Challenger 605 B-LOL at Hamilton Island Airport - Plus Some Other Bizjets Around Central Queensland

Macau-based Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 605 bizjet B-LOL arrived into Hamilton Island Airport from Sydney on Friday 26 October.  It had earlier flown in from Kota Kinabalu and Perth.  It is no stranger to Australian skies, with B-LOL photographed in Cairns in May on the Far North Queensland Skies Blog - LINK.

Meanwhile, other bizjet movements in Central Queensland this week included Cessna 550 Citation Bravo bizjet VH-CCJ, visited Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone (where it is shown below), and Bundaberg Airports over Monday 22 October and Tuesday 23 October.

Also arriving into Gladstone Airport on Monday 22 October was the Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY.  It is pictured departing back to Brisbane on Tuesday 23 October.

The Queensland Police Service (Airwing) Cessna 560 Citation Ultra VH-PSU has again had a busy week, with it noted at Rockhampton Airport at least three times this week.

Very late on Thursday 25 October, Aeromil Pacific Cessna 560 Citation Ultra VH-SJP (file photo below) arrived at Rockhampton Airport from the Sunshine Coast.  It departed almost straight back there in the wee small hours of Friday 26 October.

Local Cessna Citations VH-JMK and VH-ZGP have also been noted flying into Rockhampton and Mackay Airports.  J.M. Kelly (Project Builders) Cessna 550 Citation II VH-JMK flew into Rockhampton from the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday 23 October.  It then flew to Brisbane and back to Rockhampton on Wednesday 24 October.

Meanwhile, Cessna 525 Citation CJ2 VH-ZGP departed Mackay for Rockhampton and then Brisbane on Wednesday 24 October.  It then returned to Mackay from Brisbane via Rockhampton on Friday 26 October.

Lastly, its worth mentioning that on Saturday 27 October, Adelaide-based Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 VH-TFW popped into Emerald Airport, arriving from Canberra and later departing to Cairns.

A Few More Photos the NORRA-Aus Fly-In at Monto Aerodrome

As we have featured in the Blog earlier this month, recreational aviators and aviation enthusiasts alike gathered at Monto Aerodrome over the Queen's Birthday long weekend to attend the second biennial NORRA-Aus Fly-In.

Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) in conjunction with the surrounding community, North Burnett Regional Council, and local Clubs, combined Recreational Aviation-Leisure-Agriculture-Historical into a spectacular three-day event.  Ash B travelled from Rockhampton, and on the Saturday morning, he managed to capture a few lovely photos of some of the visiting and participating aircraft as they arrived into Monto under sunny skies.

A couple of the aircraft that we can have a closer look at included:

Tecnam P2006T VH-SWJ.

Tecnam P-92S Tail Dragger VH-VET.

Striking yellow Aeroprakt A22-LS Foxbat 24-7963

Jabiru J-250 19-7621.

'Amphibious' looking Seamax M22 24-7703

Jabiru J170-D 24-7289

Take a look through the Blog for more of our coverage and photos of the NORRA-Aus Fly-In at Monto Aerodrome, and watch out for a future 'Historic Spot' on the local Callide-Dawson Flying Club!

A Few Light Aircraft Fly into Gladstone Airport on Friday Incl a Pair from The Darling Downs Aero Club

Reports from Gladstone Airport on Friday 26 October, suggest there were a number of interesting aircraft that were paying the Airport a visit.  Of note were three aircraft which all arrived from Hamilton Island Airport in quick succession.

Of interest, two of these lighties are flown by the Darling Downs Aero Club of Toowoomba and included their Cessna 172S VH-WGL and Piper PA-28-181 VH-DDK.

http://www.facebook.com/DarlingDownsAeroClub/

They were joined by Gold Coast-based Cessna 210-5 VH-RYB.

After taking on fuel, all three aircraft departed for Hervey Bay.

Meanwhile, also noted parked up at Gladstone Airport on Friday 26 October was General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) AeroCommander 500-S VH-UJX.  It would later depart to Rockhampton and Brisbane.

Amateur-built Rutan Long-Ez VH-LEZ was visiting from the Sunshine Coast.

And Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Raytheon B200 King Air VH-FDW was seen visiting before departing to Brisbane as "FlyDoc 447".

Finally, a couple of locally-based helicopters were in and out of Gladstone Airport on Friday 26 October including Australian Helicopters Aerospatiale AS.350BA Squirrel VH-HQO was reportedly flying several training circuits at the Airport.

And Aerospatiale AS.355F1 VH-ZWB was also noted returning from a sortie to the Gladstone Harbour.

Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) ex-VH-FDO Arrives in the USA

Information from Flightaware (http://flightaware.com/) and the GA Long Haul News Blog (LINK) has indicated that long time Rockhampton Airport resident Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Beech B200 King Air VH-FDO has finally reached its final destination in the United States of America (USA).

The King Air - now registered N478GD and photographed above at Camden Aerodrome near Sydney - departed there for Sydney Airport and then Norfolk Island on Monday 1 October.

In the days after, N478GD then made a few stops in the Pacific Ocean, before eventually arriving in Ottawa, Kansas, USA, where it is now registered to Dodson International Parts Inc.  Sadly, it is expected that ex-VH-FDO will be broken up.

