C212 circling near Erskine Park/St Clair

[Russell D]

Hey everyone,

Was out in my backyard around 4:30PM this arvo and while I happened to watch the QF A380 fly over my house, I noticed a strange twin-engine turbo prop doing circuits in what looked like a holding pattern (but a very tight holding pattern I might add) just south of my house (Erskine Park next door to St Clair).

I watched it circling for almost half and hour while I was entertaining some little cousins.

WebTrack shows a C212 (I'm guessing that means CASA C-212) circling exactly a mile or two south or Erskine Park between 4:30PM and 5:00PM.

Anyone know what exactly it was doing and who it belongs to?

My best guess is some sort of surveying airwork in the area perhaps?

Cheers

[Brenden S]

Was it white, or red and white? If it was full white It could have been fugro doing a aerial survey.

[Nigel C]

A C-212 or C-235 did a parachute drop on Thursday afternoon into the Moore Park complex...perhaps the same aircraft?

[AdamC]

Possibly the army jump aircraft that is here at nowra, saw it leave heading north yesterday about 2 pm ish.

[Peter Agatsiotis]

My log shows VH-MQE around the times you mentioned Russell. I was gardening but didn't see it. I did log the other one (MQD) doing para drops at Richmond in 2009.

[Russell D]

Although it was a bit hard to make out the colour due to the stratonimbus layer of cloud above it, it appeared to be white or grey. Definitely no red markings as far as I could tell. But then again, it was pretty high up. Webtrack says it was circling at about 3000m (i.e. roughly 10,000ft).

I think it might be the aerial survey aircraft as mentioned by Brenden. But then again, army doing drops could also work. But I never saw anything dropping out of the aeroplane, nor any parachutes or anything of the like.

[patrick woodward]

Hi guys... The aircraft was involved in Army parachute drops in the Holsworthy restricted areas.... Nazab 2 was the callsign, Casa 212 the aircraft type...

Cheers

[Russell D]

Thanks for that Patrick. It was the first time I've ever seen a C212. At first I thought it was a C130, but with only 2 engines, logic and common sense set in.

Interesting aircraft type though nonetheless.

[patrick woodward]

Yes they are a funny looking aircraft... mini C130!!!