported on Wednesday 23 March, that the Mayor of the Barcaldine Regional Council (BRC) believes they are one step closer to gaining the required $12 million to upgrade the Alpha Aerodrome.


With four massive Galilee Basin coal mining projects looming on the horizon, an upgrade of the airport is at the top of the Council's agenda. The BRC Mayor, Councillor Rob Chandler, has been adamant in stating that Alpha’s existing Aerodrome should serve as a single hub to service all fly in, fly out passenger operations for the region.

The mega-mines are set to bring in thousands of new jobs in the area surrounding Alpha, and Cr Chandler believes having one suitable airport servicing all four projects was the best and only option.

The existing runway is currently 1450 metres long, and to make it capable of handling the type of aircraft commonly used in fly in, fly out operations, it will require an 850 metre extension and must be widened from 30 metres to 45 metres.

Alpha Aerodrome to Receive an Upgrade (??)

The township of Alpha, located approximately 400km West of Rockhampton, and 150km West of Emerald in Central Queensland, is expected to be in the middle of one of the biggest coal explorations ever seen in Queensland.

Several multi-billion dollar coal projects are being planned in the Galilee Basin, which is located approximately 50km North of the Alpha township, and 120 km South-West of Clermont.

Some of the exploration companies have already announced that they are planning for a fly-in fly-out workforce.

There are already early indications that these mining companies will invest millions of dollars into either upgrading the current Alpha Aerodrome (the preferred Government option), or even building their own airport, so that larger facilities are available to cater for the expected growth, and proposed direct flights from and to Brisbane.

Hancock Coal Pty Ltd has released information that shows they have already budgeted for a large amount of money in their construction costs to provide airport and camp facilities by way of a 3000-person eco-village, which is not only close to the mine sites, but also supports fly-in fly-out operations by commercial jet aircraft. A picture from Hancock Coal's planning documentation shows the proposed development below.


We await further announcements…

RAAF King Air at Emerald Airport on Thursday

Royal Australian Air Force Beech B350 Super King Air A32-426 is photographed below at Emerald Airport late on Thursday 17 March.


The aircraft arrived on nightfall, took on fuel, and then departed. It is operated by 38 Squadron. I am unsure of its origin and destination.

Also noted at Emerald Airport last Thursday were Fugro Spatial Cessna 206 VH-KPG and Toll Express Metro VH-UZS - which still sports an all white colour scheme (apologies about the baggage trolley too!). The Metro departed on nightfall on the TFX109 run to Thangool and Brisbane.

Rockhampton Airport has Freight Hub Potential

It's a few sentences in a lengthy Federal Government report, but Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Brad Carter has high hopes that those words could trigger a job-spinning future for Rockhampton Airport as a major regional freight hub.

The National Freight Strategy discussion paper, just released by Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, refers to the city’s airport as one of a handful with national importance for freight.

Although the airport currently moves very little freight, Cr Carter says he believes it has tremendous long-term potential to establish Rockhampton as one of the most important freight centres in the nation.

And he’s determined to make the most of the opportunity to cash in on its long runway, potential for 24-hour operation, plenty of space to develop warehousing, and a strategic location at the heart of one of Australia’s most important resources regions.

The mayor has visions of a hub linking air, road and rail, with the airport’s ability to handle the largest heavy-lift transport aircraft, making it a key player in the nation’s long-term plans.

He even discussed this potential with members of the Queensland (Flood) Reconstruction Authority board who visited Rockhampton on Monday 7 March.

Cr Carter would like to see a spur line linking the airport to the existing rail network and believes warehousing could either be developed at the airport itself or in the nearby Gracemere industrial corridor.

During military exercises near Rockhampton, the Airport plays host to the biggest freight transport aircraft in the world (as shown by this recent picture of an Antonov AN-124 at the airport), which proves the Airport’s freight potential.

Virgin Blue Flight Aborts Landing at Mackay Airport

The recent bad weather in Mackay caused a Virgin Blue flight from Brisbane to be turned around on Monday 14 March while on approach to Mackay Airport.

The flight (DJ613) was due to land in Mackay at 5pm. Reports indicate that the pilots attempted to land, however, the low cloud and poor visibility caused by the wet weather in Mackay, forced the landing to be abandoned. It is believed the pilots made another unsuccessful attempt to land, and then made the decision to turn the plane back to Brisbane.

Passengers affected were provided with overnight accommodation in Brisbane, and returned to Mackay on alternative flights on Tuesday morning and evening.

Recent Clermont Aerodrome Helicopter and Other Visitors

On Monday 7 March, a quick drive to Clermont Aerodrome revealled two visiting helicopters being refueled.

Pictured below is Eurocopter EC120B VH-YWY of Whitsunday Air Services (Hamilton Island), which can been seen wearing stickers promoting the Whitsunday Aviation Village Estate (WAVE) at Airlie Beach, as well as the Audi Motorcar Corporation.


Also at the airport was Robinson R-44 VH-UVU, which is registered to a company in Port Douglas in North Queensland.


Meanwhile on Monday 14 March, Advance Aviation (Emerald) Piper PA-31 VH-LWW was noted parked at the airport. It is pictured below tied down for the day, and departed for Mackay in the evening.


Meanwhile a lovely surprise in the form of Seair Pacific (Gold Coast) Cessna 208 Caravan VH-LYT arrived and is pictured below preparing to be refueled by the local Council Airport caretaker.

Alliance Airlines Fokker 100s at CQ Airports Saturday and Sunday!

UPDATED...

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 aircraft VH-XWM and VH-XWN were noted operating what were believed to be charter flights from North Queensland into Mackay and Rockhampton Airports on Saturday 12 March.


VH-XWM (pictured above earlier in the year at Mackay) was noted operating as UTY563, and flew from Townsville to Rockhampton and on to Brisbane.

VH-XWN was noted operating as UTY551, and flew from Cairns to Mackay and then also on to Brisbane.

These flights may be due to the adverse weather that is hitting North Queensland, with much of the highway network between Mackay and Cairns in a complete mess. There are currently numerous road closures in the region due to the continual torential rain they are experiencing in the north.

It was noted however, that these aircraft did not carry any passengers out of Rockhampton and Mackay, and are currently parked on the General Aviation apron at Brisbane Airport.

UPDATE: These two aircraft were noted operating back to Cairns and Townsville via Rockhampton and Mackay Airports on Sunday 13 March.

VH-XWM operated out of Brisbane as UTY564 to Rockhampton and Townsville, while VH-XWN operated out of Brisbane as UTY552 to Mackay and Cairns.

Rockhampton Airport Must Earn More Cash

The final bill for the impact of January’s floods on Rockhampton Airport could top $1.4 million.

Repairs to the runway, fences, perimeter road and other damage were likely to cost $700,000, while up to $700,000 in revenue was lost when it was closed for 24 days.

Only 10,258 passengers used it in January, an 81% reduction compared with the previous January.

Income from parking, airline fees and other commercial fees effectively dried up, leaving a big hole in the council’s budget.

The airport is budgeted to earn $10 million this financial year in total income and contribute $2.6 million to the council’s coffers after expenses and running costs to offset rates.

Mayor Brad Carter used a debate during yesterday’s Business Enterprise Committee to stress the need for the airport to make a bigger contribution to the council’s overall income.

He stated that he believed that the car parking fees are far too cheap at present, and that the Council is losing $100,000 a year by allowing airport users to park in Hunter Street.

Cr Carter is not in favour of selling the airport but would like to establish a clear direction to increase the Airport’s financial returns.

Councillors will soon be asked to decide which business model to adopt for the airport, effectively a choice between further commercialisation and corporatisation in which an independent board of directors would take over day-to-day operation.

Councillors were also asked to consider a leasing deal, similar to the one at Gracemere Saleyards.

