RAAF Challenger 604 Bizjet A37-001 and Army Blackhawk A25-224 Also at Rockhampton Airport Saturday

Also spotted at Rockhampton Airport on Saturday 8 November was a nice pair of Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft including Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Canadair CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet A37-001.

The Challenger reportedly arrived directly from Canberra and, after a brief stop at Rocky, returned to the Nations capital.  A37-001 - flying as "Envoy 59" - was also seen performing a missed approach at Tamworth prior to landing at Canberra.

It is believed that A37-001 may have dropped off dignitaries that were then flown to the Shoalwater Bay Training Area on board three Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)  Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS332M Super Puma helicopters.

It is also believed that A37-001 returned to Rocky later on Saturday from Canberra and departed back there a short while later.  This time is was flying as "Envoy 75".

Also at Rocky on Saturday 8 November, Australian Army Sikorsky S-70A-9 Blackhawk helicopter A25-224 called in.

Flying as "Warhorse 224", the Blackhawk took on fuel at Rocky before departing South to Bundaberg.

Thanks to Kayanne H and Trevor H for also capturing these great photos!

Photos taken by Kayanne Hardsman and Trevor Hardsman  ©

A Couple of Photos from the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) Family Fun Open Day at Rockhampton Airport Saturday

As we've mentioned, the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue service (CHRS) "Family Fun Open Day" was held at its Rockhampton Airport facility on Saturday 8 November.

The day was held in conjunction with Rescue Chopper Day and gave a fabulous opportunity to not only meet the wonderful staff but take a closer look at the locally-based Bell 412EP VH-EPR and supporting facilities.

It was also interesting to note that the operational spare for CHRS and CQ Rescue - Bell 412 VH-LSY - was also parked nearby - along with the 'resident' Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopters parked at Rockhampton Airport.

Sincere thanks to Trevor H for sending through these great photos!

All photos taken by Trevor Hardsman  ©

A Few Other Movements from the Fraser Coast Airports This Week

A few light aircraft movements have captured my attention calling into Fraser Coast Airports over the last week.

Seair Cessna 208 Caravans VH-LMZ and VH-LYT have called into Maryborough and Hervey Bay Airports at various times operating Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights to and from Middlemount and Theodore.  Seair's Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A Islander VH-RUT was also noted calling into Hervey Bay Airport on Thursday 6 November.

In fact, the Hervey Bay / Fraser Coast Airport has seen a few other interesting General Aviation (GA) movements including a pair of Australian Wings (Flying) Academy (Gold Coast) Diamond Aircraft Industries DA40-D aircraft VH-YHL and VH-YHM.

Cirrus SR20 VH-SRL and Cirrus SR22 VH-UAG also called into Hervey Bay, along with Maryborough-based Beech A36 Bonanza VH-KEY.

Piper PA-46R-350T Malibu VH-UPY of Maroochy Air had a busy day of flying on Thursday 6 November, noted a Hervey Bay twice, along with Mackay and Hamilton Island.  Also Basair (of Bankstown) Cessna 172 VH-ZSD called in on Thursday, while on Tuesday 4 November, Toowoomba-based Beech G58 Baron VH-OMS called into Hervey Bay twice during a busy days flying where it also called into Gladstone and Rockhampton.

Alan MacDonald / http://flightaware.com/

Finally, it's worth mentioning that in Bundaberg, General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) AeroCommander 500-S aircraft VH-MEH and VH-UJI operated the week-daily freight run through Bundy, Maryborough and Gayndah, while Queensland Police Service (Airwing) Raytheon B1900D VH-PSK called into Bundy during a busy day of flying on Friday 7 November.

A busy week!

Additional file photos taken by David Geck  ©

Former Singapore Flying College Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-SQY Back at Maryborough Airport Friday

After visiting briefly earlier in the week, former Singapore Flying College Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-SQY has called into Maryborough Airport again on Friday 7 November.

As with its visit on Wednesday 5 November, VH-SQY arrived from and departed back to the Sunshine Coast.

Sincere thanks to David G at Maryborough for sharing these great photos of a great little bizjet movement!

All photos taken by David Geck  ©

Flight Options Cessna Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-PWX at Mackay and Rockhampton Airports Friday

On Friday 7 November, Special Mining Services / Flight Options (Australia) Cessna 510 Citation Mustang bizjet VH-PWX was noted calling into Mackay Airport from Bankstown.

