A Few Plane Spotting Photos from Gladstone Airport

Regular followers of the CQ Plane Spotting Blog will know and appreciate the hard work of probably Central Queensland's finest aviation photographer,  Jamie C.  Well it seems that excellent aviation photography skills run right through Jamie C's household, with his wife, Tash C sending through some of her images from his week at Gladstone Airport - and I'm sure you'll notice - they are pretty spectacular too!

The vast majority of Tash C's photos were captured at Gladstone Airport on Wednesday 8 May.

Cessna 414A VH-JYY is a familiar sight around Central Queensland, and is pictured departing Gladstone for Rockhampton.  It had earlier arrived from the Sunshine Coast.

Aerospatiale AS.350BA Squirrel VH-XLM of V2 (V Squared) Helicopters, which is a helicopter service provider operating out of Brisbane, popped in to and out of Gladstone.

While VH-XLM was on the ground, fellow helicopter - and local resident - Careflight Bell 412EP VH-XCY departed Gladstone Airport.

 

Another medical provider to visit Gladstone Airport is the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).  On Wednesday 8 May - as a rain shower passed over - Raytheon B200 King Air VH-FDW arrived from and then later departed back to Brisbane as "FlyDoc 447".

  

As the RFDS aircraft VH-FDW arrived in the rain shower, Tash C also captured locally-based Nixon Communications Cessna 182 VH-STA as it departed Gladstone for Chinchilla.

As can be seen in the photos above, Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-300 VH-QQN was visiting Gladstone Airport on Wednesday 8 May.  It arrived from Brisbane earlier in the day as SKP1840 and is photographed departing back to the capital as SKP1841.  Presumably this was a charter flight.

As the afternoon wore on, Tash later captured some superb (and my personal favourite) photos of Virgin Australia Regional Airlines ATR 72-500 VH-FVH as it made its final approach and then touch down at Gladstone Airport as VOZ1713.

VH-FVH later departed back to Brisbane in the late afternoon sun as VOZ1718.

In the photo above can be seen the unmistakably striking colour scheme of Theodore-based Stirling Consolidated Bell 206B (II) VH-JAQ.  The Jetranger had earlier made a spectacular arrival - complete with all its door removed - suggesting that it had been on an 'inspection' flight of some sort.

After having its doors put back on, VH-JAQ departed Gladstone for parts unknown.

Jabiru J-230 24-7384 was also spotted - and eagle-eyed readers will note that this aircraft was spotted above wearing 'TAA' titles on its port side.

And finally, Tash C rounded off Wednesday 8 May with some fantastic images of QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXR as it departed Gladstone for Brisbane as QJE1713.

Sincere thanks to Tash C for sending through her fantastic images from Wednesday!

All photos taken by Tash C  ©