FlexJet / Corporate Wings (USA) Gulfstream G700 (GVIII-G700) Bizjet N136ZC 'LXJ95' Calls into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Saturday 15 November, FlexJet / Corporate Wings (USA) Gulfstream G700 (GVIII-G700) bizjet N136ZC, which was flying as 'LXJ95' / "Flexjet 95" flew up to Hamilton Island Airport from Sydney.

Victor Pody / https://www.planespotters.net/

This is a brand new aircraft and only delivered late last month.  It replaces another Gulfstream bizjet of the same registration marking.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 16 November, N136ZC 'LXJ95' / "Flexjet 95" departed Hamilton Island Airport for Brisbane and then overseas.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 15 November, Orange Helicopters operated Pickering Aviation (Sikorsky) UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter N711BF departed Rockhampton Airport for Toowoomba, Armidale and further South.  It had arrived less than a month ago!

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules A97-465 "Ausy 807" Pops into Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Saturday 15 November, a rare weekend military visitor with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules transport aircraft A97-465 arriving into Rockhampton Airport from RAAF Base Richmond as 'ASY807'.

File photo

After some time on the ground, the Herc departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to Richmond.

While fellow RAAF C-130J-30 Hercules A97-466 but as 'ASY816' was also noted flying through the region heading North - and again on Sunday 16 November!

Photo taken by Robert Myers  ©

XPJet / Australian Corporate Jet Centres Raytheon Hawker 800XP Bizjet VH-OTK Arrives into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Friday 14 November, XPJet / Australian Corporate Jet Centres Raytheon Hawker 800XP bizjet VH-OTK was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport from Melbourne (Essendon).

File photo

UPDATE!  On Sunday 16 November, VH-OTK departed Hamilton Island Airport and returned to Essendon.

And Business Aviation Solutions Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-JII flew up from Sydney and the Gold Coast to Hamilton Island Airport before then hopping down to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport for parking.

UPDATE!  On Monday 17 November, VH-JII flew back from Prosie to Hamo and then departed back to Sydney and then Adelaide.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 14 November, Townsville Airlines (Flightech Air Logistics) Cessna 402C Utiliner/Businessliner VH-UCM visited Hamilton Island Airport from Cairns on the scheduled EA1/2 flight service for East Air.

SFC Farming (of Goondiwindi) Raytheon B200 King Air VH-TXT also flew into Hamilton Island Airport but from its Mundine base.

UPDATE!  On Monday 17 November, VH-TXT departed Hamilton Island Airport and returned to Mundine.

And Aerlink ATR72-500 VH-FVY as AL511 popped into Mackay Airport from Brisbane for fuel before then continuing to Horn Island as AL510.

Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Poseidon Aviation Group Gulfstream Aerospace G650ER (G-VI) Bizjet N968FA Calls into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 13 November, Poseidon Aviation Group Gulfstream Aerospace G650ER (G-VI) bizjet N968FA flew up from Sunshine Coast to Hamilton Island Airport. It had arrived into the Sunny Coast the previous day from Melbourne.

File photo

Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY flew up from Melbourne (Essendon) to Miles Airport and then to the Gold Coast. It then flew up to the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour and then back down to Archerfield and Essendon.

Graham Aviation (Cairns) Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-FMZ flew down from Brisbane to Moree then up to Emerald Airport and then further North.

The Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Cessna 208 Caravan VH-PSQ flew up from Brisbane to Mackay Airport and then Cairns.

Southern Airlines Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain VH-LCE was noted completing aerial survey flights out of and back to Gladstone Airport after arriving there from Archerfield earlier in the week.

UPDATE!  Over the next weekend, VH-LCE moved its operations to Bundaberg Airport where it continued to operate local aerial survey flights.

While Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 jet VH-UQN visited Hamilton Island Airport on what seemed to be a charter flight from and back to Brisbane as UTY550/1.

And FlyPelican (Pelican Airlines) British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 3206 (Jetstream 32) turboprop aircraft VH-OTE was noted on the Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) run between Archerfield and Toowoomba-Wellcamp and Emerald Airport both today and last night.

Photo taken by Lloyd Fox  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 "Envoy 55" Calls into Bundaberg Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 13 November, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 as  "Envoy 55" landed at Bundaberg Airport from Canberra via a missed approach at Orange.

File photo

It later departed Bundy and returned to Canberra via a missed approach at Tamworth.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 13 November, RAAF Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet A56-003 as "Envoy 56", which flew up to Townsville from Canberra yesterday, flew down to complete a missed approach at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport before returning to Townsville.  It then flew South and returned to Canberra.

And Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-001 as "Wallaby 62" was noted completing airwork around Miles Airport while on a flight out of a back to RAAF Base Amberley.

Photo taken by Hayden Alexander  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2025 - Great Photos as Antonov Airlines (Antonov Design Bureau) AN-124-100M-150 UR-82008 Departs Rockhampton Airport for Darwin and Singapore

On Thursday 13 November, the visiting Antonov Airlines (Antonov Design Bureau) AN-124-100M-150 UR-82008 was photographed as it departed Rockhampton Airport for Darwin and then Singapore as ADB3997.

As posted below, it arrived the previous day from Colombo in Sri Lanka and was loaded with the four visiting Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing AH-64D Apache Helicopters that had been deployed to Rockhampton Airport for the now completed Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2025 (XWB25).

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of the Antonov AN-124 at Rockhampton Airport!

Photos taken by ‘IAD’ and Jimmy Scaboo  ©

SmartLynx Australia Dash-8-202 VH-TQX Pops into Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Wednesday 12 November, SmartLynx Australia Dash-8-202 VH-TQX as "Skytrans 541" was spotted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns before later departing to Sydney.

