Hevilift Australia ATR 72-500 VH-FVH Calls into Moranbah and Emerald Airports - Plus Many More FIFO Charter Flights This Week!

Spotted making its first 'scheduled' visit to Emerald Airport on a closed Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight on Friday 17 April was Hevilift Australia (Fixed Wing Division) ATR 72-500 VH-FVH.  It arrived from Brisbane and Moranbah Airports as HT721/703.

VH-FVH then returned to Moranbah Airport and later Brisbane as HT704/736.

I believe this is the first time that Hevilift has completed a FIFO charter flight into Emerald Airport during this current Coronavirus crisis which is seeing most resource companies flying workers and contractors in and out of the region on closed charter flights.  Hevilift is also currently flying 1-2 daily FIFO charter flights into Moranbah Airport.

Meanwhile, over the course of the week, Corporate Air  / Vee H Aviation SAAB 340Bs VH-VEO and VH-VEP have again been noted visiting various Central Queensland Airports also on closed FIFO charter flights.

As shown above, VH-VEO called into Mackay Airport on Friday 17 April from Brisbane.  It then looked to return to the capital via Emerald Airport.

VH-VEO also called into Emerald Airport and VH-VEP called into Mackay Airport both on Tuesday 14 April.

While Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340B VH-REX was also spotted calling into Mackay Airport but on Wednesday 15 April. 

It arrived from Brisbane and Emerald Airport as RXA9272/9994 before later departing back to Brisbane as RXA9995.

Finally, over the course of the week, Alliance Airlines operated (by my count) 26 closed FIFO charter flights with their Fokker F-70 and F-100 jets into the region mostly from and back to Brisbane including Roma, Moranbah, Mackay (pictured) and Rockhampton Airports, as well as multiple daily flights in and out of Emerald Airport.

What busy times for aviation charter companies!

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for their help compiling this post!

Photos taken by 'JM' and 'AC'  ©