Gulfstream IV VH-MBP "Envoy 40" Joins RAAF B737BBJ A36-002 and Alliance F-70 VH-JFB at Rockhampton Airport Thursday

On Thursday 26 May, Marcplan Charter Gulfstream G-IV-X (G450) bizjet VH-MBP touched down at Rockhampton Airport from Canberra as "Envoy 40".

File photo taken by 'IAD'  ©

Like its previous visit last week, VH-MBP seems to be chartered to ferry politicians around Australia during this Federal election campaign. It brought National Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to town to join Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the hustings.

VH-MBP departed Rocky for Mackay Airport around lunchtime.  It then flew South to Brisbane and then the Gold Coast during the middle of the afternoon.

UPDATE!  A slight correction to above with VH-MBP actually staying the night at Mackay Airport and departing direct to the Gold Coast early on Friday 27 May.

Meanwhile, after arriving late on Wednesday 25 May from Melbourne (see photos below that were posted earlier today) Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7DF(BBJ) A36-002 departed to Brisbane on Thursday 26 May as "Envoy 43".

Likewise, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-JFB also departed Rocky for Brisbane carrying the media pack as "Envoy 544".

One other RAAF movement of note into Rockhampton Airport on Thursday 26 May was Beech B350 Super King Air A32-426 which flew into Rocky from Canberra as "Boomer 21".

This is yet another RAAF Super King Air that has been noted using the "Boomer" callsign.  A32-426 eventually returned to Canberra.

Finally, a couple of other notable movements in and out of Rockhampton Airport on Thursday 26 May included the American-registered LearJet 36A bizjet N82GG which came back to town and operated a aerial survey flight out of and back to Rocky.  While Hopair Cessna 337E Skymaster VH-OIQ arrived into Rocky early from Cairns before operating a flight South where it completed an practice ILS approach and overshoot on Runway 10 at Gladstone Airport before it returned to Rockhampton.  It later departed home to Cairns.