Thursday, February 28, 2019

Australian Army (RAN Marked) NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopter A40-016 Pops into Rockhampton Airport

Late on Thursday 28 February, Australian Army (but Royal Australian Navy [RAN] marked) NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopter A40-016 was spotted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from the Oakey Army Aviation Centre as "Destrier 112".



















After taking on fuel, A40-016 "Destrier 112" departed to Townsville.

Sincere thanks to local photographer Russell P for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Russell Prothero  ©

Pacific Air Express Australia Boeing B757-200F Freighter VH-PQA Back at Rockhampton Airport Yet Again!

More déjà vu!

Now seemingly making regular weekly visits into CQ, on Thursday 28 February, the Pacific Air Express Australia Boeing B757-225(PCF) Freighter VH-PQA was noted visiting Rockhampton Airport on what appeared to be yet another training flight.

File photo

VH-PQA arrived into Rocky from Brisbane as 'PCF38' / "Pacific 38" and parked on Gate 6 on the Southern end of the Rockhampton Airport parking apron.  It then returned to Brisbane as 'PCF39' / "Pacific 39".

Nice!

Photo taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Homada Pty Ltd Cessna 560XL Citation XLS Bizjet VH-XCU Back at Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 28 February, Homada Pty Ltd Cessna 560XL Citation XLS bizjet VH-XCU was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport from Melbourne (Moorabbin) via Melbourne (Essendon).

VH-XCU at Cairns Airport  (File photo)

As with its previous visits - as recent as last month - VH-XCU remains parked Hamo.

Meanwhile, down at Bundaberg Airport, LifeFlight (Aeromed) Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-URR was noted making a late evening visit from Brisbane also on Thursday 28 February on what looked to be a training flight.  It then departed to Gladstone Airport before returning to Brisbane.

Of yesterday's corporate arrivals into Bundaberg Airport, on Thursday 28 February, Isle of Man-registered but Australian-based Piaggio P-180 Avanti II M-ETAL departed to Brisbane and Sydney, while fellow Isle Of Man-registered Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet M-GGBL did not depart to Brisbane as was scheduled late yesterday.

Photo taken by the FNQ Skies Blog  ©

American Registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 Bizjet N60XC - Plus Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra Bizjet VH-MMC - Both Back at Emerald Airport

During a quick visit to Emerald Airport on Thursday 28 February, I was surprised to see and photograph American registered Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 N60XC sitting on the main parking apron.  It appeared to arrive from Brisbane late on Wednesday 27 February.



N60XC is a regular visitor to CQ and last called into Emerald Airport at the start of February.  Moreover, it appears that N60XC has remained in Australia throughout the month, operating from both Brisbane and Sydney Airports.

At the time of writing, and after spending the day parked, it appears that N60XC is spending at least another night on the ground at Emerald Airport.

UPDATE!  N60XC departed Emerald Airport and returned to Brisbane on Friday 1 March.

Meanwhile, also photographed parked at Emerald Airport, also on Thursday 28 February, was Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-MMC.


It flew across from Biloela / Thangool Airport earlier in the morning after arriving there early on Wednesday 27 February - see Blog post below.

At the time of writing, it appears that VH-MMC is also staying for at least the night.

UPDATE!  On Friday 1 March, VH-MMC departed Emerald Airport and returned to Biloela / Thangool Airport before then later returning to the Sunshine Coast.

Finally, a couple of aircraft noted ferrying through Emerald Airport also on Thursday 28 February were Colville Aviation Services (Torres Strait Air) Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander VH-WQA which was noted ferrying to Archerfield from Cairns. While Heli-Aust Whitsundays' Airbus Helicopters EC135 T3 VH-XUU was noted departing Emerald Airport for Gladstone Airport on what looked to be the conclusion of a ferry flight from Port Hedland in Western Australia.

As we reported below, fellow Heli-Aust Whitsundays' Airbus Helicopters EC135 P3 VH-XUW ferried over to Port Hedland from Mackay Airport over the last couple of weeks.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) B737 / E-7A Wedgetail A30-004 Missed Approach at Hamilton Island Airport

On Thursday 28 February, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-004 was spotted completing a missed approach at Hamilton Island Airport.


It appears that the Wedgetail flew up from RAAF Base Williamtown and then returned down that way with it last heard to be heading to the Sunshine Coast for more airwork.  A30-004 was heard using the radio callsign of "Mitchell 14".

Aviair (NT) Cessna 208B Caravan VH-NCK Calls into Longreach Airport

Very late on Wednesday 27 February, Aviair Cessna 208B Caravan VH-NCK was noted passing through Longreach Airport while on a ferry flight home to Western Australia following planned maintenance at Redcliffe.

https://www.facebook.com/flindersaviation/

It appears that VH-NCK arrived into Longreach Airport from the Gold Coast and after taking on fuel, departed to Mount Isa.

