Air Loyauté (Air Loyalty) (New Caledonia) De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter F-OIAY Pops Back into Mackay Airport

A month after ferrying North to Cairns via Mackay Airport, on Thursday 6 July, Air Loyauté (Air Loyalty) (New Caledonia) De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter F-OIAY returned to the sugar city, touching down once again at Mackay Airport, on its return from Cairns.

The Twin Otter has been in Cairns undergoing planned maintenance and this week completed a series of local flights before it finally started its return flight to its Noumea base.  After taking on fuel at Mackay Airport, it departed to the Gold Coast where it is expected to depart for Lord Howe Island and then Norfolk Island before continuing home.

F-OIAY had arrived into Australia via the Gold Coast on Wednesday 31 May and flew into Cairns via Mackay Airport on Thursday 1 June.

Of interest, Air Loyauté (Air Loyalty) is a French domestic airline of the South Pacific, based in New Caledonia, which carries out air transport on request from Noumea's Magenta Airport.

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a great little visitor to CQ!

All photos taken by 'AC'  ©