The Mighty Queensland Maroons Rugby League Team Call into Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport on Alliance F-100 VH-FKA

A fantastic day at Proserpine on Tuesday 30 June with the mighty Queensland Maroons Rugby League Football team calling in for a very popular fan day in the sugar producing town.  The Maroons flew into Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport on board Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-FKA which touched down from Brisbane early on Tuesday as UTY3396.

During the afternoon, VH-FKA returned to Brisbane as UTY3397.

Meanwhile, late on Monday 29 June, Tigerair (Tiger Airways) Australia commenced an additional flight in to Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport from and back to Sydney.

The new afternoon-timed TGW396/399 flight adds to Tigerair's existing three-times-a-week morning flights from and back to Sydney and signals a well received increase in services.

File photo taken by 'AC'  ©

News Corporation Gulfstream G550 Bizjet N897NC Passes Through Hamilton Island Airport Monday

Making its second appearance at Hamilton Island Airport in just over a week was News Corporation Gulfstream Aerospace G-V-SP Gulfstream G550 N897NC which called in briefly on Monday 29 June.

On this occassion, N897NC touched down from Brisbane and continued North to Townsville a short time later.  N897NC was then noted to depart overseas to Honolulu and Los Angeles.

Thanks to the guys at the awesome Brisbane Airport Movements Blog ( http://ybbn.blogspot.com.au/ ) for allowing us to share their great photos N897NC captured last week as it arrived into Brisbane from Hamo!

General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) Dornier DO 228-202 VH-VJD at Maryborough Airport

For the second straight week a General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) Dornier DO 228-202 has been noted calling into Maryborough Airport with VH-VJD visiting from Brisbane on Monday 29 June.

File photo taken by Jamie C  ©

Times suggest that VH-VJD was only on the ground briefly so it may have been conducting training like several other previous visits by GAM Dorniers into Maryborough.

Meanwhile, much earlier on Monday 29 June, Seair Cessna 208 Caravan VH-LMZ was noted departing Maryborough on a Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter from Wanella Station near Coppabella.  Also on Monday, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) Raytheon B1900D VH-PSK called in from Rockhampton before departing to Brisbane during a busy day of flying.

Finally, Avcair (Sutherland Aviation) Beech B300LW Super King Air VH-WCN was noted visiting Maryborough last Friday 26 June.

Also at Rockhampton Airport - CQ Capras on Alliance F-70 VH-QQX - Super King Air N841KA - Careflight LearJet VH-VVI

The Central Queensland Capras Rugby League team ventured to Papua New Guinea (PNG) from Rockhampton Airport to take on the local PNG Hunters on Saturday 27 June on board Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQX.

After initially touching down from Brisbane as UTY3380, VH-QQX departed to Cairns and then Tokua in PNG as UTY3382.

After a heavy loss, the Capras returned to Rockhampton from Tokua via Cairns late on Sunday 28 June as UTY3383.  VH-QQX then returned to Brisbane as UTY3385.

Meanwhile, Careflight Queensland (Aeromed) LearJet 45 VH-VVI called into Rockhampton Airport late on Saturday 27 June on what was presumed to be a med-evac flight from Brisbane.  After a short while, VH-VVI returned to Brisbane.

Finally, on Sunday 28 June, Hawker Beechcraft 350i Super King Air N841KA called into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane.

After around 30 minutes on the ground, N841KA returned to Brisbane.

Thanks to local plane spotter Kayanne H for sending through these great photos!

All photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7DT(BBJ) A36-001 Missed Approach at Rockhampton Airport Monday

A pretty quiet day at Rockhampton Airport on Monday 29 June was highlighted (perhaps) by a missed approach by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7DT(BBJ) A36-001 during the afternoon.

A36-001 was flying as "Envoy 92" and looked to be on a training flight from Townsville which eventually landed at Canberra.

Meanwhile, at Rockhampton Airport, the resident Australian Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) helicopters continue to fly sorties to and from the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA).

At one point on Monday, local spotters noted a flight of two Army Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters returning to Rockhampton Airport, while the two RNZAF NH90 helicopters are flying together on sorties as "Warrior Black" and "Warrior White".

Photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman and Ash Burggraaff  ©

Aerorescue (AMSA) Dornier 328-100 VH-PPJ and Cap Rescue Bell 412 VH-EPR Around Gladstone Airport Sunday Night

Only a couple of nights after a similar incident, an Aerorescue (AMSA) Dornier 328 and the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) Bell 412 chopper were both again tasked to perform a delicate winching exercise, this time to retrieve an injured sailor from a ship East of Gladstone late on Sunday 28 June.

Aerorescue (AMSA - Australian Maritime Safety Authority) / Aero Pearl Dornier 328-100 VH-PPJ "Rescue 471" flew up to the region from Brisbane to co-ordinate the mission.  As the flight-track below shows, VH-PPJ eventually returned to Brisbane.

Meanwhile, the Rockhampton-based Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) (Australian Helicopters) Bell 412EP VH-EPR "Rescue 300" initially called into Gladstone Airport before heading off-shore to perform the difficult winching of the sailor.

"Rescue 300" completed the patient back at Rockhampton Airport.

Of interest, VH-EPR also ventured to Gladstone Airport on Thursday 25 June and local plane spotters Jamie and Tash were on hand to capture the awesome photos featured in this post.

Thanks guys!

Photos taken by Jamie and Tash  ©

Some Photos of RAAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-209 - Plus Australian Army MRH-90 A40-019 - At Rockhampton Airport on Sunday

Local plane spotter 'IAD' ventured to Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 28 June and captured some more great photos of the visiting Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-209.  It had arrived back in Rocky the previous evening from Darwin, again as "Stallion 46".

Unsurprisingly, A41-209 departed back to Darwin, yet again as "Stallion 46".

It is believed that A41-209 returned to RAAF Base Amberley later on Sunday.

Meanwhile, 'IAD' also sent through some great photos of NH Industries MRH-90 helicopter A40-019 as it returned to Rockhampton Airport on Sunday 28 June as "Destria 19".

The MRH-90 wears both marking of the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) although it is believed that its current role is in support of the Army's Exercise Diamond Strike which is currently being staged in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA).

Sincere thanks to 'IAD' for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by 'IAD'  ©

RAAF Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters) Sikorsky S-76A Helicopter VH-LAH Spotted at Gladstone Airport Sunday

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue Sikorsky S-76A helicopter VH-LAH was captured arriving into Gladstone Airport on Sunday 28 June by local plane spotters Jamie and Tash.

VH-LAH is owned by Lloyd Helicopters and operated by CHC Helicopters Australia, and is one of a number of choppers used for RAAF Search and Rescue jobs. It uses the radio callsign of "Chopper 7".

VH-LAH was heading South from Townsville where RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft from Number 6 Squadron have just concluded Exercise Rhino Strike from RAAF Base Townsville and in the surrounding areas.

I believe that VH-LAH may have earlier called into Mackay Airport before landing at Gladstone.

Sincere thanks to Jamie and Tash for taking the time to capture and send through these awesome photos!

Photos taken by Jamie and Tash  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Challenger 604 Bizjet A37-002 Calls into Maryborough Airport

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet A37-002 was noted calling into Maryborough Airport late on Saturday 27 June.

A37-002 at Maryborough recently  (File photo taken by David Geck  ©)

It appears to have arrived from the South and was later noted departed again heading South using the radio callsign of "Wisdom 34".

Qantas Airways Inaugural Hamilton Island Airport Flight from Melbourne Touches Down Saturday - B737-800 VH-XZG

On Saturday 27 June, Qantas Airways services from Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Hamilton Island Airport started with Boeing B737-800 VH-XZG operating the inaugural QFA870/871 flight.

http://instagram.com/hamiltonisland/

The new three-times-a-week services replace the existing Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 flights which have been (essentially) 'shifted' to the Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport.

Of interest, VH-XZG was scheduled to return to Hamo from Melbourne (Tullamarine) again on Sunday 28 June.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-209 at Rockhampton Airport Saturday

Local plane spotter Kayanne H has sent through some more great photos she captured at Rockhampton Airport on Saturday 27 June of the visiting Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-209.  It had arrived into Rocky late on Friday 26 June.

Early on Saturday morning, A41-209 departed Rockhampton for Darwin as "Stallion 46".

Later on Saturday 27 June, A41-209 returned to Rocky from Darwin again as "Stallion 46", with the C-17 looking to again be spending the night parked at the Southern end of the Rockhampton Airport apron.

Sincere thanks to Kayanne for capturing and sending through these great photos!

All photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©