Crown Melbourne Bombardier Global Express XRS Bizjet VH-CCX at Hamilton Island and Mackay Airports - Plus More!

Another day, another couple of nice corporate bizjets to be photographed and noted visiting Hamilton Island and Mackay Airports.

On Friday 4 October, Crown Melbourne (Crown Hotels) Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS bizjet VH-CCX was noted arriving into Hamilton Island Airport from Melbourne (Essendon).  It then flew down to Mackay Airport where it was photographed parked up and appearing to be staying for at least the night.

Meanwhile, also on Friday 4 October, Avcair (Avgunn) LearJet 60 bizjet VH-ILJ was also noted visiting Hamilton Island Airport.  The sleek Learjet arrived from and later departed back to Brisbane.

Of interest, the visiting Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-XWR, which arrived on Thursday 3 October as UTY550 from Brisbane, remains parked at Hamilton Island Airport.

As does Corporate Aviation Bell 429 Global Ranger helicopter VH-EQP which arrived into Hamo from its Southport base via Gladstone Airport last Saturday 28 September.

Finally, over at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport, Darwin-based Lloyd Aviation Jet Charter Dassault Falcon 900 bizjet VH-PPD remains parked.  As mentioned below, on Thursday 3 October, it arrived into Prosie from Hamilton Island Airport, after it had earlier arrived from Melbourne (Essendon).

At the time of writing, it appears that on Saturday 5 October, VH-PPD will return to Hamilton Island Airport before heading back to Essendon.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters 'JM' and James K for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

Photos taken by 'JM' and James Kirk  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2019 - Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules '734' Calls into Rockhampton Airport

As the Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2019 continues, on Friday 4 October, Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport aircraft '734' was spotted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Darwin as "SAF9966".

File photo

After parking on the Northern end of the Rockhampton Airport apron, it was closed up and looked to be staying for at least the night.

There were originally reports that a RSAF Herc would be based at Rockhampton Airport during the Exercise so this could possibly be the one!  (Otherwise, '734' could depart Rocky for Darwin early on Saturday 5 October.)

UPDATE!  The RSAF Herc '734' has remained at Rocky and has began operating sorties to Shoalwater Bay and back to Rockhampton Airport.  It has been heard using the radio callsign of "Rider" during one of its sorties during the day.

Of interest, the Herc is one of six C-130H aircraft which are flown by the RSAF's 122 Squadron "Condors" based at the Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) in Singapore.

The squadron goes by the motto of "Dependable".

Photo taken by Russell Prothero  ©

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 VH-NUU 'Pink Lady' (Finally) Calls into CQ Airports Operating for Virgin Australia Airlines

On Friday 4 October, and just over a month after entering service, Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 jet VH-NUU finally operated flights into Central Queensland Airports on behalf of Virgin Australia Airlines.

It was first noted flying into Gladstone Airport operating the VOZ2905/2904 service from and back to Brisbane before it was then photographed above at Bundaberg Airport soon after arriving also from Brisbane but as VOZ2973.  It later returned to the capital as VOZ2972.

As this post is being written, VH-NUU has just landed back to Brisbane from Emerald Airport where it looked to complete the scheduled VOZ1265/1266 service from and back to Brisbane also on behalf of Virgin Australia Airlines.

As we posted below, VH-NUU looked to complete its first 'commercial' flight for Alliance Airlines back on Monday 3 September when it completed the weekly UTY4078/4079 Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flight into Emerald Airport from and back to Brisbane via the Sunshine Coast.

As can be seen and as mentioned, Alliance Airlines is continuing its partnership with Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) by operating this specially themed Fokker F-70 VH-NUU in full BCNA colours - supporting Australians affected by breast cancer.  The distinctively coloured F-70 named 'Pink Lady' has been designed by Lila Design in Tilburg, The Netherlands (EU).

VH-NUU will surely attract some attention during its work flying around regional Australia.  More about BCNA at:  http://www.bcna.org.au

Photo taken by Isaac S  ©

Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) (Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd) Bombardier Challenger 604 Bizjet VH-XNE Pops into Mackay Airport

On Thursday 3 September, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) (Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd) Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-XNE was spotted on the ground at Mackay Airport.

It looked to call into Mackay Airport at the completion of a flight from Cairns which lasted just over three hours and took the Challenger over Palm Island and then to a position inland from Mackay.  VH-XNE appeared to be using its registration as its radio callsign rather than the usual "Rescue" callsign.

After almost an hour on the ground, VH-XNE returned directly to Cairns.

As we've previously reported, Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd (Cobham) was contracted in 2014 to provide a new new search and rescue agreement for AMSA using four Bombardier Challenger CL-604 bizjets from late 2016 for a period of 12 years.

Photo taken by 'JM'  ©

A Couple of Corporate Bizjets and Commercial Charter Flights Touch Down at Hamilton Island and Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airports

It was a very busy day over at Hamilton Island Airport on Thursday 3 October with a nice mix of corporate bizjets and a pair of commercial aircraft charter flights all touching down at the Great Barrier Reef Airport.

Darwin-based Lloyd Aviation Jet Charter Dassault Falcon 900 bizjet VH-PPD was noted touching down at Hamo from Melbourne (Essendon).  It then positioned across to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport where it appears to be being parked.

VH-PPD at Mackay Airport last week  (File photo)

While Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY departed Hamilton Island Airport for Miles Airport (visiting twice) and Roma Airport before it then headed to the Gold Coast and back to Melbourne (Essendon).  VH-WMY has had a couple of busy days, originally departing Essendon at the start of the week - see Blog post below.

