Fugro LADS / Royal Australia Navy (RAN) Hydrography Dash-8-200 VH-LCL Photographed Still Operating out of Bundaberg Airport

Also photographed still at Bundaberg Airport this week by local plane spotter Dan B was the Fugro LADS Corporation / Surveillance Australia / Royal Australian Navy (RAN) LADS Hydrography Institute Dash-8-200 VH-LCL. 

It has been based at Bundaberg Airport completing almost daily aerial survey flights since late April.

VH-LCL was this week noted completing airwork off the coast of Rockhampton before returning to Bundy each time after around 5-6 hour long flights.  It has also operated off the coast of Gladstone and around Heron Island.

The heavily modified Dash-8-200 is usually based at Cairns Airport with Cobham Aviation.

VH-LCL is operated by Surveillance Australia for Fugro LADS Corporation on a multi-year lease to the Royal Australia Navy LADS Hydrography Institute. The 'LADS' (Laser Airborne Depth Sounding) system is an aircraft based hydrographic surveying system that measures the difference between the sea surface and the sea floor as calculated from the aircraft's altitude to generate hydrographic data. After operating overseas since it was delivered in late 1997, VH-LCL commenced operations with the RAN LADS Hydrography Institute in late 2009.

Sincere thanks to Dan from Dan Beck Photography for allowing us to share these great photos!

All photos and video taken by Dan B  ©