Image Gallery 2009
20 July 2009
Strategic Airlift for Op Astute
It was a case of ‘is it a bird, is it a plane’ in Dili, East Timor last week, when a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17 Globemaster arrived from RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland as part of a strategic airlift for Operation ASTUTE in East Timor.
The plane arrived before dark and caused just a little bit of confusion for the local aviation authorities.
Aware there was a large plane arriving in the near future, the air traffic controller was hesitant to allow the plane to land because the runway was soon to be closed.
Squadron Leader David Jackson, C-17 Captain, finally explained that the C-17 was the reason for closure and they were coming in.
“There was a little bit of confusion because of language difficulties,” said Squadron Leader Jackson.
“I finally managed to explain to the air traffic controller that it was actually our plane that was about to land that would require the airport to close the runway,” he said.
All was in order as the plane made a perfect landing.
The C-17 brought a Blackhawk helicopter as cargo, to replace one due to return to Australia for regular maintenance.
After the replacement Blackhawk was unloaded, the one heading home for maintenance was loaded quickly and the turnaround time on the ground was close to three hours.
For the Timor-Leste Aviation Group 11 (TLAG 11) team from 5 Aviation Regiment, serving with the ISF, it was time to get the replacement ready to fly as soon as possible.
| 20090717adf8144078_041 A Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac at Dili International Airport, East Timor, along with Australian International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, Blackhawk helicopters at Dili International Airport, East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_062 Commander International Stabilisation Force, Brigadier Bill Sowry talks with C-17 Globemaster Captain, Squadron Leader David Jackson, as a Blackhawk helicopter is loaded onto the C-17 aircraft to return to Australia from Operation Astute, East Timor, for scheduled maintenance. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_090 As the sun sets, a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac after arriving at Dili International Airport, in East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_105 As the sun sets, a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac after arriving at Dili International Airport, in East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_106 An Australian International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, Blackhawk helicopter is loaded onto a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster, to be returned to Australia, from Operation Astute, East Timor, for regular maintenance. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_107 C-17 Globemaster Captain, Squadron Leader David Jackson shows the Commander International Stabilisation Force, Brigadier Bill Sowry through the cockpit of the C-17 aircraft whilst at Dili International Airport, East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_115 An Australian International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, Blackhawk helicopter is loaded onto a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster, to be returned to Australia, from Operation Astute, East Timor, for regular maintenance. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_119 An Australian International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, Blackhawk helicopter is loaded onto a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster, to be returned to Australia, from Operation Astute, East Timor, for regular maintenance. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_187 (L-R) Aircrewmen, Corporal Brad Maher and Private Morgan Lake of the International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, talk with Warrant Officer Ray Maconachie, a loadmaster with C-17A at 36 Squadron, whilst at Dili International Airport, East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_190 (L-R) Ground crewmen, Corporal Brad Maher and Private Morgan Lake of the International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, talk with Warrant Officer Ray Maconachie, a loadmaster with C-17A at 36 Squadron, whilst at Dili International Airport, East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_200 As the sun sets, a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac after arriving at Dili International Airport, in East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_207 As the sun sets, a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac after arriving at Dili International Airport, in East Timor. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_223 On operations in East Timor, Timor Leste Aviation Group 11 ground crew work late into the evening to get a Blackhawk Helicopter ready for flight. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
| 20090717adf8144078_231 (L-R) Aircrewmen, Private Audrey-Rose McLean of the International Stabilisation Force, Timor-Leste Aviation Group, works on a Blackhawk helicopter late into the evening to have it ready for flight as soon as possible. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
