HNZ Australia Has Ceased Flying Out of Mackay Airport - Airbus H145 Helicopters VH-ZRP & VH-ZRU Wrapped up and Ready for Export

On Friday 8 April, HNZ Australia Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-2 H145 chopper VH-ZRU was spotted wrapped up and ready for export in their hangar at Mackay Airport.

It is believed that fellow HNZ Australia Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-2 H145 chopper VH-ZRP is contained in the box behind its sistership.

It seems that HNZ Australia has now lost its contract to provide transport to marine pilots etc to the Blossom Banks Anchorage out of and back to Mackay Airport.

HNZ Australia's two bright yellow choppers - VH-ZRP and VH-ZRU - started flying out of Mackay Airport only in mid-2019.

A file photo of VH-ZRU

At the time, these two brand new-production choppers had only recently arrived in Australia from Germany and were registered in mid-April in 2019.  VH-ZRU (c/n 20179) is ex-D-HADI(10), while VH-ZRP (c/n 20149) is ex-D-HNUB.

HNZ (Helicopters New Zealand) is headquartered in Nelson, New Zealand and operates helicopters from 8 locations throughout New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Antarctica. They Operate in support of a range of multi-national companies and government agencies, including onshore and offshore oil & gas, mineral exploration, marine pilot transfer services, military support, charter services, utilities and flight training.

To find out more about HNZ Australia visit their website:  http://www.hnzglobal.com/

Photos taken by 'AC' and 'JM'  ©

Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) / Qantas Group Pilot Academy Diamond DA-40 Stars Pop into CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Sunday 27 September, several Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) / Qantas Group Pilot Academy Diamond DA-40 Star training aircraft were noted visiting some Central Queensland Airports, all flying out of their Toowoomba-Wellcamp Airport base.

https://www.qantas.com/

DA-40 Stars VH-PQS, VH-YTE, VH-YTK, VH-EQF and VH-YTU all flew into Gladstone Airport from Wellcamp.

They all later returned to Wellcamp with VH-PQS flying via Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport, VH-YTE and VH-YTK both returning via Bundaberg Airport, and VH-EQF and VH-YTU returning direct.

While fellow DA-40 Stars VH-YTJ and VH-PQR were noted also calling into Hervey Bay and Bundaberg Airports also on Sunday 27 September.

UPDATE!  On Monday 28 September, more DA-40 Stars were noted visiting the region - VH-ERE popped into Bundaberg Airport, VH-PQE and VH-YTU visited Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport and VH-YTJ visited Maryborough Airport.

As mentioned previously, these are some of several Diamond DA-40 Star training aircraft that operate out of Wellcamp with the Qantas Group’s new pilot academy which was officially launched in late January.  Some of the aircraft and have been noted completing airwork and calling into Central Queensland Airports in recent weeks.

The Pilot Academy has the capacity to train up to 250 pilots each year with Qantas reportedly hoping to build a long-term talent pipeline for the airline and its subsidiaries Jetstar and QantasLink plus the wider industry.

The first 34 students commenced training at the new facilities in early January on the single-engine Diamond DA40 and multi-engine DA42 aircraft.  100 students are expected to be in training by the end of 2020.

According to Qantas, the academy has the potential to train as many as 500 pilots each year across two locations including Toowoomba and Mackay – the preferred location for the second academy site.

Meanwhile, some other General Aviation (GA) aircraft and helicopters noted visiting CQ Airports also on Sunday 27 September, included Gulf Aircraft Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-PYN which was noted departing Hamilton Island Airport for Brisbane.  It had arrived into Hamo from the capital on Wednesday 23 September.

While FKG Air (Redjet Aviation) Hawker Beechcraft B200GT VH-FKB visited Hamilton Island Airport once again, this time arriving from Toowoomba and later departing to Archerfield and then Toowoomba.

And American-registered but Australian-based Cirrus SR22T N931DW which looked to visit the Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport from its Sunshine Coast base.

Of the choppers, Pacific Helicopters Ltd of Papua New Guinea (PNG) MBB-Kawasaki BK117B-2 helicopter P2-BKB was noted passing through Rockhampton Airport.  It arrived from the Redcliffe and possibly Bundaberg Airport before then departing for an overnight stay at the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour.

UPDATE!  On Monday 28 September, P2-BKB departed the Whitsunday Airport and continued further North.