On Tuesday 2 October, N478GD flew Norfolk Island-Pago Pago

On Wednesday 3 October, N478GD flew Pago Pago-Christmas Island-Hilo (Hawaii)

On Friday 5 October, N478GD flew Hilo-Santa Maria (California)

On Saturday 6 October, N478GD flew Santa Maria-Ottawa (Kansas)

*** Dates and times are based on Australian dates and times.

A Couple More Photos of Virgin Australia / Skywest Airlines ATR 72-600 VH-FVP at Gladstone Airport

As we've reported this week, Virgin Australia (Skywest Airlines) ATR 72-600 aircraft VH-FVP and VH-FVN have finally entered service this week.

Jamie C has sent through a couple of great photos of VH-FVP operating through Gladstone Airport on Thursday 24 October.

It is pictured departing back to Brisbane after arriving earlier from there.

Virgin's other ATR 72-600 VH-FVN has also been spotted at Gladstone Airport this week, as shown in Shane T's photo from Tuesday 23 October.

Great to see them in service at Gladstone and Emerald Airports this week!

QantasLink Dash-8 'Attacked' by Laser Light at Mackay Airport Last Weekend

A QantasLink passenger plane was grounded in Mackay last Saturday 20 October after a laser light was pointed at the plane.  The incident occurred just before 7pm, when a green laser beam was directed at the aircraft as it was preparing to land.

A spokesperson from Mackay police said one of the two pilots on board was taken to Mackay Base Hospital complaining of sore eyes.  The flight - QLK2314 - which had earlier departed from Brisbane and then Rockhampton, and was to head to Townsville and Cairns - was then cancelled after the pilot was deemed unfit to fly.

Mackay police said they were continuing investigations into the incident and focussing their attention on the Mt Pleasant region, the area they believe the laser beam originated.

A Couple of Farewell Photos from Jimi L at the Whitsunday Airport



Jimi L has been a great supporter of the CQ Plane Spotting Blog, and, while sadly for the Blog, he has decided to leave the Whitsundays and persue a new exciting career as a pilot of Boeing B747 aircraft with Cathay Pacific Airways.

In the meantime, Jimi has sent through a couple of photos of a couple of recent arrivals into the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour / Airlie Beach.

GSL Aviation's Cessna 206 VH-HTO has recently arrived at the Whitsunday Airport from GSL's Marree base in South Australia.

Then on Friday 19 October, Brescon's Beech B200 King Air VH-WXN arrived from Toowoomba.



Jimi was even invited for a quick look inside the immaculatly presented King Air.

VH-WXN departed back to Toowoomba on Sunday 21 October.

Thanks Jimi for all your help and support over the last few months!  We all at the CQ Plane Spotting Blog wish you all the very best for your future career!

A Nice Pair of Bizjets at Gladstone Airport on Tuesday

On Monday 22 October, Cessna 550 Citation Bravo bizjet VH-CCJ visited Mackay, Rockhampton, and Gladstone Airports, routing BNE-GLT-MKY-ROK-GLT, where it then overnighted.  VH-CCJ has flown this route in the past.

Jamie C caught VH-CCJ early on Tuesday 23 October departing Gladstone for Bundaberg, and then later Brisbane.

Also arriving into Gladstone Airport on Monday 22 October was the Queensland Government (State of Queensland) Raytheon Hawker 850XP bizjet VH-SGY.  It also overnighted, Jamie C also caught VH-SGY on Tuesday 23 October as it departed to Brisbane in the early afternoon.

On the commercial front, Virgin Australia (Skywest Airlines) ATR 72-600 VH-FVN was noted operating into Gladstone Airport on a scheduled service from and back to Brisbane.   It is believed that both of Virgin's ATR 72-600 aircraft - VH-FVN and VH-FVP - operated into Gladstone Airport on Tuesday 23 October.  It is their first day of schduled operations for Virgin, with these aircraft also noted operating into Emerald Airport as well.

Jamie C took some great photos of the daily QantasLink flights into Gladstone Airport on Tuesday 23 October.  Cobham Aviation-operated Boeing B717-200 VH-NXN was caught operating back to Brisbane from Gladstone for QantasLink.

And late in the afternoon, QantasLink (Sunstate Airlines) Dash-8-Q400 VH-QOE was photographed departing to Brisbane.

Looks like it was a great day!

Virgin Australia / Skywest Airlines ATR 72-600 Aircraft VH-FVN and VH-FVP Enter Service

On Monday 22 October, Virgin Australia placed Skywest Airlines operated ATR 72-600 VH-FVN into service, operating the DJ1717 service from Brisbane to Gladstone.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday 23 October, ATR 72-600 VH-FVP (shown above at Rockhampton earlier this month) entered service for Virgin Australia, noted departing Brisbane as DJ1255 to Emerald.

Virgin (Australia) Group of Airlines Radio Callsigns to Change

In an interesting move, effective Monday 29 October, the old Virgin Blue / Virgin Australia / Pacific Blue / V Australia radio callsigns of "Virgin", "Bluebird", "Bluey" and "Vee Oz", will be consolidated into the one callsign for all of the Virgin Australia group of airlines to "Velocity".  On the same day, the airline also changed its ICAO code to 'VOZ'.