A Few Lighties Around CQ Airports - Including Some Cirrus SR22s with Familiar Regos - VH-PSU & VH-VOM - Plus More!

On Sunday 17 July, there were a few light General Aviation (GA) aircraft noted visiting some Central Queensland Airports.  Of most interest were a couple of newly registered Cirrus SR22 aircraft which wear familiar registration markings which were previously worn by other aircraft hat frequently visited CQ.

Victoria based Cirrus SR22-G6 GTS VH-PSU was noted flying up from the Sunshine Coast to Mackay Airport and then Hamilton Island Airport.  It flew up from Victoria abut a week ago.

Ben Kurek / https://my.pinkfroot.com/

The registration marking, VH-PSU, was previous worn by the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet.  As mentioned previously, it was re-registered as VH-IXT to WA-based Revesco Aviation at the start of 2021.

Townsville-based Cirrus SR22-G6 GTS VH-VOM looked to be flying around the Mackay region - possibly landing at the Palmyra Airstrip.

The registration marking, VH-VOM, was previously worn by a Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800.

Ipswich-based Cirrus SR22 VH-CWG called into Rockhampton Airport, arriving from the Sunshine Coast and later returning there via Archerfield.

And Brisbane-based Cirrus SR22 VH-XVC visited Bundaberg Airport from its Archerfield base.

Meanwhile, also on Sunday 17 July, Australia Skydive Cessna 208 Caravan VH-YMV flew from Tyagarah to the Sunshine Coast and the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour before then finishing the day at Cairns.

While Tex Onsite (Tex Assets P/L) Aero Commander 500-U VH-TXE returned to Rockhampton Airport from Gove and Mount Isa.  It had flown up that way to Cairns and Weipa last Monday 11 July.

Auscott P/L Beechcraft B200GT King Air VH-NMW had a busy day of flying, starting from Bankstown and flying to Narrabri, Moree, Toowoomba and then Bundaberg Airport.  It then flew back to Moree and Toowoomba.

ZephAir Australia Piper PA-34-220T Seneca VH-YSI arrived into Emerald Airport from Cairns and Townsville.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 19 July, VH-YSI departed Emerald Airport for Biloela / Thangool and Gladstone Airport.

RDO Equipment Co. (ex Vanderfield) Cessna 182 VH-JQC arrived into Emerald Airport from Toowoomba.

And Mackay-based Piper PA-32R-301 Saratoga VH-LPW looked to fly to my local Clermont Aerodrome from Mackay Airport.

Finally, late on Sunday 17 July, Bowenville (near Toowoomba) based Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ bizjet VH-JSZ flew into Mackay Airport from Archerfield.  At the time of writing, it is due to depart to Natal Downs and then back to Archerfield early on Monday 18 July.

Newly Registered Cirrus SR22 G6 GTS VH-VOM Pops into Mackay Airport – Plus More!

Certainly an interesting visitor to the region on Monday 29 November was recently registered Cirrus SR22 G6 GTS VH-VOM. The smart little machine looked to fly up from Archerfield to Mackay Airport before it then hopped across to the nearby Palmyra Airstrip.

https://www.planesales.com.au/

A brand new aircraft, VH-VOM has only just been delivered and registered and seemingly spent some time around the Gold Coast and Archerfield before heading North. It appears to be registered on the Sunshine Coast.

My interest though was in the registration marking with VH-VOM worn by a Virgin Blue / Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 for some time. This aircraft was leased to Regional Express (REX) Airlines during 2021 and was re-registered VH-RYU.

Up the road (and off the coast!) also on Monday 29 November, Ipswich-based Airborne P/L (Palm Lake Works) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-PLE flew up from Gold Coast to Hamilton Island Airport and back once again.  At the time of writing, VH-PLE was due to complete a similar flight on Tuesday 30 November.

VH-PLE had also done the same on Saturday 27 November.

Meanwhile, also on Monday 29 November, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Raytheon B1900D VH-PSK flew down from Cairns to Rockhampton Airport before it then continued to Brisbane.  VH-PSK then called into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport from Brisbane before it then headed North to Townsville and then Cairns.

Link Airways / Vee H Aviation Cessna 441 VH-VEJ visited my local Clermont Aerodrome from Brisbane.

And on Sunday 28 November, Colville Aviation Services (Torres Strait Air) Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander VH-WQA was noted ferrying through Emerald Airport from Watts Bridge and up to Cairns and Horn Island. 

