Air Gold Coast Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 Bizjet VH-ZDM Pops into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Monday 9 March, Air Gold Coast Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 bizjet VH-ZDM arrived into Hamilton Island Airport from the Gold Coast and then depart to Ballina.

File photo

Meanwhile, over the weekend, on Saturday 7 March,  Poolhurst Aviation Air Charter Services new Pilatus PC-24 jet VH-VTF (c/n 602) visited Hamilton Island Airport from Archerfield and Brisbane.

While down at Mackay Airport Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-UQC operated a charter flight into from and back to Brisbane as UTY500/1.

And Aerlink ATR 72-212(F) VH-AK3 flew across from Alice Springs to Mackay Airport as AL575.  It had flown out to Alice Springs from Brisbane on Friday 6 March and completed a couple of runs to The Granites from and back to Alice Springs before then flying across to Mackay Airport as mentioned.

Late on Friday 6 March, Avcair LearJet 60 bizjet VH-AVL visited Mackay Airport from Brisbane.  This aircraft is becoming quite a familiar sight in Central Queensland, believed to be operating medical evacuation flights similarly to the LifeFlight Canadair Challenger 604 bizjets so we may not report on its movements as much as we did previously.

Photo taken by Brodie Lawson  ©

NQ Heli-Worx (Townsville) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 Bizjet VH-8GK at Hamilton Island Airport Multiple Times Over the Weekend! - Plus More!

Across the weekend, on both Saturday 21 February and Sunday 22 February, NQ Heli-Worx (Townsville) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 bizjet VH-8GK was noted completing three flights between Townsville and Hamilton Island Airport.

File photo

UPDATE!  Over the next week (and more) VH-8GK continued to complete daily (or more) runs between Townsville and Hamilton Island Airport.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 21 February, Graham Aviation (Cairns) Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-FMZ visited Hamilton Island Airport from Mareeba and Cairns.

McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 bizjet VH-SUY as "Machflight 38" completed airwork at Maryborough Airport and Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport while on a flight out of and back to the Sunshine Coast.

Gold Coast-based Rockwell Commander 114 VH-AYH visited Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield.

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-UQC completed a rugby league charter flight to Rockhampton Airport from and back to Brisbane as UTY500/1.

R-Mach Aviation Extra EA 300L VH-LXT arrived back into Rockhampton Airport from the South. It had flown out of Rockhampton Airport to Redcliffe during the week.

And across the last couple of days and into the weekend, Hughes Aviation (Hughes Pastoral Group) (Gympie) Pilatus PC-12/47E NGX VH-8HP flew up from Archerfield to Emerald Airport and then further to Julia Creek, Longreach, Winton and Mount Isa Airports before then heading to Alpurrurulam and Tennant Creek.  It then flew West from Tenant Creek to Inverway then back East to Alpurrurulam and Mount Isa and before flying down from there to Caldervale Station then Archerfield.  It then returned to Caldervale Station. 

UPDATE!  On Monday 23 February,  PC-12 VH-8HP departed Caldervale Station to Emerald Airport and then Tierawoomba where it stayed. 

Finally, also on Sunday 22 February, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) / Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Beech B300 King Air 350i VH-8TT flew up from Brisbane to survey work around the Rockhampton area before landing Rockhampton Airport for fuel before then departing back to Brisbane. 

And Hewitt Agribusiness (Brisbane) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-8HG (ex N175NG) landed at Degunnie from Archerfield.

UPDATES!  On Monday 23 February, PC-12 VH-8HG departed Degunnie to Longreach Airport and then Alice Springs.  Over the next few days, it then completed flights between Alice Springs and Roma Airport before then returning to Archerfield from Alice Springs on Friday 27 February.

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) Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjet A56-003 "Envoy 59" Calls into Longreach Airport - Plus More!

On Saturday 5 April, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet A56-003 was noted visiting Longreach Airport as "Envoy 59".  It arrived from Sydney and later departed to Brisbane.

The Falcon 7X must've brought Australian Federal politicians to town as a part of the Election campaign as it was joined by Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 jet VH-QQX which followed the same route by as "Envoy 20".

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 Jet VH-NUO Final Day of Operations and Flights into Some CQ Airports plus Unsuccessful Flight to Moranbah Airport

On Wednesday 2 April, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 jet VH-NUO has reportedly completed its final flights for the airline in Australia of which some were to some Central Queensland Airports operating on behalf of Virgin Australia Airlines.

File photo

It completed the VOZ1255/8 run to Emerald Airport and then the VOZ1239/40 run to Rockhampton Airport. It then looked to depart Brisbane as UTY8464 on a Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) flight to Moranbah Airport but it returned to Brisbane with a technical problem.

VH-NUO has subsequently been spotted at Brisbane Airport now with engines removed and in open storage.

Federal Election 2025 - Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 "Envoy 97" Brings PM Albanese to Bundaberg Airport - Plus More!

With the Federal Election called literally on the previous day, on Saturday 29 March, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hit the hustings in Central Queensland on board Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 which arrived into Bundaberg Airport from Brisbane as "Envoy 97".

It later departed to Canberra.

And as with previous Federal Election campaigns, an Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 jet joined the Prime Minister's RAAF VIP aircraft to transport media and other key personnel.  In this instance, it was VH-QQX which also arrived from Brisbane and departed to Canberra but as "Envoy 20".

Finally, also on Saturday 29 March, fellow RAAF Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet A56-001 departed Bundaberg Airport for Canberra as "Envoy 99".

It had arrived the previous day as "Envoy 95".

All photos taken by Hayden Alexander  ©

Alliance Airlines (Virgin Australia) Fokker F-100 VH-FNC Final Flight Before Storage Unsuccessful Run to Mackay Airport

On Monday 24 March, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-FNC departed Brisbane for Mackay Airport operating on behalf of Virgin Australia Airlines as VOZ609.

However, it developed a technical problem and returned to Brisbane.

This turned out to be the aircrafts final ever flight with it spotted some time later with engines removed and windows taped up and placed into open storage at Brisbane Airport near the Alliance Airlines hangar.

Photos taken by Steve Vit and Dylan Hardie  ©

Private USA Registered Diamond DA62 N118CY at Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Sunday 16 March, USA registered but possibly Malaysian based Diamond DA62 N118CY was noted departing Hamilton Island Airport.  It's exact movements are not fully known although it looked to arrive into Australia via Darwin and Mount Isa on Friday 14 March.

https://www.planespotters.net/

Meanwhile, also on Sunday 16 March, AAA Aircraft / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 550 Citation II VH-VDF visited Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport from the Sunshine Coast.

And Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-XWM visited Longreach Airport from Brisbane as UTY3390/1.

Finally, on Saturday 15 March, QantasLink (Alliance Airlines) Embraer E-190 VH-UYR as arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Townsville and then departed to Cairns on presumably a sports charter as QFA6281/2690. 

And a couple of Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340 turboprop aircraft were noted visiting Winton Airport.  VH-ZLG as REX9981 departed Winton Airport for Longreach Airport and Brisbane and VH-ZPN as REX9983 departed Winton Airport to Brisbane.

Stored Aircraft Depart Rockhampton Airport and Return to Brisbane Airport to Re-enter Service Following TC Alfred - Plus More!

On Sunday 9 March, and with the worst of Tropical Cyclone Alfred out of the way for South-East Queensland, some sense of normality is returning to the skies as several of the parked-up aircraft departed Rockhampton Airport to re-enter service largely from Brisbane.

QantasLink (Alliance Airlines) Embraer E-190s VH-XVQ as QFA6281, VH-XVS as QFA6285, VH-UZF as QFA6283, VH-XVO as QFA6287, VH-XVX as QFA6289, VH-UZH as QFA6291 and VH-UZI as QFA6295 all departed Rockhampton Airport bound for Brisbane. 

Plus Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70s VH-NKU as UTY9822 and VH-NUU as UTY9821 and Fokker F-100 VH-UQG as UTY9820 also all departed Rockhampton Airport for Brisbane.

Meanwhile, also on Sunday 9 March, Nauru Airlines Boeing B737-79L VH-INU as RON314 departed Rockhampton Airport for Brisbane. It had arrived the previous evening from Darwin on a diversion from Brisbane as RON312.

Sharp Airlines Metro 23 VH-HPE as SH101 arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Mount Isa after several days parked out there.  It then departed to Brisbane.

And the welcome sight back in CQ of Skytrans Airlines Airbus A319-112 VH-L7A as SKP801 which flew down from Cairns to Townsville and then Mackay Airport and Rockhampton Airport before then continuing to Brisbane.

Of interest, Skytrans has been cleared to start A319 wet-leasing operations, with CASA signing off on updates to its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).  After being purchased last year by global aviation firm Avia Solutions Group, Skytrans received its first A319, VH-L7A (ex LY-FAB), in mid-December and just received its second into Brisbane to be registered VH-L7C (ex LY-FAC).  VH-L7C is pictured below arriving into Toowoomba-Wellcamp from Brisbane to also escape TC Alfred.

Finally, also on Sunday 9 March, Brisbane-based Cessna 310R VH-NBI departed Rockhampton Airport for Quilpie and Coober Pedi.  It had arrived last week from Archerfield to avoid the weather.

Western Downs Civil (Chinchilla) Raytheon B200 King Air VH-85H flew down from the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour to Chinchilla Aerodrome.

Airlie Beach-registered Piper PA-46-600TP VH-T43 flew into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour from Ayr.

And over the last week, the LifeFlight (Aeromed) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjets have continued to complete medical evacuation flights with some of them in and out of the region.

VH-OFA as "Ambulance 614" has been noted visiting Longreach, Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast), Mackay and Rockhampton Airports.

While VH-OFB "Ambulance 624" was spotted (above) visiting Rockhampton Airport on Saturday 8 March and was noted also visiting Mackay, Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast)  and Hervey Bay Airports.

