FNQ Yestayear Images - July 1995, Part 2 of 2

Yestayear Extra July 22

Return trip to Coen on veteran DC-3 VH-MIN.

VH-MIN DC-3

GAFLIKS was offered a ride up and back by DC-3 Australia tasked to pick up a group.  I was invited to sit in the jump seat (a first for me) for take off. Charlie Wycherley and Barry Watts occupied the front office, a pair of experienced mainline crew. Flight time was planned for 1hr36 for the 237 mile trip at FL80. Airborne from CNS we were cleared for a radar7 departure on a heading of 313 squaak 0676. Being a typical dry season day visibility was excellent and soon Laura came up on track after 45mins ground speed indicating 147kts.  Arr RW11 at Coen, we loaded our group of 25 and we were taxiing in no time.  Refuelling wasn’t necessary as we had loaded 380 gals.

Heading 134 was taken up leaving Coen levelling at FL70, and as Charlie moved the portable GPS to another window it promptly lost the signal.  Not a problem, rising smoke near Laura (noted on the inbound) confirmed we were on track after Barry humorously applied the TLAR theory (that looks about right). As Charlie added, “never touch anything on a DC-3 that you don’t have to”.

The GPS came alive again soon after indicating a ground speed of 132kts.  Traffic on frequency during our return included Trojan09 (Caribou) Horn Island for Weipa, a Blackhawk tracking coastal for TSV at 500ft, and continuous circuit area calls from BN-2 VH-XFF of UZU Air on its milk run around the Torres Straits. At 60DME CNS app was called up on 123.8.  A gradual decent overhead Port Douglas for RW15 followed and touchdown with a time interval of 1Hr49mins.  A very enjoyable but brief encounter with a veteran of the ‘Golden Age’

 Thanks to GAFLIKS for providing this Yestayear report.

 © Copyright.

FNQ Yestayear Images - July 1995, Part 1 of 2

FNQ Yestayear Images - July 1995, Part 1 of 2

03 July MBA commenced POM-CNS-TSV with B1900D equipment, one of the fleet seen here getting a check at Hawkers

18 July Gatari executive B732 PK-HHS arrived and departed to WIHH, photo taken at WIHH

 Thanks to GAFLIKS for providing this Yestayear report.

 © Copyright.

US Army UC-35A 97-0103 heads back

NINJA75 97-0103 UC35A Brisbane-Cairns-Darwin

97-0103 UC35A at Cairns.

Armee De L'air Francaise Casa CN-235M 065

CTM1161 065 CN35 Noumea-Cairns-Darwin

065 CN35 at Cairns.

065 CN35 at Cairns.

Canadian Armed Forces KCC-130H 130341

CFC2221 130341 KCC-130H Cairns-Tindal, was Pago Pago-Cairns 27/7/2016

130341 KCC-130H at Cairns.

130341 KCC-130H at Cairns.

130341 KCC-130H at Cairns.

US Army UC-35A 97-0103 passes through

NINJA75 97-0103 UC35A Darwin-Cairns-Brisbane

97-0103 UC35A at Cairns.

Dimonin Air Cessna Caravan C208 PK-HVA departs

PK-HVA C208 Cairns-Horn Is.-Merauke

PK-HVA C208 at Cairns.

Soaring Safaris (Pty) Ltd Cessna Caravan C208 V5-AGS

V5-AGS C208 Burketown-Cairns

V5-AGS C208 at Cairns.

Air New Zealand upgrades to B777-200 AKL-CNS service

As of the 1st of July Air New Zealand have upgraded their Airbus A320 services to Boeing 777-200 aircraft type for the period 1 July - 9 October on the Auckland to Cairns service. Air New Zealand currently operates 4 services per week AKL-CNS, 2 of these services will be operated by B777-200 aircraft.


The first service was operated as follows, 1/7/2016 ANZ165/166 ZK-OKA B772 AKL-CNS-AKL

ZK-OKB B772 at Cairns.

ZK-OKB B772 at Cairns.

