If you are reading this then it's probably because, like me, you have a passion for commercial aviation.
I am sure you will agree that this kind of passion can have you up extremely early at times or even up late at night when we really should be sleeping. Well today was one of those instances; I have been following and chasing the Air Asia X A330 "Xcintillating PhoeniX" for some time and today it was coming into the Gold Coast (OOL / YBCG) airport.
Air Asia wasn't due until 7.30am but, instead of the single Jetstar B787 that comes in, I knew there were two Jetstar B787's inbound to Cooly in the morning arriving just after 6am. So I got up at 4 am and left home at 4.30am for the 88klm / 60 minute drive south arriving at Cooly right on 5.25 am.
While I was waiting for the arrivals I watched the "Fire Tenders" go through there early morning routine and test out there gear racing up and the taxiways.
Right on schedule just after 6am (and the opening of the tower) the first one of two, Jetstar 787-8's arrived. This one was Jetstar 12 coming in from Narita (RJAA).
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| JETSTAR B787-8 VH-VKE (CN 36230) |
Not long after that the second Jetstar 7992 arrived from Fukuoka (RJFF).
(Listening to the Jetstar company frequency I heard this aircraft was empty.)
This aircraft later went out to Wuhan China (ZHHH) later that morning as JQ 67
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| JETSTAR B787-8 VH-VKG (CN 36232) |
As I waited for Air Asia I took a few photos of the local traffic
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-VUI (CN 34441) |
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| JETSTAR A320-232 VH-VFU (CN 5814) |
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-YFS (CN 41027) |
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| AVIAIR CESSNA 208B VH-TLZ (CN 208B0789) |
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| CESSNA 525A CITATION VH-RJB (CN 525A-0094) |
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-VOQ (CN 33798) |
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| PIPER PA-31-350 VH-OIH (CN 31-7852058) |
Finally the aircraft I drove an hour to see was here and can I say it was worth it.
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| AIR ASIA X A330-343 9M-XXT (CN 1549) |
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| XCINTILLATING PHEONIX |
Another aviation buff (and friend) told me about these two Navy Sea Hawks that were here so I went looking and luckily I found them.
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| AUSTRALIAN NAVY SIKORSKY S-70B-2 SEA HAWK 79 N24-010 |
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| AUSTRALIAN NAVY SIKORSKY S-70B-2 SEA HAWK 80 N24-011 |
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| AUSTRALIAN NAVY SIKORSKY S-70B-2 SEA HAWK |
I decided to hang around for 90 minutes to get the departure of Air Asia X; unfortunately without knowing I moved the dial setting wheel on the camera and none of the images turned out.... Way way over exposed. Lesson learnt... always check camera settings before taking photos.
But I had no time to feel pity, I had to head home and grab my family and head off to Brisbane Airport for the final Thai Airways B777-200 arriving around midday; as of tomorrow the aircraft changes to their new B787-9.
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B777-300ER VH-VOZ (CN 35302) |
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| QANTAS A330-303 VH-QPD (CN 0574) |
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| JET STAR A 320-232 VH-VQQ (CN 2537) |
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| QANTAS A 330-303 VH-QPB (CN 0558) |
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| VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737-8FE VH-VOS (CN 33800) |
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| TIGER AIR A320-232 VH-XUH (CN 6749) |
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| AIR NEW ZEALAND B777-300ER (CN 38407) |
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ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE
BEECHCRAFT B200 VH-FDA (CN BB-1986)
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Thai International TG 473 arriving for the last time using the Boeing 777-2D7
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| THAI B777-2D7 HS-TJU (CN 34589) |
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