Photos taken by Steve Vit, Tom Carmichael and Phil M  ©

Various Civil Helicopters Depart Rockhampton Airport - And Other CQ Places - To Arrive at the Sunshine Coast to form the 'Energex Aviation Crew' to Assist with TC Alfred Clean-up - Plus More!

On Saturday 8 March, a heap of different helicopters departed Rockhampton Airport (mostly) and other parts all heading South to the Sunshine Coast.  It is reported they are forming the 'Energex Aviation Crew' to assist with the relief efforts following Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Forster Helicopters (Townsville) Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3 VH-KFT

Executive Helicopters Eurocopter AS 350 B3 Squirrel helicopters VH-YQK and VH-DTS.

Omni Executive (Canberra) Eurocopter AS 350 B3 Squirrel helicopter VH-AB3.

Stirling Helicopters Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS.350 B2 Squirrel helicopters VH-LBT and VH-LGG.

APA Helicopters Eurocopter AS350B3 VH-83Q.

Rotorco Eurocopter AS 350 B3 Squirrel helicopter VH-LDH.

Cloncurry Mustering Services Robinson R66 VH-8C4. 

All of these helicopters flew down from Rockhampton Airport via either Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport or Bundaberg Airport before continuing to the Sunshine Coast.

Bush Heli-Services Bell 407 VH-8BU flew down from Clermont to Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport and then the Sunshine Coast.

 
Meanwhile, also on Saturday 8 March, QantasLink (Alliance Airlines) Embraer E-190 VH-UZK flew down from Cairns to Mackay Airport and then Rockhampton Airport as QFA1793 before it then departed to Townsville as QFA1790.

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-NUU as UTY9820 arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane.

And Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-100 VH-QQI popped into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport, arriving from Townsville and departing to Cairns as SKP902/3.

Photos taken by Alan Macdonald and James Hackett  ©

Multiple QantasLink / Alliance Airlines Embraer E-190 and Other Aircraft and Helicopters Continue to Escape TC Alfred to Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 6 March, Tropical Cyclone Alfred continued to bear down on the South East Queensland coast and as a result, flights in and out of the major Airports down there have all been cancelled causing most aircraft and helicopters to escape the region to safer places including into Central Queensland.  And with the massive hangar and additional parking space available, many Alliance Airlines / QantasLink Embraer E-190 jets landed at Rockhampton Airport mostly from Brisbane for parking while the Cyclone passes.

VH-XVO arrived on the scheduled QFA1986 flight.  

VH-UZI arrived as QFA6293.

VH-XVQ arrived as QFA6284 and was one of three to be parked on Taxiway Juliette.

VH-UZQ arrived as QFA6289.

VH-XVS arrived as QFA6281.

VH-XVX arrived as UTY6296/QFA1942 from Brisbane via Gladstone Airport.

VH-UZF arrived as QFA6288.

And Fokker F-70 VH-NKU flew from Brisbane to Emerald Airport as VOZ1265 then to Rockhampton Airport as UTY9820. 

Plus QantasLink (Alliance Airlines) E-190 VH-UYR flew down from Townsville to Rockhampton Airport and then Brisbane as QFA6295 - presumably to transport crews back to Brisbane.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 6 March, there was some movement with the McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Cessna Citation bizjets that arrived into Rockhampton Airport yesterday.

Cessna 525A Citation CJ2 VH-ZIY as "Machflight 74" departed to Brisbane. SUY was 74 yesterday and ZIY was 421. PIY was 41.  And Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 VH-SUY as "Machflight 74" also departed to Brisbane

Finally, also on Thursday 6 March, Linfox Global Charter / Air National Australia Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6000 bizjet VH-LEP flew up from Melbourne (Essendon) to Hamilton Island Airport before then flying down to Rockhampton Airport seemingly also for parking - UPDATED with photo!

UPDATE!  On Saturday 8 March, VH-LEP departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to Hamilton Island Airport before then flying down to Melbourne (Avalon).

Fellow Linfox Express Charter / Air National Australia Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 605 VH-LEF also arrived into Hamilton Island Airport but from Essendon via Sydney.  It looked to remain parked on Hamo.

UPDATE!  On Monday 10 March, VH-LEF departed Hamilton Island Airport for Sydney.

While new Pilatus Australia (South Australia) Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet VH-DMS looked to visit Mackay Airport from Cessnock.

And three Queensland Government (State of Queensland) aircraft looked to visit Rockhampton Airport.  

Beech B300C Super King Air 350s VH-8PE and VH-8PH visited from Cairns and Brisbane respectively.

UPDATE!  On Friday 7 March, VH-8PE arrived into Rockhampton Airport once again from Cairns and Townsville before later returning direct to Cairns.

Plus the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Textron Aviation (Cessna) 208B Caravan VH-PQX also visited Rockhampton Airport from Cairns.

UPDATE!  On Friday 7 March, VH-PQX visited Rockhampton Airport once again from Cairns.

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for their help in gathering information for this historic post - and of course for allowing us to share these great photos!

Photos taken by Nigel Tuckwood, Scott Harris, Steve Vit and Phil M  ©