Conair Aerial Firefighting Dash-8-Q400MR C-FFQE Departs Bundaberg Airport at the Conclusion of Qld Bushfire Season - Heads to Victoria for Theirs! - Plus More!

On Tuesday 12 December, the resident Canadian-based Conair Aerial Firefighting Dash-8-Q400MR C-FFQE departed Bundaberg Airport for good following its fourth deployment to Queensland where it was contracted to be the State's own heavy water bomber for the recently completed bushfire season.

File photo

It looked to fly down as "Bomber 141" to Melbourne (Avalon) Airport in Victoria.  It is to be reportedly based at Avalon Airport now for the Victorian bushfire season which coincides with the Queensland wet season.

The Dash-8-Q402MR, C-FFQE (msn 4325), arrived into Bundaberg Airport at the end of August from Avalon after being stored there since February.  

Meanwhile also on Tuesday 12 December, McDermott Aviation Group Bell 214ST helicopter N823H and Avalon Aviation (Executive Helicopters) Eurocopter EC130B4 VH-EHY as "Firebird 404" operated over some bushfires West of Hervey Bay.

McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Beech B200 King Air VH-NSN as "Machflight 242" and Beech B200C King Air VH-PUY as "Machflight 11" flew down from Cairns to Mackay Airport and then to the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's (Bravus Mining & Resources) Carmichael Coal Mine site and back and this afternoon flew to Charters Towers Aerodrome. 

Also into Charters Towers Aerodrome was McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Beech B200 King Air VH-SUW as "Machflight 121" and Beech B200 King Air VH-ZSY.

Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan VH-ETF as "Hinterland 497" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Townsville and then departed to Cairns. 

Mandalay Two P/L Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SCQ landed at Emerald Airport from Toowoomba then departed to Kidston.  It later flew down to Archerfield. 

And AERgO Asset Management Beech B200 King Air VH-XGV as "Navair 173" landed at Emerald Airport from Archerfield and Kidston. 

Finally, also on Tuesday 12 December, Bowenville (near Toowoomba) based Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield. 

And LifeFlight (Aeromed) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-OFC "Ambulance 634" arrived at Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane and Kingaroy.  It then departed to Townsville. 

Photo taken by Jan Kretschmer  ©