Finally, also on Monday 29 November, Skytrans Airways Dash-8-100 VH-QQC arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Brisbane as SKP783.  It then departed to the Labona Station Airstrip within Adani Australia's (Bravus Mining & Resources) Carmichael Coal Mine as SKP771 but returned to Rocky soon after departing.

UPDATE!  On Tuesday 30 November, VH-QQC again departed Rockhampton Airport for Labona but as SKP773.  It again returned to Rocky though very soon after departure.  Later, VH-QQC flew from Rockhampton Airport to Brisbane as SKP507.  While fellow Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-100 VH-QQI arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Cairns and Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airports as SKP81 before then completing the now delayed flight to Labona and back to Rockhampton Airport as SKP771.

And the two Hinterland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravans – VH-NDC and VH-TFQ – that are currently based at Rockhampton Airport, looked to fly once again into the Labona Station after completing flights to Doongmabulla - also within the Carmichael Coal Mine Site - during the last week.

Private Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 Corporate Bizjet VH-FGM Calls into Mackay and Bundaberg Airports - Plus More!

On Thursday 25 March, privately owned and operated Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 'Super Verstaile Jet' corporate bizjet VH-FGM was noted visiting both Mackay and Bundaberg Airports during a busy day of flying.

File photo

It initially departed Bankstown for Maitland before it then flew up to Mackay Airport. VH-FGM then flew down to Bundaberg Airport before then returning to Maitland.  It then continued to Albury and Adelaide where it appears to be based.

Meanwhile, also at Mackay Airport, also on Thursday 25 March, the locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ departed for Brisbane.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 28 March, N142GZ returned to Mackay Airport from Brisbane.

While Avcair Embraer 500 Phenom 100EV bizjet VH-NJR was noted arriving into Maryborough Airport from Brisbane.

UPDATE!  On Friday 26 March, VH-NJR returned to Brisbane.

And Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-MMC was noted departing Emerald Airport for the Sunshine Coast. It had arrived from there the previous day.

Finally, some light General Aviation (GA) visitors to call into CQ Airports, also on Thursday 25 March, included Brisbane-based Hewitt Cattle Australia P/L SOCATA TBM 700 VH-PGA which departed Moura Airport for Longreach Airport and Alice Springs.

Of interest, at the start of the week, VH-PGA flew up from Parkes to their property near Moura but for some reason they could not go there and landed at Moura Aerodrome. 

While North Queensland-based Cessna T210N VH-PDP arrived into Rockhampton Airport from Mareeba and later departed to Archerfield.

And recently re-registered Rockwell Commander 112 VH-PCU arrived into Rockhampton Airport from the North.  It later departed to Biloela / Thangool Airport before then later flying back North and landing at Palmyra Airstrip outside of Mackay.

Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©️

(Ex?) Pacific Helicopters (PNG) Bell 206 Helicopter P2-PBG Noted Passing Through CQ Airports

Spotted on radar flying through Central Queensland heading North early on Tuesday 8 October was (possibly former) Pacific Helicopters (Papua New Guinea) Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter P2-PBG.

https://www.pkcaviation.com/

While information about the helicopter and its movements are limited, it eppears from recent photos that the LongRanger has recently been up for sale.  Early on Tuesday, P2-PBG was spotted flying West of Mackay heading North.

Cirrus Generation 5 SR22T Australis N9ZN Departs Mackay Airport to the Whitsunday Airport

On Tuesday 9 June, Cirrus Aircraft (Cirrus Design Corp.) flew the brand new Cirrus Generation 5 SR22T Special Edition: Australis N9ZN from Mackay to Whitsunday Airport (WAVE) at Shute Harbour where it was put on display.

The sleek little Cirrus has been quite busy in recent days with N9ZN on display at Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Mackay over the Queen's Birthday long weekend.

Meanwhile, a couple of other local and visiting aircraft were noted flying around Mackay and Whitsundays over the long weekend including Mackay-based Cessna 210 VH-EIC which flew from its Palmyra base to Hamilton Island and back on Monday 8 June.  West Australia-based SOCATA TBM-850 (700N) VH-TBM returned to Hamo on Monday 8 June from Lizard Island after departing to there on Saturday 6 June.  It originally landed at Hamilton Island in late May.

Also over the weekend, Port Macquarie-based Piper PA-28-161 was noted flying from South Grafton in New South Wales to the Gold Coast and Archerfield before continuing to Rockhampton and Hamilton Island.

Nautilus Aviation Bell 407 VH-VHU was also due to visit Mackay on Monday 8 June from Rockhampton.

