Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-100s Around Rockhampton and Gladstone Airports - Plus More!

On Tuesday 12 September, there were at least three different Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-100 turboprop aircraft completing a variety of different flights at a couple of Central Queensland Airports.

VH-QQG at Rockhampton Airport last week

After operating between Rockhampton Airport and the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's (Bravus Mining & Resources) Carmichael Coal Mine site for the last couple of weeks, VH-QQG flew from Rockhampton Airport to Cairns as SKP545 after making mid-flight return to Rocky seemingly with a technical problem.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 13 September, VH-QQC seemed to be the 'replacement' aircraft, arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns and Labona as SKP525/778.

Down at Gladstone Airport, high-level industry meetings brought VH-QQF which arrived from Brisbane and then departed to Townsville as SKP522, as well as VH-QQB which also arrived from Brisbane but then departed to Chinchilla Aerodrome and then back to Brisbane as SKP741/2/3.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday 12 September, there was the 'usual' Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter movements including DeGunst Transport P/L Textron (Cessna) 208 Caravan VH-NPZ which completed its weekly FIFO run from Bundaberg Airport to Nebo Aerodrome via Mackay Airport and then back to Bundy direct.

Southern Airlines Beech B200 King Air VH-AMF completed the weekly FIFO charter flight up to Moranbah Airport. It flew up from Latrobe Valley and Bourke to Moranbah Airport before then heading back South to those places and then Melbourne (Moorabbin).

While Townsville Airlines Beech 1900D VH-JYA arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns and Townsville before then departing to Brisbane. It later returned to Townsville and Cairns. 

McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Beech B200 King Air VH-ZPY as 'MC55' / "Machflight 55" flew down from Cairns and Aurukun to Charters Towers Aerodrome.  

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 13 September, VH-ZPY departed to Ingham.

Longreach-based Beech A36 Bonanza VH-PRI also called into Charters Towers Aerodrome before later returning home to Longreach Airport.

WDC Equipment and Contracting Raytheon 58 Baron VH-EZR departed Charters Towers Aerodrome for Kidston and Emerald Airport.  It had arrived from its Chinchilla Aerodrome base the previous day.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 13 September, VH-EZR departed Emerald Airport for Archerfield and Chinchilla.

And after being noted flying through Longreach Airport last week, the various New South Wales-based light aircraft were again noted flying through the region, this time all departing the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour and landing at Bundaberg Airport.

Cessna 182 VH-SHN, Beech 76 Duchess VH-BFP and Piper PA-28R-201 Cherokee VH-AIZ all flew down from Shute Harbour to Bundaberg Airport direct, while Cessna 172 VH-MCJ called into St Lawrence and Gladstone Airports while enroute to Bundy, and Cessna 172 VH-WYZ stopped at Gladstone Airport on the way to Bundy as well. 

Finally, also on Tuesday 12 September, after supporting recent Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) deployments of helicopters and aircraft for various joint military exercises Helicorp (Toll) Leonardo S.P.A. Helicopters (Agusta) AW139 helicopter VH-XIU completed a ferry flight from Mount Isa to Redcliffe via Longreach and Roma Airports.  It flown across from Darwin to Mount Isa the previous day.

Photo taken by John Lee  ©