Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service (CQ Rescue) Takes Delivery of their Second New Leonardo AW139 Helicopter VH-XQ9 at Mackay Airport - Plus More!

On Sunday 8 December, the Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service (CQ Rescue) / CQ Aeromedical took delivery of their second new Leonardo AW139 helicopter VH-XQ9 which arrived at the CQ Rescue Hangar at Mackay Airport.

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It flew up from Caloundra via the Sunshine Coast and a fuel stop at Bundaberg Airport where it was photographed above.

The brand-new helicopter (msn 32062) was registered in July this year and flew into Caloundra Aerodrome in November for fit-out following some time being prepared at Melbourne (Essendon) Airport.

VH-XQ9 is the second Leonardo AW139 helicopter (the other is VH-XQ8) that will be operated by the Mackay Airport based CQ Rescue as they operate aeromedical retrieval flights with their own CASA Air Operator Certificate, without the need to out-source this to another company.

Meanwhile, also on Sunday 8 December, the first CQ Rescue Leonardo AW139 helicopter VH-XQ8 which has been operating out of Mackay Airport since it was delivered in late August, departed Mackay Airport for Gladstone and then Bundaberg Airports before it continued to Archerfield where it is believed it will undergo planned maintenance.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 19 December, VH-XQ9 departed Archerfield and returned to Mackay Airport via Gladstone Airport.