At the time of writing, it is due to continue to its Kununurra base in Western Australia late on Thursday 28 February.

VH-NCK is one of three Aviair aircraft that have been or currently undergoing planned maintenance at the Flinders Aviation facility at Redcliffe.  It had arrived into Redcliffe, also ferrying via Longreach Airport, in November 2018.

The other two Aviair aircraft currently at Redcliffe are fellow Cessna 208B Caravan VH-NTC and Beech B200 King Air VH-MSM (which was formerly operated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS).

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Greensill Capital (IOM) Ltd Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjet M-GGBL Arrives into Bundaberg Airport

What a beauty!

On Wednesday 27 February, Greensill Capital (Isle Of Man) Ltd Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet M-GGBL was photographed by local plane spotter Samuel F arriving into Bundaberg Airport.  It looked to arrive from Sydney after arriving into Australia from overseas earlier in the week.




The sleek looking bizjet is reportedly staying for the night and most of the day at Bundy with (at the time of writing) departure scheduled for M-GGBL to Brisbane during the middle part of the afternoon on Thursday 28 February.

UPDATE!  It appears that as at late Thursday 28 February, M-GGBL has stayed at Bundaberg Airport.

Meanwhile, also spotted arriving into Bundaberg Airport also on Wednesday 27 February was fellow Isle of Man-registered but Australian-based Piaggio P-180 Avanti II M-ETAL which looked to arrive from its Coffs Harbour base via Brisbane.




It too appears to be staying for at least the night.  M-ETAL was also noted visiting Bundaberg Airport late last week.

UPDATE!  M-ETAL departed to Brisbane before continuing to Sydney on Thursday 28 February.

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

All photos taken by Samuel Felgate  ©

Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra Bizjet VH-MMC Arrives into Biloela / Thangool Airport - Plus More!

It's back in CQ once again!

On Wednesday 27 February, Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-MMC was back in CQ, this time landing at Biloela / Thangool Airport after flying up from its Sunshine Coast base.

VH-MMC taxiing at the Sunshine Coast  (File photo)

At the time of writing, it appears to be staying at Bilo for at least the night.

Meanwhile, also making another visit into CQ but in the wee small hours of Wednesday 27 February, was LifeFlight (Aeromed) Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-URR "Ambulance 604" which was noted visiting Longreach Airport.  It arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane.

A nice corporate turboprop in the form of Edwards Coaches Cessna 441 Conquest II VH-OXY was noted visiting several CQ Airports (amongst other places) also on Wednesday 27 February.  It initally arrived into Mackay AIrport from its Armidale base in New South Wales before departing to the Gold Coast.  VH-OXY then flew into Gladstone Airport before returning once again to the Gold Coast.

Finally, also on Wednesday 27 February, Brisbane-based Beech B200 King Air VH-ISS was noted arriving into Theodore Aerodrome from Archerfield and Brisbane and appears to be staying for the night.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 28 February, VH-ISS returned to Brisbane and Archerfield.

Sincere thanks to the Sunshine Coast Plane Spotting Facebook page for allowing us to share their great photo of VH-MMC!

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-FGB in Special "Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith" livery Back in CQ and Spotted at Rockhampton Airport

After spending the last few months operating in Western Australia, on Tuesday 26 February, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-FGB returned to Central Queensland and was spotted visiting Rockhampton Airport operating on behalf of Virgin Australia as UTY1243/4 from and back to Brisbane.  It had arrived back into Brisbane from Perth only just last week.
















As we have posted previously, the Fokker is adorned in a very attractive livery celebrating the 90th anniversary of the first trans-Pacific crossing completed in 1928 by four aviators including Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith in his Fokker F.VIIb/3m Trimotor named "Southern Cross".

Of interest, a commemorative beer labelled Smithy’s FGB (Fokkin’ Good Beer) has also been launched and will be available on all Alliance Airlines flights.

Sincere thanks to local photographer Russell P for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a great return visitor to CQ!

All photos taken by Russell Prothero  ©

Australian Army NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopter A40-041 Pops Back into Rockhampton Airport

A couple weeks after popping in while heading South, on Tuesday 26 February, Australian Army NH Industries MRH-90 Multi-Role Helicopter A40-041 was again spotted visiting Rockhampton Airport. 













It flew up from the Oakey Army Aviation Centre and was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Saxon 64".

After taking on fuel, A40-041 departed to Townsville again as "Saxon 64".

A40-041 had flown South from Townsville to Oakey via Rockhampton Airport on Wednesday 13 February as "Saxon 61/81" - see Blog post below.

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

All photos taken by Scott Harris  ©