Re-Registered Gulf Aircraft (SGPG Air) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign Bizjet VH-PYN Spotted Completing Airwork at Bundaberg Airport - Plus More!

On Wednesday 15 September, recently re-registered (operator) Gulf Aircraft (SGPG Air) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-PYN flew up from Brisbane to Bundaberg Airport where it was spotted completing airwork before landing for a short time. It then returned to Brisbane via more airwork at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport.

During the afternoon VH-PYN was noted repeating the airwork and landing at Bundaberg Airport on another flight out of and back to Brisbane.

VH-PYN has had a recent re-registration with the Operator details updated to 'SGPG Air P/L'.

Also noted visiting Bundaberg Airport, also on Wednesday 15 September, was Armada Aviation (of Ringwood in Victoria) Pilatus PC-12 VH-NWI which visited from its Melbourne (Essendon) base.

Earlier, also on Wednesday 15 September, Machjet (Machjet International) Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 bizjet VH-SIY was noted at Rockhampton Airport after earlier arriving from the Sunshine Coast.  It then down to Roma Airport.

Later in the day, VH-SIY departed Roma Airport and returned to Rockhampton Airport before then continuing 'home' to the sunshine Coast.

And MacKellar Mining Equipment Pty Ltd (Revesco Aviation) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign VH-MMC departed Emerald Airport and returned to the Sunshine Coast. It had arrived the previous day.

Meanwhile, also noted visiting Emerald Airport, also on Wednesday 15 September, was Colville Aviation Services (Torres Strait Air) Britten-Norman (Bembridge) BN-2A-26 Islander VH-IZH looked to arrive into Emerald Airport from Watts Bridge where it has been undergoing planned maintenance.  It then departed to Cairns and Horn Island.

It appears that VH-IZH is a recent acquisition for the Torres Strait Air having previously been flying in Tasmania with Airlines of Tasmania, commercially known by the name Par Avion, based at Hobart, Tasmania.

While BK Hire (Toowoomba) Piper PA-31-350 Navajo VH-TTX completed its weekly flight from Toowoomba up to Collinsville Aerodrome via Emerald Airport and back.

Austrek Aviation Beech B200 Super King Air VH-ZGD was noted visiting Capella Aerodrome. It arrived from and later departed back to its Toowoomba base via Archerfield.

Flight One (Services) Beech B200 King Air VH-FON visited Hamilton Island Airport from its Archerfield base.

ZephAir Australia - Aircraft Charters Piper PA-31 Navajo VH-AYT visited Hamilton Island Airport from its Townsville base.

And Ipswich-based Airborne P/L (Palm Lake Works) Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-PLE was noted visiting Hamilton Island Airport.  It looked to arrive from and depart back to the Gold Coast.

Finally, also on Wednesday 15 September, Link Airways (Corporate Air / Vee H Aviation) SAAB 340B VH-VEM was noted visiting Rockhampton Airport.  It arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane.

Photo taken by Dan B  ©️

A Couple of Interesting Light General Aviation (GA) Visitors to Bundaberg Airport

A pair of interesting light General Aviation (GA) visitors were noted calling into Bundaberg Airport over the last few days - and they both arrived from Tamworth in New South Wales.

On Friday 26 December Piper PA-31-350 VH-LIL and Cessna 414A VH-ZDF both touched down.

Jon Bowder / http://flightaware.com/

Robert Myers / http://flightaware.com/

After a few days parked at the Rum City, both aircraft were noted departing Bundy on Tuesday 30 December, both returning to Tamworth.

Of interest, VH-LIL is owned by Par Avion / Airlines of Tasmania but operated in New South Wales, while VH-ZDF is operated by TW Aviation in Tamworth.

Some Plane Spotting Photos from Gladstone Airport on Sunday - Corporate Aviation Bell 429 Helicopter VH-EQP

Local plane spotters, Jamie C and Tash C spent a lazy morning plane spotting at Gladstone Airport on Sunday 30 June.  Probably the most notable movement on an otherwise quiet day was the familiar sight of Corporate Aviation Bell 429 Helicopter VH-EQP.

VH-EQP was heading North from its Southport base, calling into Gladstone for fuel, before later departing to Hamilton Island.

Spotted departing Gladstone Airport for parts unknown was Par Avion / Bayswater Road Aerial Surveys Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander VH-RQW.  It is believed that VH-RQW arrived the previous day from Emerald.

Meanwhile, on the commercial front, QantasLink Dash-8-Q300s VH-TQD and VH-SCE were photographed by Jamie and Tash as they made their ways up and down the Queensland coast respectively.  VH-TQD - in old colours - departed Gladstone heading North to Rockhampton as QLK2308.

And VH-SCE - in new colours - arrived from Rockhampton and later continued South to Brisbane as QLK2301.

A lovely morning of plane spotting - and we thank Jamie C for sending through his spectacular images!

Photos taken by Jamie C and Tash C  ©

Australian Army Sikorsky S-70A-9 Blackhawk Helicopter A25-106 - and more - at Gladstone Airport This Week

I was told that an Australian Army Sikorsky S-70A-9 Blackhawk helicopter passed through Central Queensland on Thursday 4 April - and here are some photos!

