Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IH First Visit into CQ at Mackay Airport on Charter Flight - Plus More!

On Thursday 10 July, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8MAX VH-8IH was noted making its first visit into Central Queensland at Mackay Airport.  It operated a charter flight as VOZ9521/0 from and back to Brisbane.

File photo

VH-8IH was delivered into Brisbane from the USA on in late August 2024 before entering service at the start of September.  The aircraft was named 'Palm Beach' and is the 8th B737-8MAX delivered to Virgin Australia.

Nice!

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 10 July, Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ flew up from Archerfield to Natal Downs and then down to Clermont Aerodrome and then further down to Wagga Wagga.

UPDATE!  On Friday 11 July, it looked like VH-JSZ reversed the run, arriving back into Clermont Aerodrome from Wagga Wagga before it then went to Natal Downs and back to Archerfield.

And FlyPelican (Pelican Airlines) British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 3206 (Jetstream 32) turboprop aircraft VH-OTE was noted visiting Emerald Airport on the weekly Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight from Archerfield and Toowoomba-Wellcamp Airport.  It also visited late on Wednesday 9 July.

Finally, also on Thursday 10 July, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-004 as "Wedgetail 12" flew up from RAAF Base Williamtown to complete a missed approach at Bundaberg Airport before flying South and completing another one at Coffs Harbour and then back to Williamtown.

And two of the visiting Australian Army Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters departed Rockhampton Airport for the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) and back as "Stockman 12" and then "Stockman 11".

Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©