And finally, Shortstop Jet Charter British Aerospace BAe-125-1000B bizjet VH-LMP departed Hamilton Island for its Melbourne (Essendon) base on Sunday 7 June.

File photo taken by Paul Tyler  ©

Recent Extra Alliance Airlines Fokker Jet Movements - And a Few Interesting Lighties - At Emerald Airport

It's been interesting to note some extra visits by Alliance Airlines jets at Emerald Airport over the last couple of weeks.  The extra visits have not only on their five-times-a-week Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) / RPT services from and back to Brisbane, but Alliance Fokker jets have also been noted operating some services on behalf of QantasLink.

File photo

On Wednesday 20 May, Alliance Fokker F-70s VH-QQY operated the UTY1070/1071 FIFO charter flight, while fellow F-70 VH-JFB operated a pair of RPT services on behalf of QantasLink from and back to Brisbane as UTY2636/2637/2638/2639.

Alliance Fokker F-100 VH-FKA and VH-QQY were also noted operating into Emerald for QantasLink on Sunday 17 May and Thursday 14 May respectively.

Finally, on Friday 8 May, Alliance F-100 VH-FKG flew into Emerald on the UTY4066 FIFO flight from Brisbane.  It then positioned to Townsville as UTY994.  Meanwhile, F-70 VH-JFB positioned to Emerald from Townsville as UTY993 before operating the return UTY4067 FIFO flight to Brisbane.

As well as these various Alliance jet movements at Emerald, there has also been a nice variety of light General Aviation (GA) aircraft to also call in over the last couple of weeks.

The Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SGQ called into Emerald on Tuesday 19 May and departed to Alpha on Wednesday 20 May.

A pair of Dubbo-based Air Link turbo-props have been noted calling into Emerald over the last week or so with Piper PA-31-350 Navajo VH-DVR calling in after a busy day of flying on Monday 18 May.  It departed the next back to Dubbo.

Air Link Navajo VH-DVR  (File photo)

Meanwhile, Air Link Cessna 310R VH-BWQ also called into Emerald but last Sunday 10 May.  It arrived from Dubbo and later departed to Cairns.

Fellow Cessna 310s VH-CWZ and VH-BUI were also noted calling into Emerald on Monday 18 May and Monday 11 May respectively.  Also J.M. Kelly (Project Builders) Cessna 310 VH-FFA visited Emerald on Thursday 14 May from Rockhampton.

Thursday 14 May turned out to be quite a busy day with a couple of other lighties calling into Emerald during with day including Edwards Coaches Cessna 441 VH-OXY popping in from Winton and later departing to Brisbane.  Melbourne-based Cessna T303 Crusader VH-LMN visited while flying from Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport to its Melbourne (Moorabbin) base.  Palmyra-based Cessna 182 VH-FUJ, Mackay-based Piper PA-28-235 VH-DRA and Columbia LC41-550FG VH-LCW were also noted visiting on Thursday 14 May.

A Few More Recent Plane Spotting Photos from Hervey Bay / Fraser Coast Airport

Brisbane-based plane spotter - and fellow plane spotting and travel blogger - Brendan B has sent through some plane spotting photos he captured during a recent visit to Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.

Hervey Bay Airport (HVB / YHBA) is the main airport for Hervey Bay, as well as the Fraser Coast region of Queensland which also incorporates the nearby cities of Maryborough and Bundaberg.  The airport has one main runway designated 11/29 measuring 2000m × 30m.

The airport, which is located around 9km or 15 minutes from the Hervey Bay town centre, re-opened in mid-2005, after the existing airport underwent an $11.5 million upgrade, which included the construction of a new terminal building, and the extension of the existing 1500m runway to 2000m to accommodate jet services from Virgin Australia and Qantas.

Currently, Qantas / QantasLink operates between 2-4 daily return services to Hervey Bay from Brisbane each week with Dash-8-Q300 and Dash-8-Q400 aircraft, while QantasLink also currently operate a Dash-8-Q400 direct from Sydney each Saturday and a larger Cobham Aviation-operated B717-200 jet service into Hervey Bay from Sydney each Sunday.

Virgin Australia also currently flys return daily jet services from Sydney with a mix of Embraer E-190 and Boeing B737 aircraft.

Seair Pacific Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A Islander VH-RUT and Cessna 208 Caravan VH-TLZ were both captured returning into Hervey Bay after completing one the daily transfer flights to Lady Elliot Island via other Fraser Coast Airports.  

