Good grounding in aircraft handling

TWO instructors from No. 27 (City of Townsville) Squadron have provided initial Basic Aircraft Ground Handling Courses for members of No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron.

27SQN is the only squadron outside of Wagga that provides this training.

At the end of 10 days, 16 members of the PAF from throughout Australia successfully completed the courses at RAAF Base Richmond.

Designed to provide air movements personnel with the skills necessary to ground-handle both ADF and foreign aircraft, the courses are a prerequisite for the
Supply/Clerk mustering personnel who work in Air Movements sections.

They train these members in non-technical tasks including marshalling aircraft, connecting power, daily servicing of power carts, manning fire fighting equipment and generally assisting aircrew.

Members are also required to be proficient in fire drills and to have knowledge of general OH&S processes involved with working around aircraft.

The two 27SQN instructors who led the basic courses, Warrant Officer Bob Umstad and Sergeant Steve Bannister, have more than 50 years’ experience in the services between them.

They have worked on six aircraft types including Winjeel, Macchi MB.326, Mirage III, P-3 Orions, and Iroquois and Squirrel helicopters.

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