Gulf Coast Aviation Cessna 510 Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-KXM Spotted at Emerald Airport - Plus a Few More Bizjets Around CQ!

Early on Wednesday 23 November, Gulf Coast Aviation Cessna 510 Citation Mustang VH-KXM was spotted on the ground at Emerald Airport.

The familiar visitor to Central Queensland - in particular Longreach Airport (see Blog Post below) - had arrived the previous evening from Biloela / Thangool Airport.  In fact, it was sleek little Citation's second visit to Emerald Airport on Tuesday 22 November after it had earlier arrived from Vanrook Station near Normanton.

Later on Wednesday 23 November, VH-KXM departed Emerald Airport for Alpha Aerodrome before it later departed to Townsville.

Meanwhile over the course of this week, there has yet again been a nice mix of local corporate bizjet and a couple of turboprop aircraft that have called into various CQ Airports.

At Hamilton Island Airport, on Wednesday 23 November, Shortstop Jet Charter British Aerospace BAe-125-1000B bizjet VH-LMP touched down from Melbourne (Essendon).  Meanwhile, Execujet Australia Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-VSZ departed to Brisbane and Sydney on Sunday 20 November while Trump Aviation / Australian Corporate Jet Centres Cessna 560 Citation Ultra VH-WFE departed Hamo for Sydney and Essendon on Monday 21 November.

At the time of writing late on Wednesday 23 November, Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign bizjet VH-VPL is heading to Mackay Airport from its Gold Coast.  It then looks to be continuing to Cairns.  While Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 bizjet N142GZ is due to return to its Mackay Airport base from Brisbane on Thursday 24 November.  It ventured down to the Queensland capital last Thursday 17 November.

Toowoomba-based Light Jets Australia Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 bizjet VH-TFW was noted arriving into Biloela / Thangool Airport and later Rockhampton Airport again on Wednesday 23 November.  It also visited Bilo and Rocky last week.

Finally at Gladstone Airport on Tuesday 23 November, Altitude Flight Operations (New South Wales) Brisbane-based Metro II VH-SSV visited from Archerfield, while Wagga Wagga (New South Wales) based SOCATA TBM-850 VH-PVM also called into the port city.

All photos taken by 'AC'  ©

Exercise Wallaby 2016 - RSAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules '730' and '734' Pop into Rockhampton Airport One Final Time!

Just when we were thinking we'd seen the final movements for the Singapore Armed Force's Exercise Wallaby 2016, a pair of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport aircraft arrived into Rockhampton Airport on Tuesday 22 November, presumably to transport the final pieces of equipment back home to Singapore.

They were identified as '730' and '734' and arrived from Darwin as SAF9690 and SAF9689 respectively.

After parking for the night at Rockhampton Airport, both Hercs were expected to depart on return to Darwin during the morning on Wednesday 23 November.

I am suspecting that this will definitely be the final movement associated with Exercise Wallaby 2016.

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

All photos taken by 'IAD'  ©

LifeFlight (ex CareFlight) Bell 412EP VH-XCY "Rescue 544" Passes Through Rockhampton Airport

Noted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Archerfield on Tuesday 22 November was former Gladstone-based LifeFlight (ex CareFlight) Bell 412EP VH-XCY "Rescue 544".

File photo

It is unclear of the purpose of the visit by VH-XCY, however it was re-fuelled and a little later departed further North to Mackay Airport.

Photo taken by 'Mick'  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-211 Missed Approach at Rockhampton Airport

On Tuesday 22 November, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-211 was noted completing a missed approach at Rockhampton Airport.

File photo

Flying as "Stallion 06", A41-211 was then heard to fly North via low-level operations before ti continued North towards Townsville.

Photo taken by 'IAD'  ©

McDermott Aviation Bell 204B Huey Helicopters VH-OCD 'Helitack 416' & VH-URS 'Helitack 430' Spotted at Gladstone Airport

Bush fire-fighting helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft continue to be spotted and noted flying around CQ Airport with fires flaring up around Rockhampton and Bundaberg over the last week.  And with predicted extreme conditions around the Gladstone area this week, on Monday 21 November, a trio of helicopters were spotted parked at Gladstone Airport, including:

McDermott Aviation Bell 204B Helicopter VH-OCD 'Helitack 416'.

McDermott Aviation Overseas Support Aircraft (Bell) UH-1B Huey Helicopter VH-URS 'Helitack 430'.

And Stirling Helicopters Eurocopter AS.350B2 Squirrel helicopter VH-AGL 'Firebird 421'.

It appears that all three helicopters may have departed Gladstone Airport a little later in the afternoon on Monday 21 November heading to Bundaberg to fight fires that flared up in the region.