File photo

After a couple of hours, VH-PWX departed to Rockhampton.  After another couple of hours, VH-PWX departed to Archerfield and the Gold Coast.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 7 November, the pair of visiting bizjets at Rockhampton Airport - Light Jets Australia Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 VH-TFW and Raytheon 390 Premier 1 N7088S - both departed the beef capital.

VH-TFW flew to Archerfield while N7088S flew South to Bankstown.

Photos taken by 'AC' and 'IAD'  ©

A Couple of Lighties also at Gladstone Airport on Friday

As well as the JetGo route proving flight into Gladstone Airport on Friday 7 November - see Blog post below - there were also a couple of interesting light General Aviation (GA) aircraft to call into Gladstone Airport.

File photo

A frequent visitor to Central Queensland called in for a visit with Papam Cessna 402B VH-RLX arriving from Archerfield. On previous occasions, this aircraft has conducted aerial survey and photography flights over Gladstone.

Brisbane-based Cessna 340 VH-LKM also called into Gladstone from Archerfield on Friday. It did however return to Archerfield later in the day.

Finally, of note on Wednesday 5 November, J.M. Kelly (Project Builders) Cessna 310 VH-FFA called in twice while flying from Rockhampton to Bundaberg and back, via the industrial city.

All Sytems Go as JetGo E-135 VH-JZG Completes a Successful Route Proving Flight to Gladatone Airport

On Friday 7 November JetGo Australia Embraer E-135 VH-JZG operated a successful route proving flight from Sydney to Gladstone Airport as JG91.

File photo taken by Dave  ©

After a couple of hours on the ground and after competing ground handling trials - including issuing boarding passes and loading the aircraft - VH-JZG departed back to Sydney as JG92.

Scheduled JetGo services from Sydney to Gladstone are due to start on Monday 1 December.

Meanwhile, JetGo services from Sydney to Roma Airport are due to commence this Monday 10 November.

Of interest, JetGo has also announced the launch of scheduled devices from Brisbane to Tamworth in early 2015.

We wish JetGo all the very best for the start of these new services!

Stunning Photos of Cap Rescue Bell 412EP VH-EPR at "Roll The Dice Charity Bike Ride" at Emu Park - Plus Rescue Chopper Day This Saturday

Rockhampton plane spotter Phil M travelled to sea-side Emu Park on the Capricorn Coast in mid-September and has captured and sent through some stunning photos of the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) / Australian Helicopters Bell 412EP VH-EPR as it completed a water winching training exercise.

The exercise came at the completion of  the "Roll The Dice Charity Bike Ride" at Emu Park.  The "Roll The Dice Charity Bike Ride" is a motorcycle event designed to not only help raise funds to support the CHRS, but to place road safety - particularly the interaction between motor vehicles and motorcycles - in focus.

Departing from 'Keppel Coast Kustoms', the ride took in locations such as Byfield, Cawarral and Keppel Sands before finishing approximately 200km later at Emu Park, where a short while later, VH-EPR performed a water winch training display adjacent to the surf lifesaving club.

Finally, a reminder that both the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) and Central Queensland Rescue Helicopter Service (CQ Rescue) will both be hosting open days as a part of "Rescue Chopper Day" on Saturday 8 November.

The CHRS "Family Fun Open Day" will be held at its Rockhampton Airport facility between 10.00am - 2.00pm on Saturday.  It will provide a fabulous opportunity to not only meet the wonderful staff but take a closer look at VH-EPR and supporting facilities.

And up the road at Mackay Airport, CQ Rescue will be hosting a similar "Community Open Day" at it their base hangar on Saturday between 9.00am - 11.00am also allowing the general public to take a closer look at the facilities and helicopter VH-CQJ.

A massive thanks to Phil M for capturing and sending through these truly stunning photos!

All photos taken by Phil M  ©

ExecuJet Challenger 604 Bizjet VH-URR in Qld Health Ebola Test run of Patient Transfer from Roma Airport to Brisbane

I noted with great interest that Execujet Australia Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-URR called into Roma Airport on Wednesday 5 November during a test of Queensland Health's ability to fly an Ebola patient to Brisbane.

On TV News stories, VH-URR was also noted to be carrying Careflight Queensland titles.

The successful exercise saw Queensland Health transfer a person from Roma who said they had Ebola symptoms.  The 'patient' was transferred from Roma through to the infectious diseases ward in Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Photos captured from Channel 7 News Brisbane