Also on Sunday 27 September, Corporate Aviation Bell 429 Global Ranger helicopter VH-EQP flew down from Hamilton Island Airport to Gladstone Airport and then its Southport home. It flew North to Hamo back on Monday 21 September.

While Stirling Helicopters Eurocopter AS.350BA Squirrel VH-WHW was noted operating out of Rockhampton Airport as "Firebird 421" assisting with fighting a bushfire East of Rockhampton.

Finally, it also appeared that over the weekend, Stirling Helicopters Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 VH-IBF, as well as a pair of McDermott Aviation helicopters, operated out of Gladstone Airport fighting a bushfire to the South of the port city.

Pacific Helicopters (PNG) Kawasaki BK117B-2 P2-BKB Passes Through CQ Airport - Spotted Departing Rockhampton Airport

Early on Saturday 14 September, Pacific Helicopters Ltd of Papua New Guinea (PNG) MBB-Kawasaki BK117B-2 helicopter P2-BKB was spotted departing Rockhampton Airport while on a flight to Redcliffe in the South-East corner of Queensland.

It is believed to have arrived into Rocky earlier in the day from the North - possibly Mackay Airport - with P2-BKB noted flying South from Mareeba to Townsville on Friday 13 September.

After departing Rocky, it appears that P2-BKB called into Bundaberg Airport for fuel before continuing to Redcliffe.

Photo taken by Trevor Hardsman  ©

Isle of Man-registered Piaggio P-180 Avanti II M-ETAL Arrives into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus a few Weekend GA Visitors!

On Monday 1 July, Isle of Man-registered but Australian-based Piaggio P-180 Avanti II M-ETAL was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport.  It looked to fly up from the Sunshine Coast.

M-ETAL at Bundaberg Airport  (File photo)

M-ETAL appears to have flown to the Sunny Coast from Sydney over the weekend.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 3 July, M-ETAL departed Hamilton Island Airport for Normanton.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, on Sunday 30 June, a couple of other small corporate turboprop aircraft were noted at remote parts with Pegasus Air Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-JMU flying into Barcaldine Airport from Bankstown.  It later departed to Dinah Island, Normanton and the Gold Coast.

While Austrek Aviation Beech B200 Super King Air VH-ZGD was noted visiting my local Clermont Aerodrome from its Toowoomba base.

Finally, back in the Whitsundays, also on Sunday 30 June, Guardian Offshore (of Darwin) Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) BO 105 S CBS - 4 helicopter VH-JYS was noted visiting Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport.

VH-JYS appears to be hangared at Townsville and has been seen also at Mackay Airport in recent months.

Of interest, VH-JYS was previously operated in the USA as N70EG and in the 1990s was used to complete radiological dust surveys over the Nevada nuclear test sites!  (The things you find with a little bit of research!)

Photos taken by Samuel Felgate and Leroy  ©

PNG-Registered MBB MBB-BK117 B-2 Helicopter P2-TAH Passes Through Gladstone and Mackay Airports - Updated with a Photo!

On Monday 1 July, Papua New Guinea (PNG) registered MBB MBB-BK117 B-2 helicopter P2-TAH was noted passing through Gladstone and Mackay Airports while on a ferry flight North.

https://www.tah.com.pg/

P2-TAH looked to arrive into Gladstone Airport from Redcliffe before it then continued to Mackay Airport and ports North onwards to PNG.  It had flown North from Bankstown via Port Macquarie and Balina / Byron Gateway Airports on Friday 30 June.

It is believed that this chopper has c/n 7504 and previously operated in England for the The East Anglian Air Ambulance Service as G-RESC.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/

Anyone with more information?

UPDATE!  P2-TAH has been delivered to Tribal Aurora Helicopters based at Port Moresby.

UPDATE!  Sadly, we have learned that just over two months since after its arrival into PNG, on Friday 13 September, P2-TAH failed to arrive at Tokua Airport while on a flight from Buka Airport.  Wreckage of the helicopter was subsequently located approximately 0.9 nm seaward of the coast about 4 nm south east of Silur Mission.  Of the two persons on board, sadly the pilot was killed.

Our thoughts and prayers with those and the families of those involved in the crash.

HNZ Australia Starts Flying out of Mackay Airport to Blossom Banks with Airbus H145 Helicopter VH-ZRU

As expected, on Monday 27 May, locally-based HNZ Australia commenced flying from Mackay Airport to the Blossom Banks and back.  This sees the start of a contract to fly marine pilots from Mackay Airport to nearby ships.

