Pilot strikes high

Volume 48, No. 10, June 15, 2006

SQNLDR Stephen Clarke after flying his 3000th hour in an F-111 with CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd in the pilot’s seat.

Photo by CPL Jeremy Patten

* Two medical teams have set up at Dili Airport to provide medical assistance to the people of Timor-Leste as part of Operation Astute. The Evacuee Handling Centre Medical Screening Team (EHCMST) assess Timorese patients before they are considered for aero-medical evacuation. The Aero-medical Evacuation (AME) team then evacuate patients to Darwin using the advanced Deployable Aero-medical Retrieval and Transport System (DARTS).

SQNLDR Stephen Clarke has become the third RAAF pilot to fly 3000 hours in F-111s. The milestone was achieved at RAAF Base Amberley recently when he took a special flight with the CAF as pilot.

“The other two Air Force 3000hr pilots [AVM Criss (retired) & WGCDR Ted Schneider, the current CO of 76SQN] both spent time flying USAF F-111 variants [as well],” SQNLDR Clarke said.

“That makes me unique, I guess.”

The Reservist from 23SQN joined the Air Force in 1975 and graduated as a navigator, before becoming a pilot in 1981 when he flew Caribous followed by F-111s.

In 1993, he returned to Amberley as the 1SQN Executive Officer before joining the Strike Reconnaissance System Project Office (SRSPO) as Aircrew Liaison Officer in 1995.

“I had spent 20 continuous years in the cockpit [by then], so I reckoned that was an OK career,” he said.

While at SRSPO, the opportunity to resign from the PAF and still stay connected with the jet and flying arose. So, “I took a chance and that decision was the best one I ever made”.

SQNLDR Clarke transferred to the Active Reserve in 1997 and his duties with 23SQN are primarily as surge aircrew for 82WG, flying with both 1 and 6SQNS, but primarily with 6SQN for training purposes.

He said attaining 3000 hours in the F-111 was “the best feeling possible”.

“I really consider it a privilege and honour to still be flying the aircraft as a Reserve pilot,” he said.

Over his two decades in the Pig, he travelled to PNG, South- East Asia, the continental US, and Hawaii. He said he managed to scare himself in “every possible way”, but was very conscious of the unforgiving nature of the task and always aware of the inherent risks.

“In actuality, I live, eat and breathe the F-111. I love that fact and couldn’t imagine a better way to live,” he said.

“I am that bloke with the world’s best job.”

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