Cloncurry Bushfire Sees a Number of Firefighting Aircraft Pass Through Longreach Airport - Plus More!

On Saturday 26 October, a couple of aerial firefighting aircraft were noted and spotted passing through the region, including at Longreach Airport, while heading up towards Cloncurry where a large bushfire continues to burn outside of the town.

Kennedy Aviation (Kennedy Air Services) North American Rockwell 500S VH-XAS "Birddog 444"  arrived into Longreach Airport from Toowoomba and then departed to Cloncurry.

Meandarra Aerial Spraying Air Tractor AT-802A VH-SDJ "Bomber 424" and VH-NFY "Bomber 426" were spotted taking on fuel at Longreach Airport before departing towards Cloncurry.

It is also believed that Kennedy Aviation / Kennedy Air-Ag Air Tractor AT-802A 'Fire Boss' water bombing aircraft VH-XAJ "Bomber 455" also passed through Longreach Airport heading up to Cloncurry.

And the Bundaberg Airport based Conair Aerial Firefighting Dash-8-Q400MR C-FFQE "Bomber 141" and Agair Logistics P/L Gulfstream Aerospace (AeroCommander) 695-A JetProp 1000 VH-LMC "Birddog 125" both returned to Bundy from a night up at Townsville, flying back via a water-drop at Cloncurry.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 26 October, Interair (based at Essendon) Beech B200 King Air VH-ITH passed through Longreach Airport arriving from Melbourne (Essendon) and Bourke and departing to Atherton.

MacKellar Mining Equipment Pty Ltd (Revesco Aviation) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-MMC flew up to Hamilton Island Airport from the Sunshine Coast. 

UPDATE!  On Monday 28 October, VH-MMC returned to the Sunny Coast from Hamo.

And Inverted Downunder / Matt Hall Racing MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE was noted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Melbourne (Moorabbin), Dubbo and Archerfield.

UPDATE!  On Monday 28 October, Matt Hall on board VH-CQE departed Rockhampton Airport for Hamilton Island Airport where he landed and then completed a performance during the early afternoon - photos added below!  He then landed again and then returned to Rockhampton Airport.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 29 October, VH-CQE departed Rockhampton Airport and returned to its Lake Macquarie base.

Photos taken by Drew Mackay and Glen Bradford  ©

Inverted Downunder / Matt Hall Racing MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE Returns South via Emerald Airport After Show at Cairns - Plus More!

On Saturday 24 September, Inverted Downunder / Matt Hall Racing MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE was noted flying back South from Cairns to its Lake Macquarie base in New South Wales via Emerald Airport.

As mentioned below, VH-CQE headed up to Cairns where Matt Hall himself put on a spectacular show over the Cairns Esplanade on Friday 23 September - as shown above.

Meanwhile, also on Saturday 24 September, and further West out at Longreach Airport, Kirkhope Aviation (Victoria) Cessna 208B Grand Caravan VH-PRK arrived from Undara and Hughenden on what seems to be a closed tourist charter flight.

Brisbane-based Piper PA-31-350 VH-RPV looked to depart for Roma Airport and Archerfield at the end of a closed tourist charter flight.  It had arrived the previous day from Winton.

While an aircraft we haven't seen for a couple of years with Aero Logistics / Bayswater Road Aerial Surveys Cessna 404 Titan VH-WGS noted operating between Longreach Airport and Barcaldine Airport at various times over the last week or so.

Elsewhere, another aerial survey aircraft in the form of Dino Air (Interair) Piper PA-31 Navajo VH-XGL continues to operate local aerial survey flights out of Rockhampton Airport.

And Bundaberg-based Aero Optics (General Aviation Maintenance operated) Aero Commander 500-S VH-JAJ looked to complete a series of aerial survey flights out of Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport after returning from a stint in Far North Queensland last weekend.

Finally, also on Saturday 24 September, the familiar sight of Metro Holdings Australia (Air Link - Dubbo) Textron Aviation (Cessna) 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-SQV departed Hamilton Island Airport for Archerfield.  It had arrived the previous day and visited pretty much every other day over the last week.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 25 September, VH-SQV was back at Hamilton Island Airport yet again, arriving from Archerfield before later returning there but via the Sunshine Coast.

Zauner Aviation Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-FMM flew up to Hamilton Island Airport from its Albury base.

Re-registered Kelsall P/L (Aeronautics and Technology Holdings) Pilatus PC-12/45 VH-PID also arrived into Hamilton Island Airport but from its Toowoomba base via Archerfield.  It later returned down to those places.

Beech A36 Bonanza VH-PGI flew into Mackay Airport from Cooktown.  It seems to be on a tour of Far North Queensland having headed North via Charleville Airport over a week ago.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 25 September, VH-PGI departed Mackay Airport for the Sunshine Coast and then its Port Macquarie base in New South Wales.

DeGunst Transport P/L Textron (Cessna) 208 Caravan VH-NPZ flew up to around North Curtis Island from its Bundaberg Airport base and then back.

Avcair Embraer 500 Phenom 100EV bizjet VH-NJR arrived into Maryborough Airport from Brisbane.

UPDATE!  On Monday 26 September, VH-NJR departed Maryborough Airport and returned to Brisbane.

And a pair of Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) / Qantas Group Pilot Academy Diamond DA-40 Star training aircraft were noted in the Fraser Coast region with VH-YTB noted at Bundaberg Airport and VH-YTR noted at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport while on flights out of and back to Toowoomba-Wellcamp.