We presume it will then take up operating the SmartLynx Australia flights to Lord Howe Island.

UPDATE!  Indeed on Thursday 13 December, fellow SmartLynx Australia Dash-8-200 VH-TQS positioned from Sydney direct to Cairns.  Then on Tuesday 18 November, VH-TQS commenced a flight out of Australia via Darwin all the way over to Nairobi in Kenya.

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Gippsland Aeronautics GA8 Airvan VH-MFI landed at Longreach Airport from Mount Isa.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 13 November, VH-MFI plus fellow MAF GA8 Airvan VH-WOS departed Longreach Airport for Mareeba.

Nautilus Aviation Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 VH-ZPH was noted departing Clermont Aerodrome. This registration marking is best known as being worn by a Virgin Australia Embraer E-190.

Flight One (Services) Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-UVH landed at Gladstone Airport from Archerfield and this afternoon departed back to there.

ZephAir Australia Piper PA-34-220T Seneca VH-YSI as 'ZD440' arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Townsville and then did survey work to the North before returning to Rocky.

LifeFlight Leonardo Helicopters S.P.A. (Agusta) AW139 helicopter VH-LF3 landed at Longreach Airport from Toowoomba and Roma Airports.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 13 November, AW139 LF3 departed Longreach Airport for Mount Isa where it is now to be based.  Through the day, it then flew circuits at Mount Isa Airport and also at the Hospital.

Photos taken by Steve Vit and Liam Sellick  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2025 - Antonov Airlines (Antonov Design Bureau) AN-124 UR-82008 Arrives into Rockhampton Airport to take The RSAF AH-64D Apache Helicopters Home!

On Wednesday 12 November, Antonov Airlines (Antonov Design Bureau) AN-124-100M-150 UR-82008 arrived into Rockhampton Airport, flying in direct from Colombo as 'ADB397F'.

The massive Antonov taxied in and parked on Gate 6 on the southern end of the Rockhampton Airport parking apron.

Soon after, the Antonov was lowered into its unique kneeling position and the front then opened. It was to load the four Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters in preparation for their delivery home to Singapore.

The Apaches have been in Rocky to take part in the Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2025 (XWB25). As we have posted previously, they have been completing regular sorties to and from the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA).  Their serial numbers were believed to be 064, 058, 056 and 069.

With loading complete, UR-82008 was closed up and prepared to stay for the night at Rockhampton Airport with a departure listed to Darwin and then Singapore early on Thursday 13 November.

UPDATE!  Indeed early on Thursday 13 November, AN124 UR-82008 departed Rockhampton Airport to Darwin and Singapore as ADB3997 - see Blog post above!

With all the helicopters and aircraft now gone from Rockhampton and the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) this sees the end of Exercise Wallaby 2025 - bring on 2026!

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters Scott H and Steve V for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of the Antonov!

Photos taken by Scott Harris and Steve Vit  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2025 - A Pair of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules Transport Aircraft '731' & '735' Call into Rockhampton Airport - AGAIN!

On Tuesday 11 November, and for the second week in-a-row, a pair of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport aircraft arrived into Rockhampton Airport. They were identified as '731' and '735' and flew together across from Darwin as SAF9576 and SAF9577 respectively. They had both arrived into the Top End from Singapore the previous day.

Then on Wednesday 12 November, both Hercs were photographed (above) departing Rockhampton Airport where they headed back to Darwin with the plan to return to Singapore the next day.

Of interest, the Hercs are two of six C-130H aircraft which are flown by the RSAF's 122 Squadron 'Condors' based at the Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) in Singapore. The squadron goes by the motto of "Dependable".

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Scott H for allowing us to share these great photos!

Photos taken by Scott Harris  ©

Parker Aviation Ventures (Sydney) / Air Link (Dubbo) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom Bizjet VH-PNM Arrives into Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Tuesday 11 November, Parker Aviation Ventures (Sydney) / Air Link (Dubbo) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom bizjet VH-PNM arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield and the Sunshine Coast.

File photo

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 12 November, VH-PNM departed Rockhampton Airport for the Sunshine Coast.

Stroud Aviation and Transportation (Boonah) / Navair Flight Operations Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-SHI as "Navair 110" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield and late this afternoon departed back to there.

Business Aviation Solutions Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-JII flew up from Adelaide to Hamilton Island Airport and then down to Sydney.

New Zealand based (American registered) Dassault Falcon 900EX bizjet N146EX flew down from Cairns to Hamilton Island Airport before later departing to Sydney.

The locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ was back in the air departing Mackay Airport for Brisbane.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 13 November, N142GZ returned to Mackay Airport from Brisbane.

Bowenville based (operated by Real Time Aviation - Brisbane) Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ flew up from Archerfield to Dalby and Mackay Airport before returning to Archerfield.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 12 November, VH-JSZ was back in the region, flying up from Archerfield to Dalby and then my local Clermont Aerodrome before later returning South over the same route.

While Meandarra Aerial Spraying Air Tractor AT-802 VH-8WU returned to Rockhampton Airport from Townsville as "Bomber 420".  It had flown North a couple of weekends back.

And Strickland Bosavi Foundation Cessna U206G VH-ITV landed at Longreach Airport from Horn Island and Georgetown and then departed to Moree.

Finally, also on Tuesday 11 November, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-001 as "Wedgetail 05" flew up from RAAF Base Williamtown to complete three missed approaches approaches at Mackay Airport before then flying back to Williamtown.

Of interest, on Monday 10 November, A30-001 as "Wedgetail 04" flew up to overhead Bundaberg from and back to Williamtown but it remained at its cruising flight level!

Photo taken by Bradley Newman  ©