Gladstone plane spotter Jamie C has sent through a couple of images of the Blackhawk as it passed through Gladstone Airport on Thursday bound for Rockhampton.

 

Meanwhile, also spotted this week by Jamie C was Par Avion / Bayswater Road Aerial Surveys Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander VH-RQW.

It is believed that VH-RQW suffered engine problems while operating local survey flights out of Gladstone Airport this week.  As a result, Bayswater Road Cessna 206 VH-SVY also paid Gladstone Airport a visit early on Thursday 4 April.

On Wednesday 3 April, the Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SGQ visited Gladstone Airport for the day.

Virgin Australia (Skywest Airlines) ATR 72-600 VH-FVP was also captured by Jamie on Wednesday.

And finally, the Gladstone-based Careflight Bell 412EP helicopter VH-XCY operated a flight from Gladstone to Rockhampton on Wednesday 3 April.  Jamie captured VH-XCY as it departed Gladstone, and again as it arrived back later in the day.

Incidentally, while it was on the ground at Rockhampton, local plane spotter 'IAD' captured VH-XCY parked during its visit - check out his photo and more from Rockhampton on Wednesday 3 April HERE.

All photos taken by Jamie C  ©

Some More Jet Spotting at Gladstone Airport on Friday

After our special post featuring some fantastic photos by Jamie C of both QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) and Virgin Australia jets operating into Gladstone Airport (below) comes some more great photos of more jet action at Gladstone Airport on Friday 15 March.

QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXJ was spotted departing for Brisbane as QJE1705.

Shortly after Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPG was photographed by Jamie as it also departed to Brisbane but as VOZ1714. It had earlier arrived from Brisbane as VOZ1711.

Later, another Boeing B717-200 VH-NXE was spotted also operating for QantasLink into Gladstone from Brisbane but as QJE1707.

After parking on the grass - due to a shortage of space on the General Aviation apron - Par Avion / Bayswater Road Aerial Surveys Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander VH-RQW was spotted departing.

Another aerial survey aircraft in the form of Fugro Spatial Solutions Cessna 404 VH-WGS was photographed by Jamie as it departed Gladstone for Emerald.

Jamie also took some more great images of the new locally-based Careflight Bell 412EP rescue helicopter VH-XCY as it returned to Gladstone Airport from a local flight.

Another familiar Gladstone-based helicopter spotted was Australian Helicopters Aerospatiale AS.350BA VH-HQO as it returned from a flight to Heron Island.

Australian Helicopters operates regular daily returns flight transfers to and from Heron Island out of their Gladstone Airport base.

Lastly, a great photo of Robinson R-22 VH-ZOF - which is operated by Stock Air Helicopters at Marlborough - as it came in for landing at Gladstone.

Thanks to Jamie C for his contribution of yet more fanatics photos!

All photos taken by Jamie C  ©

Emerald Airport on Friday as Alliance Fokkers Operates Charters for AERgO

This week has seen the start of Alliance Airlines and Skytrans Airlines also operating fly-in fly-out (FIFO) charters between Brisbane and Emerald Airports for AERgO.

The FIFO flights had previously only been operated by Regional Express (REX) / Pel-Air Avaition SAAB 340 aircraft - as shown below recently. 

This revision in the schedule sees Alliance operated Fokker F-70 and F-100 aircraft arrive into Emerald on Monday and Friday nights, with the aircraft staying overnight and departing early the next day.  One other change to the schedule sees a Skytrans Dash-8 operating for AERgO into Emerald on Wednesday night and overnighting.  The SAAB services remain on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning with aircraft operating Brisbane-Emerald-Brisbane at these times.

This week, on Monday 14 May, VH-FWI operated the first Alliance operated AERgO service to arrive at Emerald Airport.  On Friday 18 May, Fokker F-70 was photographed shortly after arriving at Emerald from Brisbane as 'UTY650'.

Also on Friday 18 May, I spotted three afternoon and evening QantasLink (Sunstate Airlines) services - Emerald Airport is usually a very busy place on a Friday afternoon, with heaps of contract and other (mostly) mine workers heading home for the weekend.  QantasLink Dash-8s photographed were Next-Gen Q400 VH-LQF (departing as QLK2415), Q400 VH-QOD (named 'Emerald' and later departed as QLK2419), and Q300 VH-SBG (which later departed as QLK2417).

At least one of these afternoon/evening flights on a Friday will be upgraded from June, and operated by a larger capacity Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100.

Virgin Australia also has an evening departure from Emerald, and ATR 72-500 VH-FVH was noted operating the DJ1262 which is shown preparing to depart Emerald.

Two other interesting aircraft at Emerald on Friday I photographed before the sun went down - Barrier Aviation AeroCommander 500-S VH-WRG which has been apparently parked up for a little while now.

Also Par-Avion (Airlines of Tasmania) Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander VH-RQW has been based at Emerald Airport for a short time while it conducts aerial survey flights around the local mining region.

Toll Express Aviation Metro III VH-UUO was also present and later departed to Thangool.  This aircraft had some problems during the week and caused a 'reshuffle' of aircraft which saw an ATR 43F pop into Rockhampton Airport (see Blog Post below).

A great way to spend a Friday night!