Fondness for Fokkers
The Navy has maintained a close relationship with one of
Australia’s most enduring aviation icons.

MAJESTIC SIGHT: The Laser Airborne Depth Sounder Flight’s Fokker F27 takes to the air in Cairns last year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Fokker’s first flight in The Netherlands.

PROUD PERSONNEL: Pilot Peter Condon, LSHSO Jodie Yates, Pilot Bill Gronbeck and LCDR Pete Mellick (with commemorative flight cover).

Volume 49, No. 3, March 9, 2006

The Navy played a significant part in the 50th anniversary of the first Fokker F27 flight late last year.

On November 24 the team at LADS (Laser Airborne Depth Sounder) Flight in Cairns helped celebrate the anniversary of the first Fokker F27 flight.
The prototype first flew in The Netherlands on November 24, 1955 and since then thousands have been sold worldwide.

The F27 has made a significant contribution to Australian aviation over the last 48 years with 77 of the type on the civil register. They were operated mainly by the regional airlines such as TAA, Ansett, and East West (who were the original owners of the LADS aircraft).

LADS Flight now has the last operational F27 in Australia and to celebrate the recent milestone 50 commemorative flight covers were carried on a six-hour survey sortie from Cairns to Weipa.

The covers were produced by a group of aviation enthusiasts from South Australia including the editor of the South Australian Air Journal, Nigel Daw.

They featured a photo of the LADS aircraft, signatures of the pilots and crew, and were postmarked on the day to become instant collector’s items.
One of the latest models, the LADS aircraft is a relatively young F27. She is piloted and maintained by civilian contractors under the Tenix LADS Corporation contract.

Originally set-up for long range operations on the Sydney-Lord Howe Island route by East West Airlines, the aircraft has an endurance of over eight hours.
The aircraft is based at Cairns airport, but can be deployed with all the associated support equipment to anywhere in Australia.

Two Navy hydrographic personnel operate the laser survey system from the main cabin.
The LADS team is currently working on surveying the Eastern approaches to Torres Strait. This survey area on the outer Barrier Reef extends north from Olinda Entrance to Yule Entrance.

 

 

 

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