By
FLGOFF Bruce Chalmers
Volume 48, No. 15, August 24, 2006
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RIGHT
DIRECTION: A member of 1ATS directs a Hercules onto the
tarmac at Dili Airport.
Photo by LAC Rodney Welch
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SEVEN
Air Force personnel from 44WG may be quietly proud that between
May 26 and August 12 they were responsible for the safe passage
at Dili airport of 6,484 air traffic movements.
They also provided valuable training to the local controllers
and even mowed the airport.
They arrived back in Darwin on August 14 and were welcomed by
AIRCDRE Tim Owen, OC 44WG GPCAPT Alan Holtfreter and Commander
of 44WG DET Darwin, WGCDR David Shepherd.
The team, commanded by SQNLDR Charles Robinson from 44WG DET Darwin,
comprised FLTLTs David Roger, Samantha Hollings, Scott Mulley
and Michael Petherick-Collins, and FLGOFFs Peter Ferris, and Ross
Mitchell.
Dili airport normally has fifteen to twenty aircraft movements
a day, however, the ATCs oversaw an increase of air movements
to an average of 80 per day, and reaching a maximum daily air
movement of 148 aircraft.
In addition to RAAF aircraft, they controlled Portuguese, Chinese,
Malaysian, Singaporean, Bruneian, Indonesian, New Zealand and
Guam-based US Marine military crews in and out of Dili airport.
The team assisted Dili ATCs during normal hours and then assumed
full control of out-of-hours movements.
They also found themselves with more to do than air traffic control.
Long grass around the airport was hazardous, so they mowed the
airport surrounds by hand until mower parts could be sourced from
Darwin to repair the airport’s mowers. They also restored
full lighting to the airport.
Finding there was no current aerodrome emergency plan, the group
conducted a desktop exercise to assist the local controllers prepare
for an airfield crash exercise. Training of local controllers
in procedural control and radio procedures was also part of their
duties.
Welcoming the team home, AIRCDRE Tim Owen said the Air Traffic
Controllers were “unsung heroes”.
“These people are involved in non-offensive operations and
don’t attract the attention of other segments of the ADF,
yet they are often first in to an operation and last out,”
he said.
“Previously Air Traffic Controllers have been deployed to
places such as Somalia, Timor, the Solomon Islands and Iraq.
“Once again they have done a fantastic job.”
SQNLDR Charles Robinson said Dili was returning to normality.
“We all had a great time in Dili … it was absolutely
fantastic to see the progress there during the last few months,”
he said.
