Three
aircrew have joined the F-111 ranks after successful bombing missions
during Exercise Northern Challenge.
Flying Officers Julia Phillis, a navigator, and pilots Matthew
Michell and Aaron de Passey undertook the final leg of their
training in the 55th operational conversion course out of RAAF
Base Townsville in early June with the support of about 100 airmen
and women from No. 6 Squadron.
The 11-day exercise trained the new F- 111 aircrew and ground
crew in the delivery of high-explosive ordnance during deployment
from RAAF Base Amberley.
CO 6SQN Wing Commander Mike Smith said the final, crucial missions
were always done at night to challenge crew to drop live weapons
using terrain-following radar. About 20 missions were held during
the day and eight missions at night.
A number of inert bombings took place before the live bombings
in the last few days of the exercise. Although the F-111s are
due to be withdrawn from 2010, they have undergone major modifications in recent decades.
“The F-111 is still the premier precision strike capability aircraft.
It’s the best bomber the ADF has,” WGCDR Smith said. He also praised
the new Townsville facilities as “fantastic” for the engineers,
logistics staff, airframe and avionics technicians and other ground
crew.
“Compared to Amberley, [at Townsville] we can shelter, load, refuel
and service all in one area,” he said.
Learmonth’s
luck
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Students
participate in squadron deployment for the first time.
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Photo
by CPL Gary Dixon
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NO.
2 Flying Training School was probably pushing its luck taking
13 students and 13 qualified flying instructors away for the recent
Exercise Capricorn Sunset.
But the unlucky superstition didn’t eventuate, with all students
successfully completing the formation flying test. Each of the
13 students flew on average two times a day, altogether flying
238 sorties. 2FTS conducted the away-base deployment at RAAF Base
Learmonth for No. 199 Advanced Pilots Course.
The primary aim of the deployment was to complete the formation
flying phase of the course away from the busy airspace of the
RAAF Base Pearce training areas.
The exercise provided invaluable experience for the students on
course to participate in a squadron deployment for the first
time. The skills learnt over the two weeks will also provide a
base for development once the students have graduated and moved
on to operational aircraft types in the Air Force.
The exercise involved 25 support staff deploying six PC-9/A aircraft.
They included personnel from Health Services Facility at Pearce,
a CHC search and rescue helicopter and crew, fire personnel and
Airflite maintenance.
