RAAF Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A (MRTT) A39-001 Missed Approach at Rockhampton Airport Sunday

It was interesting to note that Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A (MRTT) A39-001 performed a missed approach at Rockhampton on Sunday 31 July.

Flying as "Dragon 27", it looked to fly up from RAAF Base Amberley and then continued North to Cairns where it also completed a missed approach.  A39-001 then looked to land at stay at Townsville.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Kayanne Hardsman for taking the time to capture and send through these photos of a rare weekend visit!

All photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Crash of Ibis GS-700 Magic Ultralight 19-7555 at Raglan on Sunday

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/

As was widely reported on local media, early on Sunday 31 July, Pacific Ibis - Ibis GS-700 Magic ultralight - believed to be 19-7555 - crashed on a private airstrip on a property at Raglan between Gladstone and Rockhampton.  The property is close by to the well-known "The Old Station" where the very successful fly-in and heritage show is held in May each year.

File photo taken by David Geck  ©

The lone pilot on board the Ibis was injured and was transported to Rockhampton Base Hospital by the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service Bell 412EP VH-EPR "Rescue 300".

Of interest, the Ibis GS-700 Magic is a Colombian ultralight and light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by Ibis Aircraft of Cali, introduced in 2003. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.  This particular example, 19-7555 spent some time stored at Maryborough Airport and was recently acquired by the owner who was flying the aircraft on Sunday 31 July.

More can be found on The Morning Bulletin website.

Mechanos Wings and Wheels at the Mackay Aero Club on Sunday 14 August

It's on again - but looking a little bit different this year - the Mechanos Wings and Wheels Mackay will be held at the Mackay Aero Club on the General Aviation (GA) side of Mackay Airport (Casey Avenue) on Sunday 14 August.

Mechanos Wings and Wheels Mackay is a multi-faceted community event combining unique mechanical and technical exhibitions and shows to appeal to all ages.  It has evolved from the foundations of the existing 'Wings & Wheels Mackay' event and has developed in size and offering for 2016, with the inclusion of aerobatic displays, live action, entertainment, kids rides and activities.

Mechanos is excited to invite Paul Bennett Airshows to the event this year and Paul is bringing his extreme aerobatic stunt display show with several of his spectacular aircraft including The Wolf Pitts Pro, YAK 52, T-28 Trojan and the Grumman Avenger.

Mechanos is focused on supporting general aviation in Mackay and each year Wings & Wheels invites plane owners to bring their planes off the runway and .

You can also expect multiple planes and air related activities throughout the day on the front lawn at the Aeroclub which will compliment the comprehensive display of cars, trucks, trains, motorbikes, drones and a selection of food trucks to tantalise every taste bud.

For more information visit:  http://mechanos.com.au/
Check out Mechanos on Facebook:  @mechanosmky
Or email Mechanos at:  event@mechanos.com.au

A Couple of Other Plane Spotting Photos from Mackay Airport - incl More Freighters!

We spent a couple of days at Mackay - for work of course! - and managed to fit in some time at Mackay Airport - including some great early freight movements early on Friday 29 July.

As mentioned below, we were very lucky to capture some great photos of Qantas Freight (operating for StarTrack Express) / Express Freighters Australia Boeing B737-376(BDSF) VH-XML as it operated through Mackay Airport on its week-daily freight run up the North Queensland coast.  VH-XML had only just emerged from the maintenance hangar in Melbourne last weekend where the new StarTrack titles were applied to the aircraft.  VH-XML arrived into Mackay Airport from Brisbane QFA7342 and later departed to Townsville and Cairns.  This new freight run commenced in early July.

Also early on Friday 29 July, we were able to capture some photos of Toll Freight (Toll Aviation) ATR 42-300(F) VH-TOX as it passed through Mackay Airport.  The week-daily TFX6 flight continues to operate from Brisbane to Mackay and Townsville.

And completing the trio of morning freight arrivals into Mackay Airport on Friday 29 July was Pel-Air SAAB 340A Freighter VH-KDB which touched down from Brisbane and Rockhampton as PFY7416/7418.  This service operates on behalf of Qantas Freight. 

A couple of other interesting movements at Mackay Airport was by the locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ which flew to Brisbane and back on Friday 29 July.

Mackay Helicopters Bell 222 VH-TOR was noted operating marine pilot transfer flights from Mackay Airport to the Blossom Banks and back.

Mackay Helicopters has also recently bought-out the other local operator Whitsunday Helicopters and are now operating their three Aerospatiale/Eurocopter AS.350 Squirrel helicopters also on marine pilot transfer flights to Blossom Banks like VH-HBZ pictured below on Saturday 30 July.

