A Royal Visit to Longreach Airport Brings Bizjets and Other Aircraft Galore!

With the arrival of Prince Charles and Camilla into Longreach on Monday 5 November, the normally sleepy Longreach Airport has been a hive of activity, and even into Tuesday 6 November.  Brisbane Times newspaper reporter Bridie Jabour provided a great coverage via her Live Blog.

Prince Charles and Camilla arrived into Longreach from Papua New Guinea on board a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-700 BBJ.

Earlier, another RAAF aircraft in the form of a Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 touched down carrying media and other support staff.  It's believed that another RAAF Challenger 604 also touched down at Longreach carrying dignitaries from the South.

The Royal Couple were in Longreach to name and commission a new Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) aircraft as well as inspect the Qantas Founders Outback Museum (QFOM).

The RFDS aircraft in question is believed to be a New South Wales-based Hawker Beechcraft B200 VH-MVX which was noted arriving into Longreach earlier on Monday 5 November.  Sister-ship VH-MVY was also noted arriving into Longreach.

After a demonstration of the RFDS medi-vac procedures, and the naming and commissioning ceremony, both RFDS King Airs departed Longreach for Charleville, and later their Dubbo base.

There were a number of other bizjets and corporate aircraft that were noted at Longreach Airport on Monday 5 November as well.

Queensland Government Raytheon Hawker 850XP VH-SGY and Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SGQ were present.  They later departed to the South.

The Queensland Police Service (Airwing) Cessna 208 VH-PSQ and Raytheon B1900D VH-PSK arrived and remained overnight, due to depart on Tuesday 6 November.

Flight Options (Aeromil Pacific) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra VH-SJP was also noted arriving, as was Kefford Corporation (of Victoria) Gulfstream IV-SP N810LP (file photo below). Both bizjets were due to depart on Tuesday 6 November.

Edwards Coaches Cessna 525A Citation CJ2 VH-RJB was noted arriving and departing.

There were also a couple of Pilatus PC-12 turbo-prop aircraft noted with Argyle Charter PC-12/47 VH-WPH and PC-12-47E VH-VTF popping in, with both due to depart on Tuesday 6 November.

I'm sure that there were several other light aircraft that visited Longreach for such a special occassion as well, however information to hand about these is limited.