All photos taken by Jonathan Williams  ©

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  ©

Balmoral Air Dassault Falcon 2000LX Bizjet VH-WIO Pops into Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Friday 27 May, Balmoral Air Dassault Falcon 2000LX bizjet VH-WIO was noted visiting Hamilton Island Airport.  It touched down from its Bankstown base.

File photo

After a short time on the ground, VH-WIO later departed Hamo and flew to Newcastle (Williamtown) before then returning to Bankstown.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 27 May, Air Gold Coast Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 bizjet VH-CDG visited Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport from its Gold Coast base.

While in the wee small hours, Avcair (Avgunn) LearJet 60 bizjet VH-ILJ popped into Gladstone Airport, arriving from Townsville and departing to Brisbane after a busy night of flying.

Finally, also on Friday 27 May, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Cessna 208 Caravan VH-PSQ arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane.

And Inverted Downunder / Matt Hall Racing Extra EA-300L VH-IOG and MX Aircraft MXS VH-CQE both arrived into Rockhampton Airport from the South and parked on the General Aviation (GA) Apron.

Photo taken by 'AC'  ©

Some Photos from Saturday at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport

The second of three public days at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport on Saturday 2 March played host to an estimated 100,000 visitors, who I reckon were all left very satisfied with the magnificent flying program and static displays.

In fact, should they have desired, members of the public could take a flight around Avalon Airport in one of Professional Helicopter Services choppers that were constantly flying around the Eastern edge of the Airport.

By the time the flying display started, most of the visiting corporate bizjets had moved on to other ports – as shown by Embraer Lineage 1000 PT-TOE which was being towed to the runway for the short hop to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport.

The flying display started with an overfly of three antique aircraft from Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) Museum at Point Cook.  CAC CA-25 Winjeel VH-PTS (A85-439) was joined by a pair of New Zealand Aerospace CT-4A training aircraft – VH-CTK (A19-040) and VH-NZP (A19-077).

Another antique aircraft in the form of Douglas DC-3C VH-AES which is based at, and maintained at, the Qantas hangar at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport.  VH-AES wears Trans-Australia Airways (TAA) colours.

Then the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina VH-PBZ "Felix" (The Black Cat) displayed before a more recent RAAF maritime aircraft in the form of Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-755 performed its solo routine.

Aerobatic displays consisted of Skip Stewart in his Pitts S-2S Special N540S.

He was later joined again by Melissa Pemberton in Zivco Edge 540 VH-IIG, who both, along with the pyrotechnic wizardry of Rich Gibson, then put on their "Tinstix of Dynamite" show of spectacular multiple head-on passes accompanied by up to a dozen explosions.

Later, Bob Charleton in his Start and Flug H-101 Salto N101AZ put on a display of silent flight, before he fired the little engine on the Salto to put on a full aerobatic display.

The aerobatics of these aircraft were no match though for the RAAF Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet A44-216 which put on a stunning single-ship display.

The RAAF “Rhino” performance might have been outdone though by the United States Air Force (USAF) Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor aerobatic handling display, which was very well received by the awe-inspired crowd.

The pace slowed a little as three Temora Aviation Museum aircraft put on a display.  CAC CA-13 Boomerang VH-MHR took off first.

It was joined by the Museum’s  Gloster Meteor VH-MBX and Commonwealth CA-27 MK 32 Sabre VH-IPN.

After this antique threesome, Curtis P-40N Kittyhawk VH-ZOC departed and also put on a stirring aerial display.

Australia's own 'Top Gun', former RAAF Fighter Combat Instructor, Matt Hall, put on a truly amazing and spectacular aerobatics display in his MXS-R aircraft VH-CQE.

After Matt returned he was introduced to the crowd – just as the RAAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-206 completed its display.

The display I was looking forward to though was the USAF General Dynamics (Lockheed Martin) F-16 92-3894 which put on an absolutely fantastic solo flight.

The display was extended by a late go-around by the F-16 due to strong crosswinds on short final.

The Temora Museum’s Lockheed 414 Hudson VH-KOY then arrived and also put on a stirring display.  It had attempted to land yesterday but was forced to divert to Point Cook due to the strong cross winds.

RAAF Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules A97-468 flew down to Avalon from Richmond Air Force Base near Sydney, and completed several passes – complete with the load master waving to the crowd from the back door!

It completed its brief display by performing a touch-and-go off a steep tactical approach.  It then returned to Richmond – some 6 hours of flying during the afternoon!

RAAF formation flying wrapped up the flying program with the “Roulettes” - the elite formation aerobatic display team of the RAAF and their Pilatus PC-9/A aircraft - believed to have flown in from their East Sale base to perform over the Airshow.

The six “Roulettes” broke into a flight of four and two and put on some fantastic aerobatic flying.  Eventually all six came together for a final pass before they all (plus the spare aircraft “Roulette 7”) touched down at Avalon for the weekend.

  

A flight of four RAAF Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornetts (Rhinos) wrapped up the flying program with their formation flying routine, followed by simulated airfield attack which culminated with a pyrotechnics display.

Overall, I had an absolutely fantastic time at Avalon.  This was the first Australian International Airshow that I have attended, and I thought it was thoroughly and professionally organised, with some absolutely stunning static and flying display aircraft.  Well done to all involved – I look forward to coming back in 2015!