Flightline

HANGING AROUND: Australian Federation Guard member Aircraftman Stan Mitchell ignores the harbour views as he abseils down the south-western tower of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The abseiling exercise was just one of a number of adventure training exercises undertaken by AFG during a busy 2002.     CHOPPER CHEER: RAAF Base Williamtown Base Commander Ian Farnsworth joins Port Stephens Mayor John Nell on a search and rescue helicopter flight during the Mayor's recent base visit.     BANDING TOGETHER: Air Command Big Band guitarist Corporal Lee Webb performs a solo during the band's appearance at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz. Playing a mixture of songs from different eras of big band music, the Air Command Big Band had the audience dancing from the first note.     KIWI CLASP: Warrant Officer Wayne Newman, Regional Commercial Liaison Officer New Zealand, receives the third clasp for his Defence Force Service Medal from his OIC, Squadron Leader Bob Schouten.     HIGH TIMES: A Hawke aircraft deploys its parachute to slow down after a smooth landing at Townsville Airport during Exercise High Sierra - a training exercise representing the final phase for pilots aiming to qualify to fly F/A-18 Hornets.     SIERRA SMILES: High Sierra, conducted out of RAAF Base Townsville from November 18 to December 4, brought together about 100 Air Force personnel. One of them, Flight Lieutenant Ben Mearers, an instructor at No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown, enjoys a breather before taking to the skies once more. Other RAAF Base Williamtown units involved in Exercise High Sierra were No. 76 Squadron and the Forward Air Control Development Unit.