Deer Jet (China) Gulfstream G550 Bizjet B-8108 Departs Hamilton Island Airport - Plus RAAF B737BBJ A36-001 Visits!

Early on Monday 20 February, Deer Jet (China) Gulfstream Aerospace G-V-SP (G550) bizjet B-8108 departed Hamilton Island Airport.  The Gulfstream departed Hamo for Cairns and Honolulu, Hawaii.  It had arrived from Honolulu and Cairns last Friday 17 February.

Ryan Hales / http://flightaware.com/

Meanwhile, also noted visiting Hamilton Island Airport for a very short time on Monday 20 February was Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7DT(BBJ) A36-001 which called in from the South on what looked to be a training flight as "Consort 58".  It departed a little later for airwork at Cairns and then Townsville where it also landed for a short time.  A36-001 was then noted returning to the South.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-659 at Longreach Airport

On Saturday 18 February, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-659 was noted completing airwork at Longreach Airport.  It possibly flew North from RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia and was heard to be using the radio callsign "Striker 06".

The "Striker" callsign suggests that it was from 10 Squadron which is based at Edinburgh.

A9-659 continued on to Townsville where local plane spotter Leroy captured these great images above as it was on final approach.

A9-659 was then believed to have departed Townsville for Darwin.

Of interest, also on Saturday 18 February, fellow RAAF Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-660 which was flying as "Striker 60" was also noted arriving into Townsville from the South but is not believed to have completed airwork while on the way!

All photos taken by Leroy  ©

Sydney Storms Cause Flights from Hamilton Island Airport to Divert - Plus Some Diversions from Mackay Airport Due Weather

Some spectacular storms rumbled their way through Sydney during the afternoon on Friday 17 February resulting in two flights that originated at Hamilton Island Airport having to divert to different locations elsewhere in New South Wales.

https://www.facebook.com/SydneyAirport/

Due to the weather around Sydney Airport, Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YVC operating as VOZ1280 from Hamo to Sydney was forced to divert to Canberra, while QantasLink (Cobham Aviation) Boeing B717-200 VH-NXL operating as QJE1573 also from Hamo to Sydney was forced to divert to Newcastle (Williamtown).

Meanwhile, two days prior on Wednesday 15 February, heavy rain and low cloud affected some inbound and outbound flights at Mackay Airport.

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-YFR operating as VOZ607 from Brisbane to Mackay spent some time holding to the South-East of Mackay before it eventually diverted to Rockhampton Airport.  It later departed Rocky and successfully landed at Mackay Airport.

Several QantasLink Dash-8-Q400 flights in and out of Mackay Airport were affected including the QLK2512 flight from Brisbane to Mackay - operated by VH-QOT - which also diverted to Rockhampton Airport.  It however later returned to Brisbane as QLK2513.

The QLK2306 flight from Rockhampton to Mackay - operated by VH-LQL - held for some time North-West of Mackay Airport before continuing on to Townsville.

The QLK2305 flight from Townsville to Mackay - operated by VH-QOU - held for some time South-West of Proserpine before continuing on to Rockhampton.

Deer Jet (China) Gulfstream Aerospace G-V-SP (G550) Bizjet B-8108 Arrives at Hamilton Island Airport

Early on Friday 17 February, Deer Jet (China) Gulfstream Aerospace G-V-SP (G550) bizjet B-8108 arrived into Hamilton Island Airport from Cairns.

Ryan Hales / http://flightaware.com/

It arrived into Cairns earlier in the morning after completing a nearly nine-hour flight from Honolulu, Hawaii.

B-8108 remains parked on Hamo.

Nauru Airlines Boeing B737-319 VH-XNU Federal Government Charter Flight into Gladstone Airport

Making a surprise but most welcome arrival into Gladstone Airport after dark on Thursday 16 February was Nauru Airlines Boeing B737-319 VH-XNU.  It arrived from Brisbane as RON900.

VH-XNU was parked at Gladstone Airport for all of Friday 17 February and finally departed for Darwin long after the sun had set, again flying as RON900.

It is believed that VH-XNU was chartered by the Australian Federal Government to transfer to Darwin 29 illegal Vietnamese fisherman that were intercepted off the coast of Gladstone during this last week.

Of interest, VH-XNU was delivered to Nauru Airlines in late 2015 after spending 16 years operating with Air New Zealand as ZK-NGJ.

Nauru Airlines (the trading name of Nauru Air Corporation) and formerly known as 'Our Airline' and 'Air Nauru', is the national airline of the Republic of Nauru.  It currently operates scheduled international services from Nauru to other Pacific Islands and Australia.  Nauru Airlines also operates various charter flights to locations in Australia, Asia, New Zealand, South and Central Pacific.

As Our Airline, the bright and colourful Boeing B737s were a common sight especially at Gladstone Airport during the recent resources boom with the airline operating regular Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) charter flights from and back to Brisbane.

Presently, Nauru Airlines operates a fleet of six Boeing 737-300 aircraft, each configured in a 130-seat / 2-class layout that service Brisbane (Australia), Majuro (Marshall Islands), Nadi (Fiji), Nauru (Nauru) and Tarawa (Kiribati). A lone Boeing 737-300F is also operated.