Meanwhile, a couple of interesting commercial aircraft were also noted calling into Hamilton Island Airport on Thursday 3 October with Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 VH-XWR noted arriving from Brisbane on what appears to be a closed charter flight as UTY550.  At the time of writing, it appears to be still parked on Hamo.

While Pel Air / Regional Express (REX) SAAB 340B VH-ZRB was noted also seemingly completing a closed charter flight in and out of Hamilton Island Airport, also arriving from Brisbane as PFY9882, but then later returning to the capital as PFY9281.

Finally, it's worth noting that very late on Wednesday 2 October, and into the wee small hours of Thursday 3 October, LifeFlight (Aeromed) Bombardier Challenger 604 bizjet VH-URR "Ambulance 604" flew into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport from Brisbane.  It then flew down to Mackay Airport before returning to Brisbane.

Photo taken by 'JM'  ©

Avcair (Earth Commodities) Cessna 550 Citation Bravo Bizjet VH-CCJ Back Again at Bundaberg Airport

On Wednesday 2 October, Avcair (Earth Commodities) Cessna 550 Citation Bravo bizjet VH-CCJ was noted calling into Bundaberg Airport yet again.  It arrived from Coffs Harbour in New South Wales.  VH-CCJ had flown down there from Bundaberg Airport on Saturday 28 September - see Blog post below.

File photo

After spending the night at Bundy once again, VH-CCJ was noted completing a return flight to Toowoomba and back on Thursday 3 October.

It remains parked at Bundaberg Airport.

UPDATE!  On Friday 4 October, VH-CCJ completed a return flight to Brisbane and back to Bundberg Airport.

Photo taken by Dan B  ©

Brisbane-based Cessna 560 Citation V Encore Bizjet VH-ACC Pops into CQ Airports This Week

Over the course of this week, Australian Country Choice Properties (Brisbane) Cessna 560 Citation V Encore bizjet VH-ACC has been noted visiting some Central Queensland Airports.

File photo

On Monday 30 September, VH-ACC was noted arriving into Roma Airport from its Archerfield base.  Then on Tuesday 1 October, VH-ACC departed Roma Airport and visited several small strips - including Wellclose and Clara Creek / Dungowan.  Finally, on Thursday 3 October, VH-ACC popped into more small strip - including Dooloogarah - before it called into Roma Airport and returned 'home' to Archerfield.

New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Cessna 208B VH-TFV "Park Air 6" at Central Queensland Airport

Making what appears to possibly be an annual flight into Central and North-West Queensland on Wednesday 2 October was the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Textron Aviation (Cessna) 208B Caravan VH-TFV "Park Air 6". 

VH-TFV at Adelaide Airport in April this year  (File photo)

It looked to initially fly at low level up from the Sunshine Coast to Gladstone Airport via airwork around Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.  After a stop at Gladstone Airport, VH-TFV looked to continue North and landed at Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport.

Of interest, VH-TFV has only recently been registered to New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife (New South Wales State Government) and replaces fellow Cessna 208 Caravan VH-TWX which visited CQ last year - as pictured below.

File photo

UPDATE!  Over the course of the rest of the week, it appears that VH-TFV "Park Air 6" continued out to Mount Isa with it noted arriving there on Thursday 3 October and departing back towards the coast on Friday 4 October.  On Sunday 6 October, VH-TFV passed through Rockhampton Airport and appeared to be returning to New South Wales.

Photos taken by Tony Haynes and Paul Tyler  ©

The Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra Bizjet VH-PSU Spotted at Charleville Airport

After around a month tucked up in the hangar, on Monday 30 September, the Queensland Police Service (Airwing) (State of Queensland) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra bizjet VH-PSU was back in the air and back in Central Queensland.  It was photographed at Charleville Airport soon after it arrived from Brisbane and Roma Airport.

After some time on the ground, VH-PSU then continued to Longreach Airport where it spent the night.

Then on Tuesday 1 October, VH-PSU continued from Longreach Airport to Emerald Airport and then Mackay Airport.

At the time of writing, VH-PSU appears to be staying for the night in the sugar city.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 2 October, VH-PSU departed Mackay Airport for Rockhampton Airport and Gladstone Airport.  It then returned to Brisbane.

Sincere thanks to local plane spotter Zac F for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

All photos taken by Zac Fitzgerald  ©️

Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 Bizjet VH-WMY Calls into Various CQ Airports Again This Week

Over the last couple of days, Mitchell Water Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY has been yet again noted visiting a few Central Queensland Airports during another couple of busy days of flying.

File photo

On Monday 30 September, it was noted arriving into Miles Airport from its Melbourne (Moorabbin) base via Melbourne (Essendon).  VH-WMY then flew up direct to Hamilton Island Airport where it looked to spend the night.

Then on Tuesday 1 October, VH-WMY departed Hamilton Island Airport for Charters Towers Aerodrome before it later headed to Archerfield where it looked to be spending the night.

UPDATE!  On Wednesday 2 October, VH-WMY departed Archerfield and was noted calling into Miles, Clermont and Charters Towers Airports before it then flew into Hamilton Island Airport.

UPDATE!  On Thursday 3 October, VH-WMY departed Hamilton Island Airport for Miles Airport (twice) and Roma Airport before it then headed to the Gold Coast and Essendon.

Photo taken by 'AC'  ©