RDO Equipment Co. Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH Spotted at Rockhampton Airport - First Photos with its 7-Bladed Propeller! - Plus More!

On Friday 9 June, the reasonably familiar sight of RDO Equipment Co. Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH was back in Central Queensland with the sleek little turboprop spotted visiting Rockhampton Airport.  It looked to fly in from from Cloncurry Airport and Ucharonidge Station.

After some time on the ground, VH-WPH then departed to its Toowoomba base.

This is first time we have seen VH-WPH in CQ since it has been fitted with a 7-bladed propeller.  

This will reportedly generate less cabin noise and provide increased performance allowing for operations into shorter airfields.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 9 June, Townsville Airlines Beech 1900D VH-RUE arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns and Townsville before it then departed to Brisbane.  VH-RUE then returned directly to Townsville and then Cairns. 

And Dino Air (Interair) Piper PA-31 Navajo VH-XGL was noted completing aerial survey work around Nebo on a flight out of the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour - where the aircraft seems to be currently based - nice!

Finally, some airline news, also on Friday 9 June, with Qantas Freight / Pionair Australia BAe 146-300(QT) VH-SQR making a surprise visit to Mackay Airport, arriving from Brisbane as QFA7298.  It later departed to Cairns as QFA7299.  There were no other flights into CQ.

And after diverting into Rockhampton Airport with a technical problem on Wednesday 7 June - see Blog post below - Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 was potted receiving some maintenance attention before eventually departing to Brisbane later on Friday as UTY9810.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Trevor H for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Trevor Hardsman  ©