Meanwhile, a pair of bush fire reconnaissance aircraft also been heard flying around CQ - including out of Hedlow Airfield (North of Rockhampton) including Archerfield-based Performance Aero Cessna 337G Super Skymaster VH-JOC "Birddog 402" and R-Mach Aviation Cessna 337G VH-JOE "Birddog 410".

All photos taken by 'Mick'  ©

RAAF Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters) Sikorsky S-76A VH-HRP "Choppa 8" Spotted at Gladstone Airport

On Monday 21 November, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters) Sikorsky S-76A VH-HRP was spotted passing through Gladstone Airport while ferrying North from RAAF Base Amberley to Mackay Airport and then Townsville.

On this journey, VH-HRP was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Choppa 8".

VH-HRP "Choppa 8" was ferrying to Townsville where it is believed that it will participate in the RAAF's Exercise High Sierra 16-2 - the final training exercise for pilots graduating from Number 2 Operational Conversion Unit. No. 2OCU Squadron which operates out of RAAF Base Williamtown.  The Exercise is expected to take place around Townsville throughout November and into December.

All photos taken by 'Mick'  ©

Gulf Coast Aviation Cessna 510 Citation Mustang Bizjet VH-KXM Back at Longreach Airport Yet Again!

On Monday 21 November, Gulf Coast Aviation Cessna 510 Citation Mustang VH-KXM once again called into Longreach Airport while venturing North from Bankstown Airport to Vanrook Station near Normanton.  It was spotted below preparing for departure.

Meanwhile, Port Macquarie (New South Wales) based Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftan VH-IXP was also spotted at Longreach Airport on Monday 21 November before it later departed to Mount Isa.

Finally, it's worth noting that General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) has swapped their AeroCommander 500-S aircraft based at Emerald Airport that operates the week-daily freight flight to Barcaldine and Longreach Airports.

VH-YJS at Emerald Airport last week  (File photo)

Late on Friday 18 November, VH-YJS departed Emerald Airport for Brisbane.  It was replaced by VH-UJI which touched down from Brisbane late on Sunday 20 November.  VH-UJI was noted operating from Emerald Airport to Barcaldine and Longreach and back on Monday 21 November.

All photos taken by 'AC'  ©

RAAF Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A (MRTT) A39-005 "Dragon 17" Surprise Arrival at Rockhampton Airport Friday Night

A surprise arrival into Rockhampton Airport after the sun went down on Friday 18 November with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A (MRTT) A39-005 touching down from RAAF Base Amberley as "Dragon 17".

Local plane spotters 'IAD' and Kayanne H popped out to Rockhampton Airport to find the KC-30A parked on Taxiway 'Juliette' and seemingly completing a crew swap inside the aircraft.

In fact, its visit was completely unknown with reports the Air Traffic Control Tower berated the pilots of the KC-30A stating the (Rockhampton Regional) Council were not aware of any such landing on Friday night.

A short time later, A39-005 departed back to Amberley.

Meanwhile, a little earlier today on Saturday 19 November, RAAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III A41-207 "Stallion 43" was noted completing the overfly of Gayndah Aerodrome at their renaming commemorations.

Sincere thanks 'IAD' and Kayanne H for taking to capture and send through these great photos of what is definitely a tough plane to photograph at night!

Photos taken by 'IAD' and Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Two Visits by LifeFlight LearJet 45 VH-CXJ "Ambulance 452" to Rockhampton Airport Late on Friday

During the afternoon and evening on Friday 18 November, LifeFlight (ex Careflight Queensland) LearJet 45 bizjet VH-CXJ "Ambulance 452" was noted making two visits to Rockhampton Airport operating what appeared to be med-evac flights.

During the early part of the afternoon, VH-CXJ called into Rockhampton Airport from Townsville.  It later departed to Brisbane.  Then after the sun went down, VH-CXJ returned to Rocky from Brisbane.  It later departed back to Townsville.

Thanks to local plane spotter 'IAD' for taking the time to capture and send through the photo of VH-CXJ on Friday night.

Photo taken by 'IAD'  ©

Trump Aviation / Australian Corporate Jet Centres Cessna 560 Citation Ultra Bizjet VH-WFE Arrives at Hamilton Island Airport

Another day, another bizjet arrival into Hamilton Island Airport with Trump Aviation / Australian Corporate Jet Centres Cessna 560 Citation Ultra VH-WFE calling in from Melbourne (Essendon) and Bathurst (New South Wales) on Friday 18 November.

File photo taken by 'AC'  ©

The arrival of the Citation comes a day after Execujet Australia Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-VSZ arrived at Hamilton Island Airport from Sydney.

Both bizjets appear to be staying on Hamo.