RAAF Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Surveillance Aircraft A47-006 & A47-003 Head Back in CQ and Complete Airwork in the Whitsundays

On Sunday 20 June, the visiting pair Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Surveillance Aircraft that were noted completing airwork at Rockhampton Airport the previous day (see Blog post below) were both noted back in the region and completing low-level operations including another missed approach up in the Whitsundays.

A47-003 at Rockhampton Airport on Saturday

Poseidon A47-006 was heard to be this time flying as "Mariner 10" and looked to fly down from Townsville to overhead Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone from where it headed out to sea.  It later popped up back on radar in the Whitsundays and was then noted completing a missed approach at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport before it then flew back to Townsville.

While Poseidon A47-003 flew as "Mariner 11" and also flew down from Townsville and out to sea before it later popped up back on radar off Mackay.  It then descended to a few hundred feet flying around the Islands (including Brampton Island) to the North-East of Mackay before it then climbed and flew back to Townsville.

Photo taken by Steve Vit  ©