A Couple of Bushfire Fighting Aircraft and Helicopters Operate from CQ Airports to Shoalwater Bay

On Friday 8 October, a couple of locally-based bushfire flighting aircraft and helicopters were noted operating out of some Central Queensland Airports to fight a fire around the Shoalwater Bay area, North of Rockhampton.

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The Bundaberg Airport based Canadian-based Conair Aerial Firefighting Dash-8-Q400MR C-FFQE "Bomber 141" flew up from there to the fire zone and back, completing two water-bombing runs.

Agair Logistics P/L Rockwell Turbo Commander 690B VH-LVG "Birddog 273" led the Dash-8, also flying up from Bundaberg Airport to the fire zone before then later flying to Rockhampton Airport for a refuel.  It then headed back to the fire zone and then back down to Bundaberg Airport with the Dash-8.

Also on Friday 8 October, a couple of helicopters noted flighting the bushfire included Stirling Helicopters Eurocopter AS350B3 Squirrel helicopter VH-EUM as "Firebird 429" which flew up from Dululu to Shoalwater Bay before then landing at Rockhampton Airport.

Plus Emerald-based Heli Central Williams Helicopter Corp (Bell) UH-1H Huey VH-UHH "Helitak 468"  flew to Shoalwater Bay, operating from the Hedlow Airfield, North of Rockhampton.

UPDATE!  Both these helicopters operated again on Saturday 9 October.

Finally, on Thursday 7 October, Stirling's Eurocopter AS.350BA Squirrel VH-WHW "Firebird 421" and Heli Central Williams Helicopter Corp (Bell) UH-1H Huey VH-UHH "Helitak 468" operated out of Rockhampton Airport - as shown above.

And locally-based Eurocopter AS 350 B3 Squirrel helicopter VH-XBO was noted operating out of Mackay Airport and flying South to the fire zone.

Photos taken by Steve Vit  ©