Slow and steady leads the way

By CPL Sean Burton

Flight Lieutenant Michael Burgess-Orton, Warrant Officer Peter Ryter and Flying Officer Matthew Webster with the No. 38 Squadron ground crew members.

THE No. 38 Squadron DHC-4 Caribou crews on Operation Helpem Fren in the Solomon Islands are used to taking a bit of “stick” about their slow aircraft but they have the quiet satisfaction knowing they fly with raw skill where others can’t.

The Caribous have deployed to provide tactical transport to police and military working with the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands.

Based at Henderson Airfield, Deputy Detachment Commander Flight Lieutenant Paul Cooley said the crews were used to the jokes about the Caribou being overtaken by birds.

“It’s a different type of flying compared to other aircraft – it’s real hands-on flying with the Caribou as there’s no auto pilot and no sophisticated avionics; it’s very traditional flying,” he said.

“The squadron is used to operating in tropical mountainous areas. It’s not as bad as PNG but some of the hills here on Guadalcanal are quite high.”

He said the Caribou crews were used to living under canvas in the field and saw it as part of the job.

“The Caribous’ range dictates that it needs to be deployed in the AO, so we need to live in the AO,” he said.

“Living in the field and doing the job in the AO, we think of ourselves as tactical aircrew as opposed to other crews in the Air Force.

“It’s great to be here, putting the aircraft into its operational role. We’re trying to provide the best tactical transport and be as flexible as possible to fly as many personnel around as we can.”

As well as their traditional tactical role the Caribous in the Solomon Islands are on aeromedical evacuation standby.
The Canadian-designed 39-year-old aircraft have seen service in Vietnam, Malaysia, PNG and East Timor.

The Caribou – predicted to be in service until 2010 – can carry 28 passengers and land on a 500-250m strip if the tactical situation dictated.

Among those who are keeping the aircraft flying is ground crew member Corporal Sean Spry, an aircraft technician who maintains the two Caribous. He was initially apprehensive about deploying and leaving his family behind on what is his first operation.

“Everything is going well, it’s good work but there are long hours on deployment,” he said.

“I like the Caribou, it’s got a lot to offer an operation like this. As a short take-off and landing aircraft it can get into a lot of areas that the C-130 Hercules can’t and to places where helicopters don’t have the range.”

CPL Spry has previously worked overseas as a civilian Aircraft Technician and was impressed by the benchmark the Air Force sets for its training.

“The standards are a lot higher in the military. RAAF training surpasses anything I’ve seen overseas. The detail in the integrity is a lot more thorough and that’s through all ranks,” he said.

.