RNZAF Boeing 757-200 NZ7571

KIW575 NZ7571 B752 Ohakea-Townsville-Darwin

NZ7571 B752 at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

Airbus Group Australia Pacific (NZ), Airbus Helicopters H145 ZK-HPB

ZK-HPB EC45 Cairns-Coen-Horn Is., was Maroochydore-Rockhampton-Proserpine-Cairns 22/7/2016

ZK-HPB EC45 at Cairns.

Virgin Australia Boeing 777-300 VH-VPH diverts to Cairns

VOZ8 VH-VPH B773 Los Angeles-Brisbane diverted to Cairns due to fog at BNE. Aircraft departed at 1250 onto Brisbane.

VH-VPH B773 at Cairns.

VH-VPH B773 at Cairns.

VH-VPH B773 and line-up at the ITB Cairns.

Qantas Airbus A330-300 VH-QPF diverts to Cairns

QFA130 VH-QPF A333 Shanghai Pudong-Sydney diverted to Cairns. Aircraft continued onto Sydney at 2pm.

VH-QPF A333 at Cairns.

Skytrans Dash 8-100 VH-QQB returns to service

VH-QQB returned to service today after maintenance since 24/2/2016 The aircraft conducted a test flight before operating the below service.

SKP35 VH-QQB DH8A Cairns-Lockhart River-Weipa-Aurukun-Cairns

VH-QQB DH8A at Cairns.

RNZAF Boeing 757-200 NZ7571 passes through

KIW717 NZ7571 B752 Surabaya-Townsville-Whenuapai

NZ7571 B752 at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

US Army UC-35A 96-0109 heads back

NINJA73 96-0109 UC35A Brisbane-Cairns-Darwin

96-0109 UC35A at Cairns.

Textron Aviation Beech Kingair 350 N136KF

N136KF B350 Cairns-Wellcamp-Archerfield, was Denpasar-Darwin-Cairns 16/7/2016

N136KF B350 at Cairns.

US Army UC-35A 96-0109 passes through

NINJA73 96-0109 UC35A Darwin-Cairns-Brisbane

96-0109 UC35A at Cairns.

96-0109 UC35A at Cairns.

Dimonin Air Cessna Caravan C208 PK-HVA

PK-HVA C208 Merauke-Cairns

PK-HVA C208 at Cairns.

2016 Military Exercise Angel Reign summary

Townsville RAAF base recently held Military Exercise Angel Reign (28 June - 7 July) which hosted RAAF, Australian Army, civilian agencies and international participants from the United States of America in the largest Air Force led field exercise in Australia for 2016.

USAF C-130, C-17 and KC-135 at Cairns, Photo by GAFLIKS.

The exercise focused on the tactical execution of Joint Personnel Recovery and Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.

USAF MC130P with two USAF SAR Pave Hawk helicopters
at Townsville, Photo by Leroy

Below is a summary of the US movements that were conducted through the region including Cairns and Townsville which hosted a number of C-130, C-17 and KC-135 aircraft movements.

Two USAF SAR Pave Hawks 88-26119 and 88-26120 and two MC130P's 66-0212 and 66-0219 operated throughout the period of the exercise from Townsville.

USAF C130's and KC135's at Cairns.

26th June 2016

RCH427 57-1427 K35R Hickam-Townsville 

57-1427 K35R at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

27th June 2016

RCH247 60-0366 K35R Hickam-Townsville

RCH104 96-7322 C130 Majuro-Townsville-Cairns

60-0366 K35R at Townsville, Photo by Leroy.

28th June 2016

RCH153 96-0005 C17 Hickam-Townsville-Cairns

KING66 66-0212 C130 Pago Pago-Townsville

KING61 66-0219 C130 Pago Pago-Townsville

RCH408 92-1532 C130 Majuro-Townsville-Cairns

RCH560 92-1535 C130 Majuro-Townsville-Cairns

92-1532 C130 at Cairns, Photo by Dave.

92-1535 C130 at Cairns, Photo by Dave.

