Wilton

[Radi K]

I have noticed an odd movement around Wilton - VH-XLV, C208 doing lots and lots of airwork for hours over Wilton for months:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHXLV

Is this anything to do with a new airport they want to build out that way?

There is a group that is trying to stop a new airport being built there: http://www.stopwiltonairport.org/

It looks like the new government quashed the idea of an airport there so any idea why all the airwork and why a C208 that's a sky diving plane would be doing it?

[MarkR]

Given the aircraft is registered to a mobile carpet cleaning company, they are obviously cleaning carpets with it

On a more serious note, Parachuting has been an activity at Wilton for a long time, as its near the inbound arrivals track from the south the movements of the aircraft are very much confined when performing drops. I would suggest the Caravan is full of parachutists. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft...000564274.html

[Radi K]

Thanks Mark. Thought that might be the case but it just looked like the aircraft was up for hours at a time which what threw me!

Cheers.

[Greg Hyde]

Carpeting Wilton with parachutists maybe.

The Caravan is based at Bankstown.

They previously had a twin otter that ended up in a Museum in Darwin.

[David C]

Definitely dropping parachutes , they do it daily usually from FL140 when SYD approach gives them clearance . The C208 is unique in it's engine /prop installation , being the only 4 bladed prop on a Caravan that I believe exists in Australia . They also operate the only Turbo Beaver registered in Australia too . It's a very busy DZ most days .
Dave C

[Rob R]

The owner of Sydney Skydivers, is the operator/owner of the Wilton drop zone. He also owns the carpet cleaning business and a pest control business. Most of his aircaft are registered to his carpet cleaning company.

The aircaft is based at Bankstown as he owns a hangar and runs all of his companies from there.