File photo

HNZ Australia Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-2 H145 chopper VH-ZRU (pictured above) operated the first flight having spend the previous few weeks completing a series of local test flights.

VH-ZRU is joined on the Australian aircraft register by fellow H145 helicopter VH-ZRP which seems to have also recently taken to the air to complete test flights.

As mentioned previously, these two brand new-production choppers have recently arrived in Australia from Germany and were registered in mid-April this year.  VH-ZRU (c/n 20179) is ex-D-HADI(10), while VH-ZRP (c/n 20149) is ex-D-HNUB - as pictured below.

HNZ (Helicopters New Zealand) is headquartered in Nelson, New Zealand and operates helicopters from 8 locations throughout New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Antarctica. They Operate in support of a range of multi-national companies and government agencies, including onshore and offshore oil & gas, mineral exploration, marine pilot transfer services, military support, charter services, utilities and flight training.

To find out more about HNZ Australia visit their website:  http://www.hnzglobal.com/

We wish HNZ Australia all the very best with this new venture!

Photo taken by 'JM'  ©

New HNZ Australia Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-2 H145 VH-ZRU Spotted Completing Test Flights at Mackay Airport

On Monday 13 May, local plane spotter 'JM' was at the right place at the right time to capture our first photos of the brand new HNZ Australia Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-2 H145 chopper VH-ZRU as it returned to Mackay Airport after completing a local training flight.

As mentioned below, HNZ Australia has taken delivery to two brand new H145 helicopters at Mackay Airport - VH-ZRP is the other and is yet to take to the air - and will soon start regular flights after reportedly securing a contract to fly marine pilots from Mackay Airport to nearby ships.

With training flights now well and truly underway, proper flying operations should commence fully in the coming weeks.

HNZ (Helicopters New Zealand) is headquartered in Nelson, New Zealand and operates helicopters from 8 locations throughout New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Antarctica. They Operate in support of a range of multi-national companies and government agencies, including onshore and offshore oil & gas, mineral exploration, marine pilot transfer services, military support, charter services, utilities and flight training.

To find out more about HNZ Australia visit their website:  http://www.hnzglobal.com/

We wish HNZ Australia all the very best with this new venture!

Sincere thanks to 'JM' for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by 'JM'  ©

HNZ Australia to Start Flying out of Mackay Airport with a Pair of Airbus H145 Helicopters VH-ZRU and VH-ZRP

Over the course of this week, a 'new' brightly painted yellow helicopter has been noted flying around Mackay Airport. Research reveals that this is one of two newly registered and delivered Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-2 H145 choppers registered VH-ZRU.

The chopper is registered to HNZ Australia and has been joined on the Australian aircraft register with fellow H145 helicopter VH-ZRP which is yet to take to the air.  The two brand new-production choppers have recently arrived in the country from Germany and were registered in mid-April this year.  VH-ZRU (c/n 20179) is ex-D-HADI(10), while VH-ZRP (c/n 20149) is ex-D-HNUB - as pictured below.

HNZ Australia has reportedly secured a contract to fly marine pilots from Mackay Airport to nearby ships. They are due to start training flights any day now with flying operations commencing fully in the coming weeks.

HNZ (Helicopters New Zealand) is headquartered in Nelson, New Zealand and operates helicopters from 8 locations throughout New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Antarctica. They Operate in support of a range of multi-national companies and government agencies, including onshore and offshore oil & gas, mineral exploration, marine pilot transfer services, military support, charter services, utilities and flight training.

To find out more about HNZ Australia visit their website:  http://www.hnzglobal.com/

We wish HNZ Australia all the very best with this new venture!

Ex Airwork (New Zealand) Ltd MBB MBB-BK117 B-2 Helicopter ZK-ISE Passes Through Rockhampton and Mackay Airports

On Saturday 10 March, a nice chopper in the form of MBB MBB-BK117 B-2 ZK-ISE was spotted passing through Rockhampton and Mackay Airports while on a flight from Redcliffe to Cairns.

 

The bright orange chopper was photographed on the ground at Mackay Airport and videoed as it departed the sugar city destined for Townsville.

Information suggests that the New Zealand-registered ZK-ISE is heading Papua New Guinea (PNG) where it has been reportedly contracted to undertake some heavy-lifting work.  ZK-ISE looks to have previously registered to and operated by Airwork (New Zealand) Limited.

All photos and video taken by 'JM'  ©