Bye bye black bird
2FTS farewells one of its long-serving icons

Volume 48, No. 12, July 13, 2006

AREWELL: WOFF Black says ‘bye’ after 38 years. Photo by LAC Allan Cooper.

AFTER 38 years of service, Air Force has said ‘goodbye’ to one of its icons from No 2 Flying Training School (2FTS).

On January 8, 1968, as a fresh- faced 16-year-old youth, Graeme Black enlisted in the Air Force as an apprentice Engine Fitter.

On June 14, 2006, Graeme discharged after becoming one of the Air Force’s most experienced Flight Engineers with 10,654.7 flying hours to his credit on DC-3, P-3 and Caribou aircraft.

Graeme’s distinguished career began after he graduated from No 22 Engine Apprentice Course at Wagga, NSW, and he was subsequently posted to 2AD and then, as an Engineering Fitter, to 38SQN at Richmond in 1970.

By 1973, Graeme had the urge to try a new career path, but this time up in the air. After completing his Loadmaster training course, he was posted back to 38SQN and quickly became involved with all manner of flying operations within Australia and overseas.

In 1975 he posted to Transport Squadron at Butterworth, Malaysia, which operated DC-3 aircraft.

Graeme said his time on DC3s was not only exciting, but also gave him the opportunity to undertake some of the most challenging flying of his career, with deployments throughout south-east Asia.
On his return to Australia, Graeme was posted to 38SQN as a Flight Engineer on Caribous once again.

Graeme enjoyed a posting stint on P-3 Orions with 11SQN, undertaking deployments to Malaysia, Phillipines, and Guam.

In 1996 he was posted to 38SQN DET A at Pearce where he completed the last of his 8,463 hours on his beloved Caribous.

With Caribou operations in full swing in East Timor, the Pearce Detachment wound up in 2000 and Graeme was posted to 2FTS.

Affectionately known to all as “Blacky”, he became an icon at 2FTS due to his work in the Operations area of the unit.

Being located in the CAGE and close to the action, he oversaw all of the Air Force and Navy trainee pilots who passed through the doors of 2FTS during his time at the unit.

One interesting fact is that Graeme wore three different brevets for the same job on the same aircraft (Caribous), namely Loadmaster, Crewman Technical and Flight Engineer.

Countries visited during his flying career included Papua New Guinea and Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Guam, Tonga, Solomon Island, New Zealand and Cocos and Christmas Islands.

‘Blacky’ won’t be lost to the Air Force completely, as he will still be seen in the future working out of the Maritime Operations Room at 25SQN as an Active Reservist.

Graeme’s flying hours:

• Dakota: 1058.8,
  
• Orion: 1132.5,
  
• Caribou: 8463.4,
  
• Total: 10654.7.

Graeme’s service awards include:

• Defence Force Service Medal with 4 clasps,
  
• Australian Service Medal 1945-75 with clasp PNG,
  
• Australian Service Medal with clasp SE Asia,
  
• Australian Service Medal with clasp East Timor,
  
• International Forces East Timor Medal,
  
• Return From Active Service Badge, and
  
• Australian Defence Medal.

.