The Blackhawk (with PO Martin barely visible) which was used in the first Vertrep to HMAS MANOORA.

Petty Officer Andrew Martin enjoys his job so much that he spends half his weekends doing the same sort of work.

In fact, his efforts as an aircrewman with Sydney-based NRMA Careflight have earned him bronze wings for completing 50 rescues.

PO Martin's most recent rescue received national media coverage when he and his crew winched a young woman abseiler from a precarious metre-wide cliff ledge in the Blue Mountains following her fall from 10m above.

Using finely honed skills he guided the pilot of the Bell 412 to within a few feet of the cliff face to enable the insertion of Careflight's doctor and paramedic.

Once the patient was stabilised on the cliff ledge the dangerous procedure was repeated twice, firstly to extract the patient and doctor in a double lift, followed by the paramedic in a single lift.

PO Martin attributes his abilities in no small part to the excellent training provided by the RAN and the ongoing exercises carried out on a regular basis.

"My training ensures that I can go into any rescue situation with confidence and carry out the task safely," PO Martin said.

The PO is currently posted to the Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit (AMAFTU) in HMAS ALBATROSS.

As the trials aircrewman he achieved a RAN first when he acted as a crew member on the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) Black Hawk during First of Class Flight Trials onboard HMAS MANOORA.

He "conned" the Black Hawk over the forward flight deck of MANOORA during the
aircraft's first Vertrep to the ship in April 2000.

By LEUT Scott Lockey