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Heavy duty at 36SQN
By Andrew Stackpool

Volume 49, No. 4, March 22, 2007
 
LOAD ‘ER UP: 36SQN’s C-17 has been in high demand since arriving at its new home at RAAF Base Amberley late last year, with a full schedule planned for 2007.
Photo by LACW Melina Mancuso
NUMBER 36 Squadron has had a busy few weeks with many more to come.

It successfully completed its move to RAAF Base Amberley and since then has been getting to grips with bringing the first C-17 to operational status and preparing for the arrival of the remaining three of the big strategic airlifters.

CO WGCDR Linda Corbould said the uplift of the squadron and families from RAAF Base Richmond had gone very well and paid tribute to the assistance from Amberley’s staff who “bent over backwards to help us settle in”.

“I have had some command complexities, as my chain of command [at Richmond] is remote,” WGCDR Corbould said.

“But being up here with the strike force has really opened people’s eyes to what is out there beyond the airlift side, even with the Caribous on base.”

She said that while the squadron still had quite a way to go to get fully up and running, it was in good shape. It had its own headquarters and was fully self-contained.

“This is an interim step, but permanent facilities are on the drawing board,” she said.

Meanwhile, ongoing training and familiarisation with the C-17 is providing many challenges, as is getting the squadron to full operational status. There have been some teething problems, but that was to be expected.

“The training of aircrew will always be an ongoing challenge as well as keeping the squadron and maintenance at an operational level, but that is a core business,” WGCDR Corbould said.

“Right now we are operating the aircraft but still settling the squadron and processes and those are priorities; anything not important is being assigned to the back-burner.

“We are meeting all our objectives and plans.”

Squadron XO SQNLDR Warren Crouch explained that the squadron needed to determine what infrastructure is available at each base.

“We need to know how much fuel there is available and if there are other issues, such as pavement strength and parking, even where to fit and manoeuvre it,” he said.

“It’s a big aircraft. We also need to know what ground support is available. Do they have the right equipment to match to the aircraft? By doing this, we shall know what we have at each base to support the C-17, particularly once we get the others, and become fully operational.

“We are delighted with the aircraft and everything it has done; it can do everything we need it to do – a fantastic capability,” SQNLDR Crouch said.

“Red Flag was a classic example of combining ops with transitional training and it gave us a great opportunity for training evaluation and the real job of supporting 1 and 6SQNs – our brothers here at Amberley. We love the aircraft and it will do us proud for many years to come.”

Deputy Director C-17 Transition Team WGCDR Peter Donaldson said that an aeromedical evacuation capability was also under development.

“At present, the aircraft is not certified to participate in exercises or operations other than those that support the transition training, testing and evaluation (TTT&E) process,” he said.

“Consequently, we are looking at ADF operations and exercises that support the program, such as the support to Red Flag. We are looking at bringing equipment from the US for Exercise Talisman Saber and also the possibility of transporting Marines from Japan for the exercise.”

WGCDR Corbould said everything was going to plan for the receipt of the remaining three aircraft. They were on or ahead of schedule, with the second C-17 due in mid-May and the squadron hoping to have two flying by July. The program will then continue with the remaining aircraft.

“Being the CO of this whole new capability is humbling,” she said.

“It is a big job and we have some big walls to jump, but my staff is a great and enthusiastic bunch and I’m glad to have them.

“They’re the cream of the crop.”


C-17 update
- Aircraft number two is on track for its scheduled delivery in mid-May.
- Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and Service Release for the RAAF C-17 is planned for August.
- The fleet delivery of four aircraft is expected to be completed by mid-2008.
- The aircraft is scheduled to support Air Force aircraft deploying to Malaysia for Exercise Bersama Shield in May and June.
- By August, Air Force will receive the first of four specialised TALU (Trailer Aircraft Loading/Unloading) units for the C-17, allowing cargo loads to be ‘rolled on or off’ the aircraft en masse.
- Full Operational Capability is anticipated to occur by 2011.