Operating out of the Airport is Cessna 182 VH-DBP which is noted regularly flying and dropping thrill-seeking parachutists out over Hervey Bay.

Also locally-based Air Fraser Island aircraft - including Cessna 206 VH-UPK - operate from the Fraser Coast Airports to the nearby Heritage-listed Fraser Island, often landing of the beautiful beaches of the world's largest sand island.

Other aircraft spotted by Brendan during his visit to Hervey Bay Airport included Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Hawker Beechcraft B200 King Air VH-FDM.

Mackay-based Cessna 182 VH-FUJ was spotted as it spent a couple of weeks away from its Palmyra base.

And Robinson R-44 helicopter VH-OPO was photographed.  It appears to be a long way from home with the chopper registered to Lake Macquarie Helicopters at Belmont in New South Wales.

Some great photos from what looks like a lovely little regional airport in the far South of the Central Queensland region (ha ha!).  My sincere thanks to Brendan for sending through these great photos, and for his continuing support of the CQ Plane Spotting Blog!

Brendan has his own plane spotting and travel Blog - named BMB Photography - you can check out more of his photos and much more at:  http://madaboutplanes.blogspot.com.au/

All photos taken by Brendan Berry  ©

Great Photos from Mackay Airport Sunday - Jetstar A320 VH-VFL Little Athletics - Mustang VH-MFT

For the last few days, a couple of great Jetstar Airways Airbus A320s have called into Mackay Airport operating scheduled services into the sugar city from Brisbane.

Most notably, Airbus A320 VH-VFL - which is currently wearing an attractive 'Little Athletics' livery - has called into Mackay each day over the last few days.  It was captured passing through Mackay Airport on Sunday 26 April operating the JST882/883 service from and back to Brisbane.

Jetstar has applied the special livery on VH-VFL to kick off a sponsorship deal with Little Athletics Australia.  As part of the two-year naming rights partnership, decals featuring the image of two Little Athletics participants have been applied, along with the words “Helping Little Aths reach for the stars” and the Little Athletics logo.

Another interesting Jetstar A320 in the form of VH-XSJ also continues to call into Mackay over recent days and was captured visiting one recent afternoon as JST888/889, again operating from and back to Brisbane.

Also, Jetstar is retro-fitting the sharklets to some of their newer A320s with VH-VFL and VH-XSJ the only two aircraft done so far.

Finally, I've received some great photos of the visiting Caboolture-based CAC CA-18 Mk21 Mustang VH-MFT 'Snifter' which has been visiting Mackay over the weekend.

VH-MFT was spotted operating joyflights out of Mackay Airport and the nearby Palmyra and Marian Airstrips on Sunday 26 April.

UPDATE!  It looks like VH-MFT has returned to Caboolture after operating more joyflights during Monday 27 April.

Also of note at Palmyra Airstrip was the Mackay Aero Club's monthly flying competition.  From all accounts and photos posted on Facebook, it looked like a very nice day for flying!

Thanks to the Mackay plane spotters for sharing their awesome photos of some awesome visitors!

Photos taken by 'AC' and Mike Manning  ©

Looking at Some Other Recent Light General Aviation (GA) Movements at Gladstone Airport

A number of other light General Aviation (GA) aircraft have been photographed at Gladstone Airport over the last few days.  Here is a nice selection from local plane spotters Jamie and Tash.

Surat-based Cessna 182 VH-DII called in on Sunday 22 March.

Rockhampton-based Diamond DA 20-A1 Katana VH-CMF was spotted at Gladstone on Monday 23 March.  It performed a couple of missed approaches before touching down and dropping off a passenger.

Monto-based Beech 36 Bonanza VH-BBD was spotted departing to Agnes Water on Tuesday 24 March.

On Wednesday 25 March, locally-based Nixon Communication Cessna 210 VH-NCG was spotted departing to Archerfield.  It returned later in the day.

Cessna 182 VH-KDZ was spotted departing home to Tully on Friday 27 March.

While, also on Friday 27 March, Maroochy Air flew into Gladstone Airport from Hervey Bay and back.

And the Royal Queensland Aero Club Cessna 172 VH-DNV touched down at Gladstone late on Friday and departed early on Saturday 28 March.

And finally on Sunday 29 March, Mackay-based Cessna 182 VH-FUJ departed home to the Palmyra Airstrip after calling in from there earlier in the week.

A great collection of lighties to call into Gladstone Airport over the last week or so, and we sincerely thank Jamie and Tash for capturing these great photos and for taking the time to send them through!

All photos taken by Jamie and Tash  ©