RAAF Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters) Agusta AW139 Helicopter VH-SYJ "Choppa 22" Pops into Longreach Heading Home From Darwin - Plus More!

Over the weekend, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters Australia / Lloyd Helicopters) Agusta AW139 helicopter VH-SYJ as "Choppa 22" was noted returning from Darwin (pictured) via Longreach Airport.

File photo

After leaving Darwin for RAAF Base Tindal on Friday 30 September, it continued to Tennant Creek, Mount Isa and Longreach Airport on Saturday 1 October.  It then on Sunday 2 October, it continued down to Cunnamulla, Dubbo and then HMAS Albatross at Nowra. 

VH-SYJ "Choppa 22" has been in the top end providing support during Exercise Pitch Black and then Exercise Kakadu.

While, other helicopter action in the region over the last couple of days included Townsville-based NQ Heli-Worx (Meridan Helicopters) Eurocopter EC135 T2 VH-MVY which has been noted completing power-line inspections out of and around Mackay and Rockhampton Airports as "Energy 402".  It seemed to finish the day at Nebo Aerodrome.

Meanwhile, some nice bizjets to call into the region, also on Sunday 2 October, included American-registered Gulfstream Aerospace G650ER (G-VI) bizjet N988NC which arrived into Hamilton Island Airport from Sydney.

Linfox Global Charter / Air National Australia Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 bizjet VH-LEP visited Hamilton Island Airport from Melbourne (Essendon).

While GBJ Nominees (Navair Flight Operations) Textron (Cessna) 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-IEQ returned to Mackay Airport and then Bowen Aerodrome after flying back up from Cowra.  It had flown South to Cowra from these places on Friday 30 September and originally arrived into Bowen Aerodrome from Bankstown late the previous day.

At the time of writing, it appears that VH-IEQ is staying the night at Bowen Aerodrome.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 4 October, VH-IEQ departed Bowen Aerodrome and hopped across to Hamilton Island Airport where it appears to be staying.

And on Saturday 1 October, Poolhurst Aviation Air Charter Services Pilatus PC-24 jet VH-VTF flew into Hamilton Island Airport from the Gold Coast before then departing to Newcastle (Williamtown) and then back to Archerfield.  It had also visited the previous day - see Blog post below!

Finally, also on Saturday 1 October, Brisbane-based Crockett Aviation Group Beech B200 King Air VH-FAQ departed Charleville Airport for the Sunshine Coast and Archerfield at the completion of what seems to be a closed tourist charter flight to Central Australia.

While Brisbane-based Piper PA-31 Navajo VH-DEQ also visited Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield and Gympie.

And Western Australia-based Pitts S-2E Special VH-BBQ was noted arriving into Rockhampton Airport Moree and Chinchilla Airports.

Photo taken by Mary Marshall  ©