New Zealand-based American-registered Cessna T206H N63PH Pops into a Couple of CQ Airports - Plus More!

On Friday 23 May, New Zealand-based American-registered Cessna T206H N63PH was noted calling into a couple of Central Queensland Airports.  It looked to fly up from the Gold Coast to land at Gladstone Airport and then Hamilton Island Airport.  It looks to have arrived into the Gold Coast from New Zealand earlier in the week.

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UPDATE!  On Monday 26 May, N63PH departed Hamilton Island Airport for Normanton.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 11 June, after completing a flight up to Darwin, N63PH returned to the region, landing at Longreach Airport from Mount Isa.  It then flew down to Roma Airport.  On Thursday 12 June, N63PH departed Roma Airport for the Gold Coast before eventually returning 'across the ditch'.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 23 May,  Townsville Airlines Beech 1900D VH-RUE arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns and Townsville and then departed back to Cairns.

Torres Strait Air Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander VH-BNC landed at Biloela / Thangool Airport from Charters Towers Aerodrome and then departed to the Sunshine Coast and Watts Bridge.  It had flown down from Horn Island yesterday. 

Machjet International Hawker Beechcraft (Beech) B200 King Airs VH-8UY as "Machflight 242" and VH-PUY as "Machflight 11" arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Horn Island and are staying the night. 

UPDATE!  On Sunday 25 May, it appears that VH-PUY "Machflight 11" departed Rockhampton Airport to Horn Island and VH-8UY "Machflight 242" departed to Cairns. 

And finally, some notable General Aviation (GA) aircraft that landed at the Old Station Farm today for the fly-in and Airshow this weekend included:  Nanchang CJ-6A VH-XXB, Brisbane-based North American P51-D-30NT Mustang VH-FST, and the Paul Bennet Airshows contingent arrived led by Amateur-built Wolf Pitts Pro VH-PVB.

Volkswagen Air Service (Germany) Dassault Falcon 7X Bizjet D-AGBF Departs Hamilton Island Airport - Plus More!

On Thursday 22 May, Volkswagen Air Service (Germany) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet D-AGBF as BTX6F made a before dawn departure from Hamilton Island Airport for Darwin and then overseas.  As posted below, it had arrived into Hamo on Tuesday 20 May from overseas via Townsville.

And Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY flew up from Melbourne (Essendon) to Ararat and then the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour.  It then flew down to Chinchilla Aerodrome and back to Essendon. 

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 22 May, Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Beech B300 Super King Air 350i aircraft VH-8PD arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns, Townsville and Mackay Airport before it then departed to Brisbane.  It then flew up to Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport and back to Brisbane.

These Queensland Government Super King Air are definitely becoming familiar sights in Central Queensland with VH-8PF flying North via Rockhampton Airport yesterday.

Comet-registered Cessna 208B Grand Caravan VH-RTC hopped from Hedlow Airfield to Rockhampton Airport and then flew the FIFO to North Curtis Island along with Peace Aviation Beech A36 Bonanza VH-MMB which flew to North Curtis Island and back to Rockhampton Airport.  VH-RTC then returned to Hedlow. 

FKG Air (Redjet Aviation) Hawker Beechcraft B200GT VH-FKB visited Rolleston Aerodrome from Toowoomba.

And Brisbane-based Caboolture-based North American T-28B Trojan VH-RPX flew up from there to the Old Station Farm for the fly-in and Airshow this weekend.  Several other light General Aviation (GA) aircraft also landed there.

Plus Rockhampton Helicopters Robinson R44 Raven II VH-TBT also flew down to the Old Station Farm where it will operate joyflights over the weekend.

Finally, also on Thursday 22 May, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Dassault Falcon 7X bizjet A56-003 as "Envoy 99" landed at Bundaberg Airport from Canberra and Tamworth and a bit later departed to Hamilton Island Airport.  It then flew up to Cairns and back down to Townsville. 

UPDATE!  On Friday 23 May, RAAF Falcon 7X A56-003 again as "Envoy 99" flew down from Townsville to complete a missed approach at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport and then to land at Gladstone Airport. A bit later it departed to the Gold Coast and Roma Airport and then back to Canberra. 

Photo taken by Gerard Collins  ©

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!