A
freak tropical rainstorm did not stop the flight crew of HMAS
Success’ Sea King helicopter doing a three hour cargo airlift
during STARDEX 2002.
In the rain the helicopter crewed by LCDR Paul Moggach, LEUT Nathan
Lewis, POA Justin Heath and LSA Todd Melrose made nearly 20 flights
between their ship and the Malaysian island of Pulau Tioman in
the South China Sea.
They had to deliver 38 “traps” of equipment for dive
teams from New Zealand, Malysia and Singapore.
The helicopter used its semi automatic cargo release unit (SACRU)
to unload the cargo.
Although the four aviators are used to such lifts it was the distance
they had to travel which made this mission so unusual.
“Normally we would go ship to ship over about 500 ‘yards,’”
LCDR Moggach said.
“On this occasion we had to cover one and a half miles each
trip.
There was such a large amount of cargo to move it took up much
of Success’ port side.
The ship’s company found itself drenched from rain and perspiration
as they worked through one morning to dispatch the cargo.
The Sea King is part of the RAN’s 817 Squadron based in Nowra.
