Nice Helicopters Ferry Through CQ Airports on Good Friday - UPDATED!

It was a ‘Good Friday’ for plane spotters with at least four nice helicopters being noted passing through Central Queensland Airports on Friday 30 March.

Perhaps the nicest was Aerospatiale 350B3 Ecureuil Squirrel Helicopter PK-FUI which arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns via Townsville.  As the photo below shows, it once wore the stunning colours and titles of Hevilift.

File photo

It appears as though PK-FUI has stayed at Rockhampton Airport, although I am unsure as to whether it still wears this attractive livery.

UPDATE!  PK-FUI looked to depart South from Rockhampton Airport early on Saturday 31 March.  There are reports that it has a revised livery.

FURTHER UPDATE!  With sincere thanks to local plane spotter Leroy, we can share this great photo as PK-FUI passed through Townsville Airport - looking quite nice in the revised Hevilift titles and livery.

Also passing through Rockhampton Airport (again) was McDermott Aviation / Heli-Lift Australia Bell 214B-1 Big Lifter helicopter P2-MSA.

P2-MSA flew through Rockhampton Airport last weekend - as shown above - and it appears that today it was returning south to its Cooroy base on the Sunshine Coast after operating in Far North Queensland after supporting relief efforts following the landfall of Tropical Cyclone Nora.

UPDATE!  P2-MSA in fact overnighted at Rockhampton Airport and departed for Cooroy on Saturday 31 March.

Also heading home to the Sunshine Coast, but on Thursday 29 March, was fellow McDermott Aviation / Heli-Lift Australia Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin 2 helicopter N82MD.  It was noted at Gladstone Airport before continuing to Bundaberg where it looked to stay for the night. On Friday 30 March, it continued to the Sunny Coast.

UPDATE!  On Saturday 31 March, the third and final of McDermott's helicopters that assisted in Far North Queensland was noted to also return 'home' to the Sunshine Coast with Bell Textron Helicopter 214B-1 Big Lifter helicopter VH-SEK noted flying South via Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone Airports.

Also passing through Gladstone Airport but early on Friday 30 March was recently re-registered Aerospatiale AS.350BA Squirrel helicopter VH-EGI.  It was heard to depart to Townsville where it appears to have recently taken up residence with Koolardie Aviation.

Finally, a rare military movement on Good Friday with Australian Army NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopter A40-030 “Rogue 33” passing through Rockhampton Airport.

It looked to fly up from RAAF Base Amberley and completed airwork in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) before landing at Rockhampton Airport for a short time. A40-030 eventually returned to Amberley.

A pretty good day!

Photos taken by The FNQ Skies Blog, Leroy and Scott Harris  ©