Aerospatiale AS.350BA VH-HBZ was recently being operated by Stirling Helicopters out at Theodore.

Finally, commercial aircraft that were captured at Mackay Airport and that have interesting stories to tell included QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-LQL - which is pictured arriving from Rockhampton on Friday 29 July as QLK2306 - and has recently had its Taronga Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo livery removed.

Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPR is pictured on Friday 29 July departing Mackay Airport for Sydney as VOZ1474.  Reports surfaced late last week that the Mackay to Sydney direct service will be ceased  by Virgin from January 2017.

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YFR is also pictured departing Mackay Airport also on Friday 29 July but as VOZ616 to Brisbane.  VH-YFR wears small commemorative titles celebrating that it is the 100th aircraft operated by Virgin Australia / Virgin Blue Airlines.

Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VH-XSJ was captured arriving from Brisbane as JST888 also on Friday 29 July.

Early on Saturday 30 July, QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOI was captured departing to Brisbane as QLK2511.  VH-QOI has had its 'Tamworth Country Music Festival' colour scheme removed - which is probably a good thing given how faded it was starting to look!

Later on Saturday 30 July, we captured some nice photos as Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPN touched down on Mackay Airport's Runway 14 as VOZ613.

VH-ZPN remained parked at Mackay Airport for the night and departed back to Brisbane around dawn on Sunday 31 July as VOZ600.

One final interesting arrival was by Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VH-JQL.  It is pictured arriving at Mackay Airport from Brisbane on Saturday 30 July as JST888.

Of interest, VH-JQL has recently been in the paint-shop having its old and faded original Jetstar livery removed and the newest livery applied.  I think it looks a lot nicer!

I also recently spotted the 'original' Jetstar A320 VH-JQG at Townsville Airport after it too recently received a paint-job into the new Jetstar livery.

A great couple of days in the sugar city!

Photos of Qantas Freight (StarTrack Express) Boeing B737-376(BDSF) VH-XML at Mackay Airport

We were very lucky to capture some great photos early on Friday 29 July of Qantas Freight (operating for StarTrack Express) / Express Freighters Australia Boeing B737-376(BDSF) VH-XML as it operated through Mackay Airport on its week-daily freight run up the North Queensland coast.  VH-XML had only just emerged from the maintenance hangar in Melbourne last weekend where the new StarTrack titles were applied to the aircraft.

VH-XML arrived into Mackay Airport from Brisbane QFA7342 and later departed to Townsville and Cairns.  This new freight run commenced in early July.

Of interest, particularly for the history buffs, VH-XML has had a rich history in Australian skies, originally delivered to Australian Airlines in 1986 as VH-TAU.  It was transferred to the Qantas mainline fleet in 1993 before then transferring across the ditch for operations with Qantas-JetConnect out of New Zealand as ZK-JNF.  It was then converted into a freighter and took its current registration of VH-XML for operations with Express Freighters Australia on behalf of Australian Air Express which then became Qantas Freight in 2013.

Marcplan Charter Gulfstream G-IV-X (G450) Bizjet VH-MBP Pops into Hamilton Island Airport

On Saturday 30 July, Marcplan Charter Gulfstream G-IV-X (G450) bizjet VH-MBP touched down at Hamilton Island Airport from Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport.

File photo taken by 'AC'  ©

It looked to be staying for at least the night.

UPDATE!  On Monday 1 August, VH-MBP returned to Tullamarine from Hamilton Island Airport.

MKAir7X Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjet M-GMKM Calls into Hamilton Island Airport

A real beauty in the form of MKAir7X Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet M-GMKM touched down at Hamilton Island Airport on Friday 29 July.  It arrived from Sydney after flying there from its Mildura base on Thursday 28 July.

After spending most of the day parked at Hamo, M-GMKM departed back to Sydney.

The local plane spotters even captured a quick video as the nice bizjet departed in the early evening darkness.

Of interest, I believe that M-GMKM was on the Australian aircraft register until 2014 as VH-MQK.

Meanwhile, also returning to Hamilton Island this week was Shortstop Jet Charter British Aerospace BAe-125-1000B bizjet VH-LMP.  It arrived on Hamo from its Melbourne (Essendon) base on Tuesday 26 July and departed back to there on Friday 29 July.

Finally, Hawker Beechcraft G58 Baron VH-EZD arrived at Hamilton Island Airport from Monto and Rockhampton on Thursday 28 July and remains parked.

Thanks to the Hamo spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by 'AC'  ©