Some Super Shots From Gladstone Airport Last Weekend!

Despite the inclement weather - and a family emergency - Jamie C has still managed to capture some fantastic photos of some recent action from late last week and over the weekend at Gladstone Airport.

On Friday 25 May - and in absolutely pouring rain - Jamie caught a visiting SOCATA TBM 700 in form of VH-ICA.  This aircraft is registered to Dromahair at Tamworth in New South Wales, and actually a frequent visitor to Central Queensland!

Also spotted was Raytheon 1900D VH-PSK.  Again this aircraft is very much a regular all over Central Queensland, as it operated for the Queensland Police Airwing and ferries mostly criminals and police all over Queensland to attend court hearings and the like.

One last photo Jamie managed to take on Friday was of QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 Next Gen VH-LQB moments after rotation from Gladstone's Runway 10.  The spectacular image below show what can happen on a wet and humid day - lovely prop-tip vortices as the Dash-8 powers into the air!

On Saturday 26 May, an interesting visitor in the form of Skytrans Airlines Dash-8-100 VH-QQL popped into Gladstone Airport twice.  Sources indicate that VH-QQL operated a charter flying Brisbane-Gladstone-Cairns-Gladstone-Cairns. 

The photo below with VH-QQL parked on the upper part of the Gladstone Airport apron also shows the new apron lighting which was recently installed - although obviously not yet turned on!

Lastly, on Sunday 27 May, a lovely Eurocopter EC135 P2+ - VH-VJB - called into the Airport.  This chopper was a long way from home, normally based at Melbourne's Moorabbin Airport with MicroFlite Helicopters.

Also on Sunday, Jamie captured a couple of lovely photos of QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXQ as it called into Gladstone Airport from Brisbane.

Thanks Jamie!

And More From The Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show at Raglan Last Weekend

Yet more photos from the Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show from Saturday 26 May.  This time, they are from Ben O.  He writes that there are his favourites!

I think Ben really enjoyed the interesting and varied helicopters that flew in - especially the large choppers from McDermott Aviation - who flew in three choppers including Aerospatiale 365N4 (Eurocopter EC155B) N155LJ and Aerospatiale 365N2 Dauphin 2 N365JL. 

As mentioned, the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service Sikorsky S-76A VH-JRD also made an appearance.

And of course MIG-15 VH-DIE which put on spectacular show before landing at the "Old Station" farm for the last time ever.

Thanks mate! Great photos!

Meanwhile, What a Fantastic Saturday at Rockhampton Airport!

For those spotters who decided not to go to the Old Station fly-in, they were rewarded with some spectacular action at Rockhampton Airport on Saturday 26 May.

Around mid-morning, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-208 arrived at Rockhampton Airport from Amberley as "Stallion 60".

This meant that there were two of the massive transport aircraft on the ground at Rockhampton Airport at the same time, as A41-209 was still parked on the military hardstand - as shown below.

Both A41-208 and then A41-209 later departed to Darwin.

Also arriving into Rockhampton Airport on Saturday 26 May was RAAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules A97-004.  The Hercules also arrived from Amberley, but as "Trojan 70".  It also later departed.

One other notable movement was the visit of Qantas Airways Boeing B737-800 VH-VXF.  It arrived from Brisbane as QF6102, and later departed to Darwin as QF1350.

  

  

Thanks guys - especially for braving the weather!

The Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show - A Fantastic Way to Spend a Saturday!

The Old Station Fly-in and Heritage Show at Raglan went ahead on Saturday 26 May, this was despite a day of almost continuous rain on Friday.  The day was hosted by the Creed Family and the Old Station Flying Club.

Conditions were a little wet under foot, but the weather improved during Saturday, and by the end of the day, the sky was clearing, and around 40 aircraft had either visited or parked for the night, with most of their owners pitching their tents near their aircraft.

The day also included a heritage and truck show, with some of the latest, and of course much older, trucks and other machinery.

Throughout the afternoon, there was the ever popular tractor pulling competition with new and old machinery on display.

We'll take a closer look at some of the visiting aircraft that arrived and were on display during the day in later Blog posts this week, but here is a taste of some of the fantastic aviation action.

Des Porter's lovely old De Havilland DH-84 Dragon arrived during the morning and operated 15-minute joyflights throughout the day - both Shane T and myself grabbed seats on one of these flights!

As the day was drawing the a close, Mikoyan MIG-15UTI VH-DIE arrived at the Old Station farm Airstrip.  The MIG was operating its last ever flight before being retired and displayed by the Creed Family at the Old Station farm.  It put a short, but very spectacular show, before landing and parking.  It was certainly a popular attraction for those enthusiasts who stayed late into the day!

All up, it was a great day, and even better was that all proceeds from the day - from admissions, food and drink sales, and the joyflights - will aid the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service.