Torres Strait Air Islander VH-URJ Back at Mackay Airport - Plus a Couple of Other Lighties

Noted heading back North to Cairns from Archerfield via Mackay Airport on Thursday 24 March was Torres Strait Air Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander VH-URJ.  It had flown South via Mackay last Sunday 20 March.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday 24 March, the familiar sight of Wolff Aviation Hawker Beechcraft C90GTi VH-VWG also called into Mackay Airport but from its Toowoomba base.

And finally, a couple of locally-based light General Aviation (GA) aircraft in the form of Mooney M20J VH-TWV and Piper PA-23-250 Aztec VH-NCS both arrived 'home' from Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast also on Thursday 24 March.

File photo

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Nice!

NetJets (AusJet) Cessna 501 Citation I/SP Bizjet VH-FUM Calls into Hamilton Island and Mackay Airports

NetJets (Australasian Jet) Cessna 501 Citation I/SP bizjet VH-FUM was noted visiting Hamilton Island Airport and then Mackay Airport on Thursday 24 March.

Robert Myers / http://flightaware.com/

It initially flew into Hamo from its Melbourne (Essendon) base and Charleville before (I suspect) positioning down to Mackay Airport where it looks to be staying.

Meanwhile, it's worth noting that the Queensland Government Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY arrived into Mackay Airport before dawn on Thursday 24 March from Brisbane.  It departed back to the capital around mid-morning.

And finally, the locally-based Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ arrived back in Mackay from Brisbane on Tuesday 22 March.  It had flown South around a week earlier.

Careflight Agusta Westland AW139 VH-XIJ "Rescue 533" Spotted at Gladstone Airport Wednesday

Making a surprise visit to Gladstone Airport late on Wednesday 23 March was Careflight Agusta Westland AW139 helicopter VH-XIJ.  The newest chopper in the Careflight fleet is based at Brisbane Airport and flew North initially landing at Gladstone Hospital before popping over the Gladstone Airport for fuel.

After taking on fuel, VH-XIJ was noted departing to the Nambour Hospital Heli-pad on the Sunshine Coast.  It was heard to be using the radio callsign "Rescue 533" which its sistership VH-XIH has also been noted using in the past.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that earlier on Wednesday 23 March, Bundaberg-based Careflight Agusta A109E Power VH-ZCF - "Rescue 522" - may have also paid Gladstone Airport a visit, although this is not confirmed.

Thanks to Col at Gladstone Airport for sending through these great photos!

All photos taken by Col  ©

A Few Interesting Light GA Aircraft Also at Fraser Coast Airports This Week

As well as the beaut New Zealand Air Ambulance Nextant 400TXi bizjet ZK-NXJ visiting Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport, there have also been a couple of interesting light General Aviation (GA) aircraft to also call in.

On Wednesday 23 March Seair Pacific (Istlecote) Cessna 208 Caravan VH-LMZ was noted departing Hervey Bay on a Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight to Wanella Station near Coppabella.  It later flew to Maryborough before being later noted returning to the Gold Coast from Lady Elliot Island via Redcliffe.

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UPDATE!  It appears that on Thursday 24 March (and maybe again on Friday 25 March) fellow Seair Cessna 208 Caravan VH-TWX was noted calling into Hervey Bay from the Gold Coast.

Also on Wednesday 23 March, Redjet Aviation Piper PA-31 Navajo VH-PJU had a busy day of flying, departing its Toowoomba base and flying to Archerfield and then Hervey Bay before continuing North to Rockhampton (where it was spotted by Kayanne H).

After a few hours on the ground it returned South over the same route.

VH-PJU also called into Hervey Bay from Toowoomba on Tuesday 22 March.

Also on Tuesday 22 March, Seair Cessna 208 Caravan VH-TQW called into Hervey Bay, as did Maroochy Air Cessna 182 VH-TOE and  Flight One (Services) Cirrus SR22 VH-VGG.  While on Monday 21 March Sunshine Coast based Cirrus SR22 VH-YRH called in.

Finally, also on Monday 21 March, colourful Brisbane-based Cessna 414A VH-FCZ visited Maryborough Airport for part of the day from its Archerfield base.

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Busy times!

Photos taken by Brendan Berry, Kayanne Hardsman and 'IAD'  ©

More Great Photos as New Zealand Air Ambulance Nextant 400TXi Bizjet ZK-NXJ Departs Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport

Local plane spotter Ben M was again on the scene (only just!) at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport on Wednesday 23 March, this time as the visiting  New Zealand Air Ambulance (Skyline Aviation) Nextant Aerospace 400TXi bizjet ZK-NXJ departed back to the Gold Coast and Auckland.

The smart little bizjet had arrived the previous day on what looked to be a medevac flight from New Zealand.

Sincere thanks to Ben for taking the time to capture and share with us his great photos of what is most likely the most spectacular aircraft movement into the Fraser Coast region for some time!

All photos taken by Ben May  ©

A Couple of Nice Light GA Aircraft at Emerald Airport so far This Week

Over the last couple of days a few nice light General Aviation (GA) aircraft have been noted calling into Emerald Airport from various parts.

