Advance Aviation Movements and Others at Emerald Airport on Monday

A busy afternoon at Emerald Airport on Monday 23 April, especially for Advance Aviation where almost its entire fleet flew in from all over Central Queensland.

Piper PA-31s VH-FWJ and VH-XLB both arrived from Dysart and Bundaberg.

VH-XLB is a recent acquisition for the Advance Aviation fleet and as night fell, it departed to Archerfield.  

Also during the afternoon, PA-31s VH-BCQ and VH-LWW both arrived from Dysart and Hervey Bay.

VH-LWW actually carried cargo from Dysart and was noted on the Emerald Airport freight apron along with Advance Aviation's Cessna 210 VH-TQC, which arrived from Barcaldine and Longreach, and Beech 58 Baron VH-FLZ, which arrived from Mackay.

These aircraft met the Toll Aviation Metro III VH-UZP which departed to Thangool as TFX111.  It is interesting the note that VH-UZP is the only Metro in the Toll fleet to be repainted in Toll's new colours.

I think it looks quite nice - especially in the afternoon sun!

During the afternoon, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-FWI arrived as UTY4580 on a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) charter from Brisbane.

It later departed back to Brisbane - empty - as UTY4581.

Later, Barrier Aviation Cessna 402 VH-THX arrived from and departed to Innisfail.  This is now becoming a weekly FIFO flight.

Also, Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340B VH-RXS arrived from Brisbane, also operating a FIFO flight.

Lastly, I noted Virgin Australia (Skywest Airlines-operated) ATR 72-500 VH-FVL preparing to depart on the evening service from Emerald to Brisbane.

One last photo I took shows a rather unique way of 'towing' light aircraft to the fuel bowser!

All up a very enjoyable afternoon and evening of plane spotting!