Jetstar to Change Flight Times at Whitsunday Coast / Proserpine Airport

The flight times of the Jetstar flights between Proserpine and Brisbane are expected to change in April. The current evening flights will arrive and depart each day in the morning.

From Sunday 3 April, the flights from the Whitsunday Coast / Proserpine Airport will now depart at 11.10am under the new timetable.
The flights from Brisbane to Proserpine will also change, leaving Brisbane at 8.55am and arriving in Proserpine at 10.40am.

A Jetstar spokesperson said customers who had already booked their flights with Jetstar from beyond Sunday 3 April would be given options for alternate arrangements, including changing flight times or a refund.

Jetstar also believes the flight change would benefit travellers.

Tourism Whitsundays said there were pros and cons for the change in flight time, with the earlier arrival times suiting accommodation and boat operators. However, they feel the very early departure from Brisbane may not connect well with flights from southern states.

A Jetstar A320 is pictured below at the Whitsunday Coast / Proserpine Airport after an early evening arrival.

Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport the Worst for Late Arrivals and Departures

The Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport had the lowest percentage of on-time arrivals, and had more planes departing late, than any other airport in Australia in 2010. This is according to the latest figures released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE).

The report showed just 72.2% of Brisbane-bound flights departed Proserpine Airport on-time last year, with the number of on-time arrivals from Brisbane also low at 75.1%.

Of some of the other Airports in the region, the data for Hamilton Island Airport showed that flights to Sydney and Brisbane departed on time 77.7% of the time, and that 80.2% of arrivals were on time.

Travellers using Mackay Airport fared much better – 82.8% of its flights to Brisbane were on time and 80.9% of flights from Brisbane were punctual. Also at Mackay Airport, Jetstar had the lowest percentage of on-time Brisbane-bound flights at 77.6% while QantasLink had the lowest percentage of on-time arrivals from Brisbane at 75%.



The BITRE report also revealed Tiger Airways was the worst domestic airline in terms of punctuality. However, no statistics were available for on-time departures and arrivals for the airline's Mackay-Melbourne service, as the report only included data for the Brisbane-Mackay route. Tiger flights were only punctual 72% of the time, but a Tiger Airways spokesperson claimed most Tiger delays were relatively short.

The only thing more frustrating than a flight delay is a cancellation – and Virgin Blue customers suffered the most of them in 2010. The airline had the highest cancellation rate of any airline at 1.5%, canning 2173 flights. Qantas had 1156 cancellations; Jetstar had 605, while Tiger Airways recorded 195.

Costs for All Rockhampton Airport Repairs Unlikely to be Met

The chairman of the Queensland Flood Reconstruction Authority, Major General Mick Slater visited Rockhampton Monday 7 March, and spent hours listening to a detailed submission from Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Brad Carter on the damage suffered by the Rockhampton region during the summer floods, and how to avoid a repeat. But if Cr Carter had been looking for a hint that he would get all he was asking for, he was disappointed.

While Major General Slater was confident the Queensland Reconstruction Authority would be able to deliver what Queensland needs, he indicated that the wish lists of wants, would be a different matter. “We will not have the capacity to deliver everything on wish lists”, he said.

Major General Slater said it was important that the whole board of the reconstruction authority had been able to visit Rockhampton yesterday, to develop a clear awareness of the region's needs and priorities.

The board and senior council representatives, together with members of Capricorn Tourism and Business Development, met in the boardroom at Rockhampton Airport. Afterwards, a bus tour of the airport compound allowed the visitors to see how much damage was caused when floodwaters spilled over the runway during January.

Currently, the airport's second runway (04/22) is still unusable, and one kilometre of the main runway (15/33) is out of service. About two kilometres of security fencing around the airport perimeter was flattened.

Plans for protective levee banks and the need to relocate the fuel store, were also explained to the board.

About $600,000 has been spent so far on essential repairs.