On Tuesday 22 March, Sundown Pastoral Company (of Bonogin in the Gold Coast Hinterland) Raytheon B300 Super King Air VH-NSI called in from Keytah Airport in New South Wales.

Kyle Mayne / https://flightaware.com/

The Super King Air started its day at its Gold Coast base and returned there later on Tuesday.

Also visiting Emerald Airport on Tuesday 22 March was recently registered Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-DNG of "Bullawarrie" in Mungindi in New South Wales.  It flew in from Melbourne (Essendon) and Goondiwindi.  After spending most of the day on the ground, it returned to Goondiwindi later in the day.

On Monday 21 March, Brescon Beech B200 King Air VH-WXN operated from Brisbane into Emerald and then Clermont before returning to Emerald and Brisbane later in the day.  It then positioned back to its Toowoomba base a little later still.

Also on Monday 21 March, Toowoomba-based Wolff Aviation Hawker Beechcraft C90GTi VH-VWG was noted flying from Emerald to Rockhampton before returning South.

Over the last couple of days, General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) AeroCommander 500-S VH-UJU has again operated the Emerald to Barcaldine to Longreach and back freight rotation flights in place of the collapsed Advance Aviation - see more HERE.

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And finally, on Sunday 20 March, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-XWO appeared to operate a scheduled service into Emerald Airport from and back to Brisbane on behalf of QantasLink as UTY2600/UTY2601.

New Zealand Air Ambulance (Skyline Aviation) Nextant 400TXi Bizjet ZK-NXJ Medevac into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport

Certainly an interesting arrival into Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport on Tuesday 22 March with New Zealand Air Ambulance (Skyline Aviation) Nextant Aerospace 400TXi bizjet ZK-NXJ calling in from the Gold Coast.

Local plane spotter Ben M was on hand and captured some great photos as the sleek bizjet touched down on what appeared to be a medevac flight.  After it was parked, a patient was off-loaded on a stretcher and loaded in a waiting ambulance.

The Nextant 400TXi is a re-manufactured Beechjet 400A jet and ZK-NXJ is operated by Skyline Aviation Ltd of Napier for the New Zealand Air Ambulance service.  It appears that it mostly operates around the Hawkes Bay area and other parts of New Zealand, but it also flys to various parts of the South Pacific including Australia.

On Tuesday 22 March, ZK-NXJ started its day by flying from Auckland to Dunedin before it cross the Tasman Sea and called into the Gold Coast.  After appearing to clear Customs and Border Security requirements, it then flew North to Hervey Bay.

At the time of writing, ZK-NXJ appears to be still parked at Hervey Bay.

Finally, Ben also shared a link to a great video on YouTube that profiles the New Zealand Air Ambulance Service and Skyline Aviation.  Check out the video at:  https://youtu.be/zFuBYLZZGyw

Sincere thanks to Ben for taking the time to capture and share these great photos from Hervey Bay!

All photos taken by Ben May  ©

Executive Airlines Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign Bizjet VH-EXG Back at Hamilton Island Airport Tuesday

A fortnight after its last visit, Melbourne Air Holdings (Executive Airlines) Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-EXG popped into Hamilton Island Airport again on Tuesday 22 March.

File photo taken by the FNQ Skies Blog  ©

It arrived from its Melbourne (Essendon) Airport base and looked to depart to Brisbane.

Another Australian Army Tiger ARH Helicopter Calls into Rockhampton Airport Heading North as "Sniper 11"

On Monday 21 March, another Australian Army Eurocopter (ARH) Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter was noted calling into Rockhampton Airport for fuel.

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Like the two Tigers that called in the previous day - see Blog Post HERE - this single Tiger flew into Rocky from the South and later departed North to Townsville.

Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain the serial number of the Tiger, but local spotters did hear that it was using the radio callsign of "Sniper 11".

Meanwhile, later on Monday 21 March, yet another Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Beech B350 Super King Air was noted conducting a missed approach at Rockhampton Airport.  On this occasion, A32-349 was noted overhead Rocky after flying North from the Gold Coast.  It departed further North to Townsville.  The Super King Air was heard using the radio callsign of "Hudson 7".

Nice Whitsunday Airport Bizjet Visitors Depart on Monday - G6 N47TR & Eclipse N570RG

The nice pair of bizjets that called into the Whitsundays over the last couple of days have departed to separate locations on Monday 21 March.

Perhaps the nicest of the bizjets was the beautifully presented AVWest Aviation Gulfstream Aerospace G-VI Gulfstream G650 bizjet N47TR, looked to depart Hamilton Island Airport towards the South late morning on Monday.

File photo taken by 'AC'  ©

N47TR had arrived into Hamilton Island Airport late on Friday 18 March from Sydney.

Meanwhile, the cute little American-registered Eclipse EA500 bizjet N570RG which had arrived into Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport on Saturday 19 March, also departed late morning on Monday but to the Gold Coast.

UPDATE!  As suspected, N570RG looks to be heading to New Zealand with it planned to fly to Norfolk Island and Auckland on Tuesday 22 March.

Finally, its worth mentioning that on Sunday 20 March, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra Bizjet VH-PSU visited Gladstone Airport for a part of the day.  It arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane.