21 July 2026

ATSB report

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Firefighting aircraft in Western Australia: October 2025 – April 2026 N132CG/BOMBER 132 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (MSN 382-4338) of Coulson Aviation, at Busselton Airport - 18 February 2021. Based at Busselton during the 2020/21 fire season, under contract to the Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Carries 15,000 Litres of fire retardant foam or water and is seen here at 4:17pm, performing one of its weekly test drops. Built in 1969, previously serial number 956 of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Photo © Jarrod Swanwick.

Firefighting aircraft in Western Australia: October 2025 – April 2026

8 October 2025
Singapore Air Force F-16 Deployment to RAAF Base Pearce 631 Lockheed Martin F-16D-52CF Fighting Falcon of 145 'Hornet' Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia - 5 July 2024. 'HYDRA 2' landing on runway 36R at 12:52pm after a flight of 55 minutes. Based at Changi Air Base. The Republic of Singapore Air Force undertook an extended deployment of F-16s and F-15s to RAAF Base Pearce from 24 June 2024. En route to Pearce, the F-16s were refuelled by an Airbus A330-200MRTT tanker (765) from Changi Air Base, with logistics support flown in using RSAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules aircraft from Paya Lebar Air Base (730, 731, 734). Dates were: 24 June - 15 July 2024: Four F-16C and D (629, 631, 632 and 633). 13 Aug - 9 Sep 2024: Four F-15SG 26-28 Aug 2024: F-15SG night operations. 9 Sep - 18 Oct 2024: F-16C and D. 30 Sep - 2 Oct 2024: F-16C and D night ops.

Singapore Air Force F-16 Deployment to RAAF Base Pearce

5 July 2024
June 2024 aircraft photos ZK-TXA Boeing 737-8BK(BCF) of Texel Air (Team Global Express), named 'Karen', at Perth Airport, Western Australia - 13 June 2024. Flight TFX12 from Melbourne, on approach to runway 03 at 7:29am. This was its third visit - it previously visited on 11 and 12 June 2024.

June 2024 aircraft photos

30 June 2024
Historic first: Qantas Boeing 787‑9 from London diverts to Karratha Airport VH‑ZNE Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner Skippy of Qantas at Karratha Airport, Western Australia, 1 June 2024. This marked the first direct flight from London Heathrow and the first visit to Karratha by a Boeing 787. Many local residents gathered at Karratha Airport to witness this rare event. Flight QF10 from London Heathrow to Perth landed on Karratha’s runway 08 at 11:19am after being diverted due to a loss of pressure in Perth Airport’s refuelling system. Passengers remained on board the 787 while it was refuelled at Karratha. It is seen here at 12:46pm taxying out to runway 08 to depart to Perth. It took off at 12:49pm. Perth Airport was closed from 7:26am until just before midday, resulting in 59 flight cancellations and multiple diversions and delays.

Historic first: Qantas Boeing 787‑9 from London diverts to Karratha Airport

2 June 2024