Rocky Airport set to be a plane-spotter’s paradise
Published on 26 July 2016
Rockhampton Airport is set to become a plane-spotter’s paradise when a major military exercise gets underway in Central Queensland in September.
About 5000 Singapore defence personnel will take part in Exercise Wallaby, which will be conducted at Shoalwater Bay military training ground from September 15 to November 7.
They and much of the heavy military equipment to be used in the exercise will pass through Rockhampton Airport.
In an exciting first for regional Australia, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will fly members of the Singaporean Armed Forces into Rockhampton Airport.
Rockhampton Region Airport Committee Chair Cr Neil Fisher said the highly-anticipated arrival of the Dreamliner was a coup for the region.
“This year’s Singapore Forces exercise will start off on a really high note because Air New Zealand has got the contract to fly the servicemen and women across to Rockhampton and part of the aircraft being used will include the most modern 787 Dreamliner, which as a plane really is the best of the best,” Cr Fisher said.
He said another wide-body carrier, the Boeing 777, would also be landing in Rockhampton as part of the exercise.
Cr Fisher said this was exciting news for Central Queensland plane-spotters.
He said previously people from across CQ had visited Rockhampton to have a look at an Antonov, an airlift cargo aircraft, which landed at the region’s airport.
That plane generated media interest from across the state and Cr Fisher expects that to once again be the case with the arrival of the Boeing aircrafts.
Rockhampton Airport’s new manager Scott Waters said the region was blessed to have an airport that had all the facilities that enabled such large aircraft to land and take-off.
Mr Waters said 34 international charter flights, carrying an estimated 5000 personnel, would pass through the airport during the annual exercise.
Cr Fisher urged the region’s residents to say G’day to our Singaporean visitors.
He said businesses in the region would benefit. “This exercise is a very important part of our economy and we encourage everyone to welcome a Singaporean when they see them in the streets and out shopping,” Cr Fisher said.
Caption: Rockhampton Airport Chair Neil Fisher and the facility’s manager at the plane-spotter’s viewing platform.