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a great visitor to the Port City!

Photos taken by Michael Fleetwood and 'Mick'  ©

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A (MRTT) A39-004 Calls into Rockhampton Airport Thursday

Late on Thursday 16 February, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A (MRTT) A39-004 touched down at Rockhampton Airport.

The KC-30 made a rare landing at Rocky after flying North from RAAF Base Amberley via a period of airwork out-to-sea off Brisbane.

A39-004 was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Dragon 07".

After taxiing back to the end of the runway, A39-004 made a spectacular departure back to Amberley - be sure to turn up the sound on the video!

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters Trevor H and Kayanne H for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos and video!

Photos and video taken by Trevor Hardsman and Kayanne Hardsman  ©

New Zealand Registered Kawasaki BK117 B-2 Helicopter ZK-HCX Pops into Rockhampton Airport

On Thursday 16 February, Oceania Aviation (New Zealand) Kawasaki BK117 B-2 helicopter ZK-HCX was spotted arriving into Rockhampton Airport from Bundaberg.

Acording to the fantastic MRC Aviation Blog in New Zealand, ZK-HCX was noted at the Ports of Auckland last Tuesday 7 February in preparation for shipping to Brisbane.  From Brisbane, ZK-HCX is believed to be ferrying North through Queensland to an operator in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

ZK-HCX looked to be staying for the night at Rockhampton Airport and on Friday 17 February, it was planned to continue to Cairns, and then presumably ports further North after that.

Another familiar chopper that was spotted also at Rockhampton Airport on Thursday 16 February was Bell 407 VH-CMI which is based at the Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour (WAVE).

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters Trevor H and Kayanne H for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos!

Photos taken by Trevor Hardsman and Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Cessna 525 Citation M2 Bizjet VH-WMY Calls into Emerald Airport - Plus New Torres Strait Air Islander VH-MBF Passes Through

On Thursday 16 February, Mitchell Water Australia Cessna 525 Citation M2 bizjet VH-WMY was noted calling into Emerald Airport from Melbourne (Moorabbin), Charlton (Victoria) and Archerfield.

File photo

Later in the afternoon, VH-WMY returned South but to the Gold Coast before continuing onward to Charlton and Moorabbin.

Meanwhile, also noted calling into Emerald Airport on Thursday 16 February was Torres Strait Air Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2A-8 Islander VH-MBF.  It arrived from Archerfield and later departed to Cairns.

Up until October 2016, the Islander was operating tourist flights to Lady Elliot Island with Seair Pacific / Istlecote on the Gold Coast.  It positioned to Archerfield in early November and has recently been transferred to the Torres Strait Air fleet.

We recently reported on the movements of the Seair Pacific fleet including the introduction of a new Cessna 208 Caravan and BN2A-8 Islander and the withdrawal of three other BN2A-8 Islanders - see Blog Post HERE.

Finally, as reported below, the smart little Vanderfield Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH was noted visiting Emerald Airport on Wednesday 15 February.  It arrived from its Toowoomba base and Bundaberg.

At the time of writing, VH-WPH is due to return to Bundaberg and Toowoomba on Friday 17 February.

Photo taken by 'AC'  ©

Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) (Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd) Bombardier Challenger 604 Bizjet VH-XND "Rescue 660" Also at Bundaberg Airport

Another bizjet visitor into Bundaberg Airport later on Wednesday 15 February was Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) (Cobham SAR Services Pty Ltd) Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 604 bizjet VH-XND.

It originally was on a what appeared to be a planned flight from its Cairns base to Rockhampton Airport, however when it was abeam Mackay, the Challenger was tasked to search for a beacon search near to Bundaberg.

VH-XND was then heard to change and use the radio callsign of "Rescue 660" as it continued South and initially searched around Monduran Airport before expanding the search from there. After nearly two hours, VH-XND reverted back to using its registration as its radio callsign and it flew out over the water to possibly continue its originally planned flight.

VH-XND then landed at Bundaberg Airport for fuel before it later returned to Cairns.

File photo taken by Kayanne Hardsman  ©

Falconair Dassault Aviation Mystere-Falcon 20-F5 Bizjet VH-FAI Spotted at Bundaberg Airport

A nice day of plane spotting at Bundaberg Airport on Wednesday 15 February with local plane spotter Micah S capturing some great photos of Falconair Dassault Aviation Mystere-Falcon 20-F5 bizjet VH-FAI.

The smart little bizjet arrived from its Sydney base.

After some time on the ground, VH-FAI departed to the Gold Coast.

While he was there, Micah also photographed Surveillance Australia / Australian Border Force (ABF) Cobham Aviation-operated Dash-8-200 VH-ZZP.  Its exact movements are not known.

Micah also captured Bell 206B (II) VH-JAQ of Stirling Helicopters (Stirling Consolidated) of Theodore as it landed at Bundaberg Airport.

Finally, its worth noting that the smart little Vanderfield Pilatus PC-12/47 VH-WPH also visited Bundaberg Airport on Wednesday 15 February.  It arrived from its Toowoomba base and later departed to Emerald.

Sincere thanks to Micah for taking the time to capture and send through these great photos of a great bizjet to visit!

All photos taken by Micah S  ©