Three Corporate Air / Vee H Aviation SAAB 340Bs Pop into Moranbah Airport - A New FIFO Run?

During the afternoon on Tuesday 26 September, three Corporate Air / Vee H Aviation SAAB 340Bs were noted flying in and out of Moranbah Airport.

File photo

VH-VEP and VH-VEO were first noted flying together from Brisbane while VH-VEM was later noted also flying from the capital.

All three SAAB 340Bs were noted returning to Brisbane.

Is it possible that with Virgin Australia recently withdrawing from Moranbah Airport altogether that Corporate Air as picked up a new Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter run?

UPDATE!  It's interesting to note that new dedicated page has popped up on the Corporate Air website all about FIFO charter flights to Moranbah Airport!  (https://corporate-air.com.au/aircraft-charter/bases/brisbane-air-charter-flights/qld/moranbah-air-charter-flights/)

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 3 October, Corporate Air SAAB 340B VH-VEO flew from Brisbane into Moranbah Airport and back.

Photo taken by Michael Fleetwood  ©

Australian Corporate Jet Centres Raytheon Hawker 800XP Bizjet VH-OFJ Arrives into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More Bizjets Around CQ This Week

On Thursday 28 September, ADD Aviation Services (Australian Corporate Jet Centres) Raytheon Hawker 800XP bizjet VH-OFJ was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport from its Melbourne (Essendon) base.

Robert Myers / http://flightaware.com/

Meanwhile, also noted visiting Hamo on Thursday 28 September was Balmoral Air Dassault Falcon 2000LX bizjet VH-WIO.  It visited once again from its Bankstown base.

And departing Hamilton Island Airport back on Sunday 24 September for Brisbane was Brenzil Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet VH-CRW.  It had arrived from the capital last Friday 15 September.

Also on Thursday 28 September,  LifeFlight (Aeromed) LearJet 45 bizjet VH-VVI looked to complete a training flight into the Fraser Coast.  It arrived into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport from Brisbane before continuing to Bundaberg Airport.  While at Bundy, it was noted the VH-VVI kept its engines running and when it departed back to Brisbane, it was using its registration as its radio callsign. 

At the time of writing, VH-VVI has a flight plan to call into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane on what looks to be a medical evacuation (med-evac) flight using the flight number and callsign of "Ambulance 451".  It will then return to Brisbane in the wee small hours of Friday 29 September.

Finally, a couple of familiar Australian-based bizjets were noted calling into Longreach Airport this week with Kefford Corporation (of Victoria) Gulfstream IV-SP N810LP back once again on Wednesday 28 September - a week after its previous visit!  On this occasion, the sleek Gulfstream arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane.

And on Monday 25 September, Brisbane-based Cessna 525A CitationJet2 bizjet VH-MOR popped into Longreach Airport, arriving from and later departing back to its Archerfield base.

Brand New Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YWA Completes First Revenue Service Calling into Mackay Airport

On Thursday 28 September, Virgin Australia's brand new and recently delivered Boeing B737-800 VH-YWA entered service and its first ever commercial flight for Virgin was to Mackay Airport operating the early morning VOZ605/608 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-YWA on short finals to Brisbane Airport on delivery

VH-YWA was delivered to Virgin Australia on Saturday 16 September and has been noted wearing the name 'Cable Beach'.

Interestingly, this name was once worn by Virgin Australia Airbus A330-200 VH-XFB which operated for the airline from 2011 until 2014.

Of interest, earlier in September, Virgin Australia has also took delivery of another B737-800 registered VH-YFZ.  After entering service in mid-September, it is yet to visit Central Queensland.

Virgin Australia is also due to take delivery of another new B737-800 registered VH-YWD soon.

Finally, also on Thursday 28 September, Virgin Australia also operated Boeing B737-700 VH-VBY and Boeing B737-800s VH-YFW and VH-YID (in Virgin Samoa titles) into Mackay Airport.  While Boeing B737-800 VH-YIG called into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport with its in-flight internet WI-FI 'bump' on the top of its fuselage.  An interesting day of Virgin Australia movements!

Photo taken by Simon Coates  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2017 - Second Wave of Heavy Jet Passenger Charters Wrap up as Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SRO Calls into Rockhampton Airport

The second 'wave' of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2017 looked to wrap up late on Wednesday 27 September with Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SRO calling into into Rockhampton Airport. 

9V-SRO arrived into Rocky directly from Singapore's Changi Airport as SIA8933.  This time however, it touched down empty and only ferried personnel and their bags home to Singapore after their participation in the Exercise.

After loading a full flight of personnel and their bags, 9V-SRO returned to Changi a short while later but as SIA8934.

This movement wraps up the second and largest 'wave' of heavy jet passenger charter flights to Rockhampton Airport in support of Exercise Wallaby 2017.  The third and final 'wave' is expected to touch down in the middle of October at the conclusion of the Exercise. 

An Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft is also expected to return to Rockhampton Airport after this, completing two flights to ferry both the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing CH-47SD Chinook and Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters home to Singapore after their participation also during the Exercise.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Kayanne H for yet again taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2017 - Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SRP Pops into Rockhampton Airport

The second 'wave' of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2017 continued late on Tuesday 26 September with Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SRP calling into into Rockhampton Airport to bring another load of personnel and their bags, as well as return personnel home following their deployment to CQ.

9V-SRP touched down at Rocky directly from Singapore's Changi Airport as SIA8933.

