A Few Interesting Light GA Movements - And a Bizjet - At Emerald Airport Over the Last Week

There's been a few interesting light General Aviation (GA) arrivals and departures at Emerald Airport over the last week - although one surprise visitor on Saturday 22 August was in the form of Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 bizjet VH-KXL of Edwards Coaches.

VH-KXL at Emerald Airport (File photo)

The little Citation initially made the short hop from its Armidale base to Inverell before flying North to Emerald.  VH-KXL returned to Inverell in the early evening.

Another interesting arrival into Emerald on Saturday 22 August was an unidentified Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 which touched down from Winton.  "Hinterland 440" seems to be on a tour of some sort that started at Cairns and has also called into Cloncurry amongst other places.  It departed to Ingelara after about an hour on the ground.

At the time of writing, "HND440" looks to be calling back into Emerald on Monday 24 August.

A pair of 'familiar' Mooneys were also noted calling into Emerald on Saturday 22 August with M20J VH-DTC making its weekly visit from Townsville, while M20R VH-OKC called in from Archerfield and Bundaberg.  Both have since departed.

Meanwhile, a couple of interesting visitors to Emerald Airport during the week included Cessna 208 Caravan VH-PTX of the 'Skydive the Beach Group' of Woollongong.  On Thursday 20 August, it called in from Cairns and departed to Coffs Harbour and Woollongong.

VH-PTX at Barwon Heads in Victoria in April  (File photo)

VH-PTX actually passed through Emerald on Monday 17 August while positioning North to operate in Cairns and Tully for part of the week.

Also on Thursday 20 August, West Wing Aviation Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander VH-WQA called in from Archerfield and departed to Cairns presumably after a maintenance lay-up.

File photo taken by Dave  ©

Finally, last Friday 14 August, Australian Helicopters Bell 412EP VH-PXY passed through Emerald from Rockhampton and onto Longreach, Trepell and Mount Isa.  It has since flown onward to Darwin in the Northern Territory.