Emma McDonald in R-Mach Aviation Extra EA 300L VH-LXT Flying out of Rockhampton Airport - Plus More!

On Friday 6 February, Emma McDonald in R-Mach Aviation Extra EA 300L VH-LXT flew two flights out of Rockhampton Airport to the Capricorn Coast and back. 

File photo

She also flew one run to there late yesterday afternoon.

UPDATE!  On Saturday 7 February, Emma McDonald again in Extra EA 300L VH-LXT flew several more flights to the coast and back to Rockhampton Airport.  It sounded possibly like she was taking joyflights.

Finally, also on Friday 6 February, and out of the area, but a frquent visitor to the regio in the form of Machjet (Machjet International) Beech B200C King Air VH-PUY which was flying as "Machflight 313" crashed near Normanton Airport, sadly killing the sole pilot, a 32-year-old man from Clifton Beach, Cairns.

Elphinstone Group (Burnie) / Revesco Aviation (Perth) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom Bizjet VH-PNM Pops into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Wednesday 5 April, Elphinstone Group (Burnie) / Revesco Aviation (Perth) Embraer EMB-500 Phenom bizjet VH-PNM flew up from Melbourne (Essendon), Burnie and Narrabri to Hamilton Island Airport before it then returned to Narrabri.  VH-PNM is due to return to Essendon on Thursday 6 April.

File photo

Navair Flight Operations Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 bizjet VH-LXZ as "Navair 199" arrived into Mackay Airport from Bankstown and Cessnock.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 6 April, VH-LXZ "Navair 199" departed Mackay Airport and returned to Cessnock and then Bankstown.

McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 bizjet VH-PIY flew up from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane to Moranbah Airport.  It then flew down to Middlemount Aerodrome and appeared to have stayed.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 6 April, VH-PIY departed Middlemount Aerodrome and returned to Moranbah Airport.  It then returned to Middlemount Aerodrome before then flying back down to Brisbane and the Sunny Coast. 

And Bowenville (near Toowoomba) based Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ flew up from Archerfield to Dalby and Natal Downs before then returning back down to Dalby and Archerfield.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday 5 April, Colville Aviation Services (Torres Strait Air) Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander VH-BNC looked to fly down from Charters Towers Aerodrome to Biloela / Thangool Airport and then Watts Bridge where it is going to undertake planned maintenance.  VH-BNC had flown into Charters from Horn Island, Coen and Mareeba the previous day.

Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan VH-HLL flew down from Townsville to the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's (Bravus Mining & Resources) Carmichael Coal Mine site and then across to Mackay Airport before then flying back to Labona and Townsville as HND280/1/2/3.

Of interest, Hinterland Aviaton Cessna 208 Caravans VH-MRZ and VH-JES continue to operate Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights from Rockhampton Airport to Labona and back.

Victoria-based Cessna 402C VH-ZMG flew down from Mount Isa to Charleville Airport and then Scone in New South Wales.

Austrek Aviation Beech B200 Super King Air VH-ZGD visited Moura Aerodrome from Toowoomba before then flying up to Emerald Airport and then back down to Archerfield and back to Toowoomba.

And Stirling Helicopters Bell 206 VH-JAQ hopped across from Rockhampton Airport to Stapleton Park on the north side of the city for joyflight operations during the Rocky Nats.  During the late afternoon, it completed a flight to the coast via the southern tip of the Berserkers and back.

UPDATE!  During the remainder of Rocky Nats, VH-JAQ operated from Stapleton Park and the Rockhampton Showgrounds, plus heading back to Rockhampton Airport.

Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©

RDO Equipment Co. (ex Vanderfield) Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH Calls into Emerald Airport - Plus More!

On Friday 3 June, RDO Equipment Co. (ex Vanderfield) Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH was noted back in the region, this time visiting Emerald Airport.

It looked to arrive from and then later depart back to its Toowoomba base.

UPDATE!  On Saturday 4 June, VH-WPH returned to Emerald Airport, again arriving from and later departing back to Toowoomba.

Torres Strait Air Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A-27 Islander VH-TRS departed Emerald Airport for the North after arriving the previous day from Watts Bridge. 

Meanwhile, also on Friday 3 June, Inverted Downunder / Matt Hall Racing Extra EA-300L VH-IOG and MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE both departed Rockhampton Airport for Archerfield.

Both aircraft have been in the region for the past week, visiting the Old Station Fly-in and Airshow (as shown), as well as operating joyflights from Rockhampton Airport.  Both aircraft flew in formation as "Silver Formation".

Photos taken by Dan B and Liz Barratt  ©

The Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show 2022 at Raglan - Many Photos from a Wonderful Long Weekend!

What a wonderful long weekend!

The Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show at Raglan was held over the long weekend of Friday 27 May to Sunday 29 May, with 1000's of people from all over the region in attendance over the three days enjoying the sights and sounds as over 200 aircraft and helicopters flew in from all parts of Queensland and interstate! There was also an impressive truck show, some classic cars, and plenty of new and old machinery. Meanwhile, the tractor pulling was extremely popular with big crowds enjoying the action during the weekend!

The entire weekend was hosted by the Creed Family and the Old Station Flying Club. There was support from numerous sponsors and various charity organisations, along with other local flying groups, who not only had their aircraft on display, but also assisted with the ground marshalling, parking all the visiting aircraft and helicopters.

Most aircraft had arrived by Friday with pilots enjoying dinner and entertainment on Friday night.  From early on Saturday, one of biggest crowds seen at the Old Station Farm came to and wandered amongst the visiting aircraft (with even more arrivals!) and enjoyed car and truck displays, market stalls, various machinery and of course, the tractor pulling!

For most of the weekend, the crowd was entertained by some spectacular Warbirds which operated regular aerobatic joyflights out of the Old Station.  

Paul Bennet Airshows had all their 'regular' aircraft in attendance - plus their merchandise truck!

Inverted Downunder / Matt Hall Racing Extra EA-300L VH-IOG and MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE also operated several aerobatic joyflights during the weekend.

Slightly more sedate was Rockhampton Helicopters Robinson R44 helicopter which also operated joyflights over the Old Station and surrounds.

While McDermott Aviation Group / Machjet International are always great supporters of the Old Station Fly-in and this time they sent three helicopters - new registered Bell Helicopter Textron 214B-1 Biglifter VH-SUF and Aerospatiale / Eurocopter Dauphins N365JA and N366SR.

During the middle of Saturday afternoon, the crowds settled in for a spectacular airshow which featured aerobatic displays by Paul Bennet Airshows and Australia's own Top Gun pilot Matt Hall.

The skies above the Old Station came alive as the airshow started with a four-ship formation featuring Paul Bennet and Gary Graham in Wolf Pitts Pro VH-PVB and 'new' Edge-540 VH-PBU, along with Matt Hall and Emma McDonald in MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE and Extra EA-300L VH-IOG.  They then performed a missing-man flight in memory of late Old Station Flying Club president Allan 'Kiwi' Andrew who recently passed away.

This was followed by a patriotic parachute drop from Skydive OZ Cessna U206F VH-OZP with the parachutist accompanied on his descent by Paul Bennet himself in his Wolf Pitts Pro VH-PVB.

Matt Hall and Emma McDonald in MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE and Extra EA-300L VH-IOG then completed a display with Matt Hall later returning to the skies to complete a spectacular solo display.

The Old Station's own Bell 47G-2A-1 helicopter VH-AKN then took to the sky to complete a spirited display.

It was followed by the unmistakable Grumman TBM-3E Avenger Warbird VH-MML.

And then Paul Bennet returned to the skies putting his Amateur-built Wolf Pitts Pro VH-PVB through its paces with a truly spectacular aerobatic display which had the massive crowds buzzing!

Caboolture-based Commonwealth CA-16 Wirraway Mk3 VH-MFW was next up completing several nice flypasts.

The ever popular North American T-28 Trojan VH-TRO then put on a great display featuring several flypasts.

Performance Aero / Flying Fighters Museum (Brisbane) Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros VH-SIC then completed a spectacular high-speed display.

Rockhampton-based R-Mach Aviation PZL Warszawa-Okecie M-18B Dromader VH-MDR and Ayres S2R Turbine Thrush VH-NFF then put on a great combined handling and then water-bombing and spraying display.

New Zealand Aerospace Industries Ltd CT-4A Airtrainer VH-CTQ then took the skies over Old Station.

And finally, Paul Bennet and Gary Graham in Wolf Pitts Pro VH-PVB and 'new' Edge-540 VH-PBU flew together for the last act of the day. 

In all, a 2-and-a-half hour airshow. 

After the airshow, the people that stayed at the Old Station - including a large amount of on-site campers - were entertained with live music, bonfires and a spectacular fireworks display.

It was a wonderful weekend with most aircraft departing for their home airfields during a cool but clear morning on Sunday.

It should be pointed out that all proceeds from the weekend - from admissions, auctions, food and drink sales, and part of the joyflights - will be given back to all the volunteer associations that assisted with the weekend.  This includes the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) and as always, the CHRS (Babcock Mission Critical Services Australasia) Agusta S.P.A. AW139 Helicopter VH-YXR proved again to be a popular visitor on the Saturday after it flew down from Rockhampton Airport as "Rescue 300".

Finally, one other touching tribute to the late Leonie Creed was seen with a lovely gathering area and lookout over the entrance to the farm bearing her name.

We would like to congratulate the Creed Family and the Old Station Flying Club for running yet another very successful weekend! Their hard work and commitment are remarkable and should be heartily congratulated!

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for their help in compiling this article!