Australian Aerial Surveys Piper PA-31-350 Navajo VH-XLA Calls into Maryborough Airport

Certainly an interesting visitor to call into Maryborough Airport on Thursday 26 February was Australian Aerial Surveys (Metro Holdings Australia) Piper PA-31-350 Navajo VH-XLA.

Robert Myers / http://flightaware.com/

The Piper reportedly flys medical missions predominately in New South Wales, and touched at Maryborough from Tamworth.  After staying for the night, VH-XLA then departed Maryborough for Walgett early on Friday 27 February.  It was noted using the flight number of "MDA234".

A Few More Photos of Recent Arrivals and Departures at Rockhampton Airport

In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Marcia, there has been a wide variety of aircraft and helicopters that have - and continue to - called into Rockhampton Airport.  Local plane spotter Travis W has sent through some more great photos captured at Rockhampton Airport over the last few days.

On Tuesday 24 February, the Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY was captured making one of its many visits to Rocky and region.

Due to the rolling night-time closures of Rockhampton Airport, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQY operated a scheduled service for QantasLink into Rocky also on Tuesday 24 February.

Finally on Tuesday 24 February, the Queensland Police Service Eurocopter (MBB) BO-105 CBS-5 helicopter VH-NVK was spotted sitting on the Northern end of the Rockhampton Airport apron.  VH-NVK was noted flying over flooded areas around Biloela before it was noted landing at Rockhampton Airport.  It was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Polair 42".

Travis returned to Rockhampton Airport on Thursday 26 February and captured a couple of commercial movements, along with the three nice bizjets that called in.

A pair of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bizjets operated by the RAAF VIP 34 Squadron called in for the night.  Boeing B737-7DF(BBJ) A36-002 was first to touch down, arriving from Canberra as "Ausy 310".

The BBJ carried what looked to be a full load of passengers and cargo, including local ministers and finally, the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott who was reportedly due to visit the devastated areas North of Rockhampton at Yeppoon.

A36-002 was followed by Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 A37-001, which touched down from Sydney as "Envoy 80".

Making a three-some of bizjets, about the same time as the RAAF aircraft touched down on Thursday 26 February, Execujet Australia Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-URR also called into Rockhampton but from Brisbane.

As mentioned below, it is believed that the Challenger is being currently operated by Careflight Queensland (Aeromed) on med-evac flights.  It later departed back to Brisbane.

Sincere thanks to Travis for capturing and sending through these great photos of some great visitors to Rockhampton Airport - albeit they are visiting under rather unfortunate circumstances.

All photos taken by Travis Whiting  ©

A Couple of Bizjets into Mackay and the Whitsundays Airports Thursday

As mentioned below, Earth Commodities Cessna 550 Citation Bravo bizjet VH-CCJ called into Mackay Airport from Gladstone on Thursday 26 February.

VH-CCJ at Mackay Airport late last year  (File photo taken by 'AC'  ©)

At the time writing, the new locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ was due to arrive back home at Mackay Airport after being on display at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport via the Sunshine Coast.

Meanwhile, before dawn on Thursday 26 February, Pel-Air SAAB 340A Freighter VH-KDK touched down at Mackay Airport on its usual freight run North from Brisbane.  However on this occasion, due to Rockhampton Airport not operating at night, VH-KDK called into Bundaberg Airport on its trip North.

Finally, up the road at Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport, Mackellar Mining Equipment / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-MMC called for part of the day from Emerald.  It departed back to Emerald and home to the Sunshine Coast.  It had arrived at Emerald on Tuesday 24 February.

Thursday at Gladstone Airport - Citation Bizjet VH-CCJ - Navajo VH-PJU - Virgin E-190s VH-ZPK & VH-ZPH

Another great day of plane spotting at Gladstone Airport on Thursday 26 February with another bizjet calling in, and a pair of Virgin Australia Embraer jets touching down on scheduled services from and back to Brisbane.

File photo taken by Anthony Schulz  ©

Early on Thursday, Earth Commodities Cessna 550 Citation Bravo bizjet VH-CCJ touched down at Gladstone from Brisbane.  After around 30 minutes, it departed North to Mackay.  After some time up there, VH-CCJ then returned to Gladstone - again briefly - before returning to Brisbane.

Meanwhile, the run of larger Virgin Australia jets into the industrial city has continued with not one, but two Virgin Embraer E-190s calling into Gladstone on Thursday 26 February.  During the morning, VH-ZPK operated the VOZ1709/1712 return service from Brisbane, while late in the afternoon, VH-ZPH operated the VOZ1717/1720 return service from Brisbane.

I would assume that Virgin are flying additional passengers that may be coming to the area to assist with the post-Cyclone Marcia clean-up.

Finally, on the lighter side of the aircraft movements, Newlands Aviation / Redjet Aviation (of Toowoomba) Piper PA-31 also visited Gladstone for the day from Toowoomba.

Queensland Government Aircraft Call into Biloela / Thangool Airport Again on Thursday

On Thursday 26 February, both of the Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) aircraft - Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY and Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SGQ - visited Biloela / Thangool Airport, bringing Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and other Government officials to the devastated areas surrounding Bilo in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Marcia.

VH-SGQ and VH-SGY at Rockhampton Airport earlier in the week  (Photo taken by Ben O'Dowd  ©)

Alice Roberts / http://www.abc.net.au/

Both aircraft have visited Biloela / Thangool at other various time during this week.