The council is hoping the reconstruction authority will agree to pay about $1.4 million for lost revenue and repairs at the airport and sanction the work necessary to protect it from future flooding.

The final amount the authority will have at its disposal has not yet been fixed. It will handle submissions from 68 local councils affected by the summer’s natural disasters and will also consider submissions from some industry bodies.

Cr Carter remains hopeful that those costs to pay for the lost revenue or repairs at the airport would not have to be borne by ratepayers.

Special Coloured Virgin Blue Aircraft Visit CQ Airports

Virgin Blue / Pacific Blue are in the process of re-branding and are subsequently re-painting some of the (Australian registered) aircraft operated by Pacific Blue. These aircraft have also been known to operate on the Virgin Blue mainline services between Australian destinations.

Over the last week, Boeing B737-800s VH-VUF and VH-VUN, which now wear "Airlines of Virgin Blue" titles (as shown below in this picture of VH-VUM by Lloyd Fox at Brisbane), have been noted at Mackay and Proserpine Airports.


Also on Monday 7 March and Tuesday 8 March, Virgin Blue's latest Embraer E-190 jet, VH-ZPQ has visited Mackay and Rockhampton Airports from Sydney. This aircraft is brand new and has been repainted in a special livery promoting Virgin Blue's association with the AFL. The livery is similar to that worn by Boeing B737-800 VH-VUY, which is pictured below at Brisbane (photo courtesy of Lloyd Fox).

Virgin Blue Jet aborts landing at Rockhampton Airport due to Bad Weather

Wild weather has caused a recent Virgin Blue flight from Brisbane to Rockhampton to abandon its landing.

On Saturday 5 March, the pilot pulled out of the descent during a violent storm and headed back to Brisbane, leaving scores of passengers stranded at Rockhampton Airport.

The plane was reportedly battered by gale force winds as it started its approach. The pilot reportedly told his passengers it was too risky to attempt to land because of poor visibility.

The flight, which had been due to arrive in Rockhampton at 7.40pm, was almost full and the passengers were taken to a Brisbane hotel by bus, and given $50 food vouchers.

They completed their journey to Rockhampton Sunday morning.

QantasLink Capacity Growth for Central Queensland Airports

Monday 7 March – sourced from Qantas.com.au

QantasLink has today announced that it will add approximately 5,000 seats across a range of Queensland regional routes, with the arrival of another new Dash-8-Q400 aircraft from 6 April 2011.

Over coming months, the Central Queensland towns of Barcaldine, Blackall, Emerald, Gladstone, Longreach, Mackay, Moranbah, and Rockhampton, as well as Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, and Roma will all benefit from additional and upgraded services to and from Brisbane.

Details of the additional seats and Brisbane return services per week for Central Queensland Airports – from Wednesday 6 April:
* Emerald – an additional 888 seats per week (22% growth) – weekly return services to increase by six to 34 return flights.
* Gladstone – an additional 392 seats per week (6% growth) – weekly return services to increase by two to 46 return flights
* Mackay – an additional 148 seats per week (4% growth) – weekly return services to increase by one to 25 return flights
* Moranbah – an additional 868 seats per week (86% growth) – weekly return services to increase by nine to 20 return flights – including a new early morning flight from Brisbane Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, allowing day return travel
* Rockhampton – an additional 880 seats per week (13% growth) – weekly return services to increase to 47 return flights
* Short term capacity upgrades using Dash-8-Q400 aircraft will be provided for Longreach, Barcaldine and Blackall.

The major expansion of services linking Brisbane and Moranbah is in response to demand from the local coal and resources industries. Further expansion of Moranbah capacity, by upgrading more services to Dash-8-Q400 aircraft, will follow once the local airport upgrade is completed (see the CQPlanespotting blog post HERE).

QantasLink Executive Manager, Mr Narendra Kumar, said the increase in capacity would also support the recovery of many central, western and south east Queensland communities affected by the recent devastating floods.