After unloading, the massive jet was forced to wait while some minor crewing issues were sorted.  Eventually after midnight, now on Wednesday 27 September, 9V-SRP was loaded with a full flight of personnel and their bags it returned to Changi but as SIA8934.

At the time of writing, one final Singapore Airlines B777-200 is scheduled to again arrive into Rockhampton Airport late on Wednesday 27 September with 9V-SRO listed on flight tracking websites as the aircraft to complete the flights.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Kayanne H for yet again taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQY Pops into Gladstone Airport with Today Show Cast and Crew

A little bit more positive news to report for Alliance Airlines with Fokker F-70 VH-QQY popping into Gladstone Airport on Monday 25 September operating a closed charter flight from Cairns as UTY3382.  It had earlier positioned into Cairns from Brisbane as UTY3381.

File photo

It appears that the little Fokker jet brought the cast and crew of the Channel 9 breakfast television program 'The Today Show' to town in preparation for their live broadcast from Seventeen Seventy on the morning of Tuesday 26 September.

After the broadcast was complete, VH-QQY was loaded and departed just after lunch on Tuesday 26 September to Griffith in New South Wales as UTY3383 as 'The Today Show' tour continued during this week.

Photo taken by Micah S  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2017 - Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SQK Pops into Rockhampton Airport

The second 'wave' of heavy jet passenger charter flights in support of the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2017 resumed late on Monday 25 September with Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SQK calling into into Rockhampton Airport to bring another load of personnel and their bags, as well as return personnel home following their deployment to CQ.

9V-SQK touched down at Rocky directly from Singapore's Changi Airport as SIA8933.

After unloading and then re-loading, it returned to Changi but as SIA8934.

At the time of writing, another Singapore Airlines B777-200 is scheduled to again arrive into Rockhampton Airport late on Tuesday 26 September with 9V-SRP listed on flight tracking websites as the aircraft to complete the flights.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Kayanne H for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Multiple Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100s and a QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 All Break Down at Rockhampton Airport

Major aircraft serviceability problems affected many passengers trying to fly out of Rockhampton Airport on Monday 25 September with at least two Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 jets (operating for Virgin Australia) and a QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 turboprop all breaking down while on the ground at Rocky.  It made for rather unique scenes with a full parking apron with four F-100s and two Dash-8-Q400s on the ground all at once.

After arriving the previous evening operating the VOZ1251 service from Brisbane to Rockhampton Airport, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-XWS was due to depart on the early morning VOZ1230 service back to Brisbane.  However, it was delayed heavily and eventually departed as VOZ1238 to Brisbane in the early evening - over six hours delayed on the 'usual' departure time of the VOZ1238 service - and almost 12 hours after the 'usual' VOZ1230 departure time.

The early morning Virgin Australia VOZ1231 service from Brisbane to Rocky was operated by Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-FKJ and after it touched down at Rockhampton Airport, the aircraft broke down and never actually departed back to Brisbane at all on Monday 25 September.  Early on Tuesday 26 September, VH-FKJ was noted re-positioning from Rockhampton Airport to Brisbane as UTY991.

With the morning flights from Rockhampton Airport not operating and stuck on the ground, a third Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-UQW was positioned into Rocky from Townsville as UTY990 and it shortly after operated as VOZ1234 to Brisbane over six hours behind the 'scheduled' departure time.  VH-UQW then returned to Rocky from Brisbane as VOZ1235 - almost eight hours behind schedule - before it positioned back to Townsville as UTY991.

It seems the only Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 that operated on a 'normal' schedule into Rockhampton Airport was Fokker F-100 VH-XWO which operated the early afternoon VOZ1243/1246 service from and back to Brisbane.  It then turned around at Brisbane and completed an 'additional' service as VOZ1245/1248 before heading back to Rocky as VOZ1251 with all these flights operating over two hours behind schedule.  VH-XWO then stayed the night at Rockhampton Airport.

Meanwhile, QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-LQG arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Townsville and Mackay as QLK2305 and also broke down.  It was due to depart to Brisbane in the early afternoon but didn't end of departing Rocky until early on Tuesday 25 September when it re-positioned back to Brisbane empty as QLK711.

All photos taken by Daniel Bishop  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2017 - Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SRQ and Royal Brunei Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner V8-DLC Both at Rockhampton Airport Late Saturday

As expected, the second 'wave' of heavy jet charter flights in support of the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2017 continued in spectacular fashion late on Saturday 23 September with a nice pair of wide-body jets touching down in the beef capital, not only bringing in more personnel for the Exercise, but also taking some others home following their deployment.

Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 9V-SRQ kicked off the Saturday night action touching down at Rocky directly from Singapore's Changi Airport as SIA8933.

After it offloaded and the re-loaded a full flight of personnel and bags, 9V-SRQ returned to Changi Airport but as SIA8934.

A little later on Saturday 23 September, Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner V8-DLC returned to Rockhampton Airport, also flying in from Singapore's Changi Airport but as RBA4271.  It too unloaded and then re-loaded a full load of personnel and bags and was refuelled, and it later too departed back to Singapore (in the wee small hours of Sunday 24 September) but as RBA4272.

There is reportedly a 'break' in this second 'wave' of heavy jet charter flights with no flight due to touch down on Sunday 24 September.  Flights will resume on Monday 25 September and continue over the following two evenings.  On each occasion a Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-200 is expected to touch down in the beef capital.

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