VH-SGY and VH-SGQ both arrived from Brisbane.  VH-SGY returned to the capital while VH-SGQ departed to Rockhampton before returning to Brisbane later in the day.

Of interest, some smaller General Avaition (GA) aircraft have also visited Biloela / Thangool Airport in recent days including Brisbane-based Cessna 206 VH-EGG, Vanderfield (Toowoomba) Lancair IV VH-LKG and Gladstone-based Evektor Sportstar (Plus) VH-JTO.

A Walk-Around Vanderfield Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH at Mackay Airport

Making another visit into Central Queensland on Wednesday 25 February was Toowoomba-based Vanderfield Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH.  It had earlier called in from Toowoomba and Bundaberg.

After staying for most of the day, VH-WPH departed back to Bundaberg and Toowoomba.

All photos taken by 'AC'  ©

Gladstone Airport Wednesday - Embraer Legacy VH-VLT - Virgin B737-800 VH-YFK - King Air VH-WXC

A couple of lovely visitors were spotted at Gladstone Airport on Wednesday 25 February, perhaps highlighted by Marcplan Charter Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy bizjet VH-VLT touching down from Canberra.

After spending a good portion of the day on the ground, VH-VLT departed to Brisbane later in the day.

Also visiting Gladstone for the day on Wednesday 25 February was Avcair (Sutherland Aviation) Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-WXC.

Meanwhile, a nice surprise arrival into the industrial city during the morning was Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YFK which was noted operating the VOZ1709/1712 scheduled service from and back to Brisbane.

Finally, on Tuesday 24 February, Atlass Aviation Vulcanair (Partenavia) P.68C VH-KBO called in briefly from Caloundra before heading home to Rockhampton. Handel Aviation Cessna 210 VH-TEY - which performed some aerial high-resolution photography surveys over Rockhampton over the last few days departed to the Gold Coast.

Photos taken by Anthony Schulz and Col  ©

At Rockhampton Airport - Police and Government Aircraft - Alliance for QLink - Another JetGo Charter - REX SAAB from Townsville

Another couple of busy days at Rockhampton Airport in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Marcia seeing both Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) and Queensland Police Service (Airwing) aircraft, along with a couple more charter flights, bringing officials and the like to the beef capital to inspect the damage and assist with the clean-up.

http://www.facebook.com/cyclonewatchaus

On both Tuesday 24 February and Wednesday 25 February, the Government's Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY called into Rockhampton.  On both days it flew up from Brisbane and on Tuesday it returned to the capital.  On Wednesday VH-SGY departed Rocky for Biloela / Thangool Airport and Monto before returning to Brisbane.  Early indications suggest that VH-SGY may return to Rocky yet again on Thursday 26 February.

On Tuesday 24 February, the Police Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-PSU called in again also from Brisbane.  The Police Cessna 208 Caravan VH-PSY returned to its Cairns base also on Tuesday 24 February having arrived on the weekend.  Also the Police Raytheon B1900D VH-PSK was noted calling into Rocky twice on Wednesday 25 February during yet another busy day of flying.

Some slightly larger aircraft have also been noted calling into Rockhampton Airport on charter flights including - for the second time this week - a JetGo Australia Embraer E-135LR.  On Wednesday 25 February, VH-JTG was noted operating a return flight into Rocky from and back to Cairns as JG91/92.

Also calling in from Far North Queensland on Wednesday 25 February was Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340B VH-ZLV which operated a return flight from and back to Townsville as RXA9507/9506.

Finally, presumably due to Rockhampton limited to daytime operations, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-QQY operated to the beef capital for QantasLink late on Tuesday 24 February as UTY2636/2637.

Queensland Government Aircraft Visit Flood-hit Areas Surrounding Biloela

Devastating flooding has hit parts of Central Queensland including in the town of Jambin, which is South of Rockhampton, West of Gladstone and near Biloela.  As a result, the Queensland Government Airwing (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY and Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-SGQ have both visited Biloela / Thangool Airport over the course of Monday 23 February and Tuesday 24 February.

File photo taken by 'IAD'  ©

VH-SGY called in for most of the day on Monday, while VH-SGQ called in from another flood-hit town, Gympie.  Both aircraft departed back to Brisbane.

Meanwhile, a couple of other light General Aviation (GA) aircraft have been noted calling into Bilo with Edwards Coaches Cessna 441 VH-OXY calling in from Moura on Tuesday 24 February.  Also it is believed that a pair of Basair Australia Piper PA-28-161 Cherokees VH-LXQ and VH-LXJ called in from the South-East corner also on Tuesday.

Vanuatu Registered Islander YJ-AL3 (ex Barrier Aviation VH-BSL) Spotted at Mackay Airport

A great little visitor has been spotted at Mackay Airport early on Tuesday 24 February with Vanuatu-registered Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-20 Islander YJ-AL3 photographed as it prepared for departure to Archerfield.

It had arrived late on Monday 23 February from Mareeba, where I photographed the Islander in storage late last year, following the collapse of its former operator Barrier Aviation.

It appears that the Islander - which as shown is fitted with additional ferry fuel tanks - had a problem with this system and was forced to land at Mackay to take on additional fuel before continuing to Archerfield.

It would appear that the Island will now be prepared for an operator in Vanuatu.

All photos taken by 'AC'  ©