Many of these additional flights will be operated by the 74-seat Dash-8-Q400 aircraft. The recent arrival of yet another new Dash-8-Q400 will see 12 of these 74-seat aircraft based in Queensland, and with 10 other Dash 8 aircraft dedicated to Queensland flying, QantasLink's Queensland Dash 8 fleet will total 22.

Whitsunday Aviation Village Estate (WAVE) Expansion Continues

The Whitsunday Aviation Village Estate (WAVE) at Shute Harbour continues to expand with its latest masterpiece opening for public inspection recently.


The house (pictured) was built by local building company Airlie Builders and designed by Australian award winning designer Chris Clout. The new house adds to the few residential properties already built at the estate which is Australia's first integrated residential air park.

The newest addition to the estate is also set to attract plenty of attention with a hanger on site to store a plane or helicopter. Along with the hanger, the property features three bedrooms, a custom built swimming pool, a large outdoor entertaining area, double lock-up garage and an open planned living room just to name a few.

Mackay Airport Upgrade Nears Completion

The $3.5 million redevelopment of the Mackay Airport terminal is in the final stages.

The “Delimarche” restaurant and the “Barra Pond” bar will open for business within days, marking a major milestone for the project. Visitors will notice the final stages coming together, ready for completion by the end of March.

It is anticipated that people will be able to check-in and walk straight through the new security section, like they can in most other airports, and into a big open waiting area with plenty of seating.

There will be a total of 700 seats in the departure lounge, as well as an upgraded outdoor observation area which will be licensed and have shade and seating available.

There will also be two big screen televisions in the departure lounge, as well as a big screen television near the bar.

Lastly, three new Jetstar self-check-in facilities have also been added to the airport and will be beneficial in keeping customer traffic moving.

Rockhampton Airport Flood Repair Funding Fight Continues

From the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin

The Mayor of the Rockhampton Regional Council is continuing to fight for Rockhampton’s share of a new $315 million government funding package for local councils, to go towards the flood-damaged Rockhampton Airport.

Cr Brad Carter has been in negotiations with the Local Government Association of Queensland to finalise a submission for $600,000 in airport damage funding.

The new $315 million funding package, announced on Saturday 26 February, is for Queensland’s local councils to repair utilities and infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Yasi and January’s floods.

The federal and Queensland governments are both contributing to the Queensland Local Council Package.

Cr Carter said he had been told the Rockhampton Airport had not been ruled out in the new flood funding, but was still in the process of finalising the submission.

Cr Carter spent Saturday night emailing the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to seek assurances Rockhampton Airport wasn’t forgotten in the funding package.

“There should be absolutely no reason why the Rockhampton Airport shouldn’t receive funding for the damage in excess of $600,000 of pure damage costs” he said.

Monday's Highlights at Emerald Airport

Emerald Airport has been pretty quiet lately... that was until the afternoon of Monday 28 February. Within the space of about an hour the airport played host to an Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 jet and a Kaman Corporation K-1200 K-Max heavy-lift helicopter.

The Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 - VH-FKK - was operating a fly-in fly-out charter from and back to Brisbane. This is one of a series of weekly charter flights Alliance Airlines has operated to Emerald over the last few weeks, with the day of operation varying almost each week.


VH-FKK is pictured departing from Emerald's Runway 06 for Brisbane as "Unity 1021".

A little later in the afternoon, a very rare sight for an Australian airport arrived in the form of a beautifully coloured Kaman Corporation K-1200 K-Max heavy-lift helicopter. The helicopter wears the titles of Skywork Helicopters of Warkworth in New Zealand, and is registered ZK-HEE.

It is pictured arriving at the airport and then parked on the South-Western grass adjacent to the Emerald Airport terminal.





It is unclear about why the helicopter is in Australia - it has been in Australia previously performing heavy powerline lifting duties. A support vehicle arrived at the airport as I was leaving, and given that the Avalon Airshow in on soon, I wouldn't be surprised if it is displayed down there!