29th June 2016

RCH247 60-0366 K35R Townsville-Hickam

RCH153 96-0005 C17 Cairns-(Hickam)

96-0005 C17 at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

30th June 2016

JOLLY91 88-26119 HH60 Townsville-Townsville

JOLLY92 88-26120 HH60 Townsville-Townsville

KING50 66-0212 C130 Townsville-Townsville

RCH104 96-7322 C130 Cairns-Pago Pago

RCH201 94-6707 C130 Kwajalein-Townsville-Cairns

RCH982 89-1181 C130 Kwajalein-Townsville-Cairns

88-26119 HH60 at Townsville, Photo by Leroy.

94-6707 C130 at Townsville, Photo by Leroy.

1st July 2016

RCH408 92-1532 C130 Cairns-Pago Pago

RCH560 92-1535 C130 Cairns-Pago Pago

2nd July 2016

RCH427 57-1427 K35R Townsville-Hickam

57-1427 K35R at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

3rd July 2016

RCH201 94-6707 C130 Cairns-Majuro     

RCH982 89-1181 C130 Cairns-Majuro  

89-1181 C130 at Townsville, Photo by Leroy.

 

7th July 2016

RCH805 61-0275 K35R Hickam-Cairns

RCH105 61-0309 K35R Hilo-Cairns

61-0275 K35R at Cairns, Photo by GAFLIKS.

8th July 2016

RCH941 02-1463 C30J Kwajalein-Cairns

RCH102 01-0189 C17 Kalaeloa-Cairns

RCH255 58-0062 K35R Hilo-Cairns

RCH805 61-0275 K35R Cairns-Townsville-Hickam

02-1463 C30J at Cairns, Photo by GAFLIKS.

9th July 2016

RCH685 85-1362 C130 Pago Pago-Cairns

RCH185 95-6711 C130 Pago Pago-Cairns

RCH806 96-7323 C130 Pago Pago-Cairns

KING61 66-0219 C130 Townsville-Pago Pago

KING66 66-0212 C130 Townsville-Pago Pago

95-6711 C130 at Cairns, Photo by GAFLIKS.

66-0219 MC130P at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

10th July 2016

RCH102 01-0189 C17 Cairns-Townsville-Hickam

RCH255 58-0062 K35R Cairns-Townsville-Hickam

58-0062 K35R at Cairns.

11th July 2016

RCH185 95-6711 C130 Cairns-Townsville-Pago Pago

RCH806 96-7323 C130 Cairns-Townsville-Pago Pago

RCH685 85-1362 C130 Cairns-Townsville-Andersen

RCH941 02-1463 C30J Cairns-Townsville-Kwajalein

85-1362 C130 at Townsville, Photo by Graham.

96-7323 C130 at Cairns.

15th July
RCH105 61-0309 K35R Cairns-Hickam

61-0309 K35R at Cairns.

The following list of USAF aircraft noted at Exercise Angel Reign 2016 with Unit details:

96-7322 C-130H Charlie West ANG 130AS
85-1362 C-130H Charlie West ANG 130AS
95-6711 C-130H Charlie West ANG 130AS
96-7323 C-130H Charlie West ANG 130AS
92-1532 C-130H Wyoming ANG 187AS
92-1535 C-130H Wyoming ANG 187AS
94-6707 C-130H Savannah ANG 158AS
89-1181 C-130H Tennessee ANG 105AS

02-1463 C-130J-30 Channel Island ANG 115AS

66-0212 MC-130P 130RQS Moffett
66-0219 MC-130P 130RQS Moffett

60-0366 KC-135R New Jersey ANG 141ARS
61-0309 KC-135R Wisconsin ANG 126ARS
61-0275 KC-135R Utah ANG 191ARS
58-0062 KC-135R Michigan ANG 171ARS
57-1427 KC-135R Kansas ANG 117ARS

96-0005 C-17A Stewart ANG 137AS
01-0189 C-17A Memphis ANG 155AS

88-26119 HH-60G 129RQS
88-26120 HH-60G 120RQS.

Special thanks for the contributions from GAFLIKS, Leroy, Graham, Dave and MRC Aviation.