Bayswater Road / Australian Aerial Mapping (AAM) Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-20 Islander VH-CWG Spotted at Hervey Bay & Maryborough Airports

Over the course of this week, Bayswater Road / Australian Aerial Mapping (AAM) Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-20 Islander VH-CWG was noted conducting some aerial survey work around Hervey Bay and Maryborough.

Local plane spotter Ben M popped into Hervey Bay / Fraser Coast Airport late on Saturday 4 July and captured some lovely atmospheric photos of VH-CWG as it completed several touch-and-go's following an afternoon of aerial survey work.

Then, on Tuesday 7 July, VH-CWG was photographed at Maryborough Airport by David G as locally-based Maryborough Aviation Services completed a 50-hourly service on the Islander.

While it was basically an oil and filter change, it later appeared that VH-CWG then had a maintenance issue which meant it remained parked at Maryborough for most of the week.

One final Islander to grace the skies of Hervey Bay this week was Seair Pacific / Istlecote Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander VH-URJ which looked to be operating transfer flights from the Gold Coast and Fraser Coast to Lady Elliot Island.

Meanwhile, it's worth noting some of the other visitors into the Fraser Coast over the course of the week including several light General Aviation (GA) visitors noted calling into Hervey Bay Airport including locally-based Aero Commute Australia (ACA) Cessna 402A VH-RDZ which operated to Bundaberg and Gayndah before returning home on Friday 10 July.

For the second time in a month, New South Wales-based Rockwell 685 Commander VH-NJT called into Hervey Bay while heading home from another trip to Far North Queensland.  It arrived from the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour on Thursday 9 July and after overnighting, it departed to Taree and Bankstown on Friday 10 July.

The Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SGQ called in during the afternoon on Wednesday 8 July.  Also on Wednesday, Beech F33A Bonanza VH-ZBZ arrived from Archerfield and Toowoomba and parked for the night.  VH-ZBZ departed to Archerfield on Thursday 9 July.  It has been noted wearing the name "Starship Sophie".

Meanwhile, at Maryborough Airport on Thursday 9 July, Istleote/Seair Beech B200 King Air VH-MWQ visited early in the morning, believed to be operating the weekly Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight to Wanella Station near Coppabella.

Photos taken by Ben May and David Geck  ©