Rotor Torque

“It changes the unit from a battlefield support role to a true combat role,” Regiment executive officer Major Brett Whitcombe said.

In a low key event, a formation of seven Kiowas, which have been based in Darwin since 1994, performed a flyover of the city escorted by two Tigers.

Seven Kiowas had been due to deploy to New Zealand for Exercise ANZAC Rotor, in company with a Chinook, but the earthquake in southern Sumatra saw the retasking of the ADF’s airlift assets for rescue and recovery efforts (see article p26 this issue), resulting in the cancellation of the exercise and bringing forward 1 Aviation’s Kiowa retirement.

But the helicopters themselves have not been retired from service. On October 27 they departed Darwin to fly first to Canberra (to support RMC Duntroon) and then Puckapunyal for training exercises.

Subsequently, some will join the Army’s pool of Kiowas used for pilot training at Oakey, while others will be operated by 173 Squadron, which is relinquishing its fixed wing King Airs to the RAAF (to be operated alongside other new build King Airs as interim Caribou replacements) and relocating to Holsworthy near Sydney to take on an operational support and training role.

Telstra Childflight Purchases 412ep, Ba609 Order Pending

Sydney based Telstra Child- Flight has purchased a Bell 412EP from the US, with a second 412 being sought, as part of the child and baby retrieval service’s fleet upgrade program to replace its AS365N2 Dauphine and BK117B2.

The low houred VIP configured 412EP features a TCAS, GPWS, four axis autopilot, EFIS, HUMS, Doppler radar and Doppler auto hover. Child- Flight is also planning to fit either a Garmin 530 or 500 GPS and a Trakkabeam searchlight compatible with NVG.

“It’s a good ship and should do us for some time,” said ChildFlight chief pilot Greg Duncombe. “It will enable us to have four hours of fuel while flying at 120kt. ” The helicopter was expected to arrive in country by the end of November for its medical fit, which will be carried out at Redcliffe, Queensland. It is anticipated to enter service in January.

ChildFlight is also proceeding with its longer term plans to procure a BA609, with a firm order for the tiltrotor expected to be placed in the coming weeks.

German Built Adf Mrh 90s Arrive

The ADF will soon take delivery of two German built MRH 90s.

MRHs A40-015 and A40-017, plus the fuselage of A40-018 arrived in Brisbane on October 8 onboard an Antonov An‑124 after they were manufactured at Eurocopter Deutschland’s production facility in Donauworth, Germany.

“Industry is progressing with the production of two Australian MRH 90 aircraft, numbers MRH015 and MRH017, at our ECD partner company facility in Donauworth,” explained a Defence statement released back in June. “The decision to progress with this activity has been made in consultation with the Commonwealth and provides greater ability for industry to meet the delivery dates for future aircraft. ” A40-015 completed several flight tests in Germany prior to arriving in Australia and is currently being prepared for acceptance by the ADF in Brisbane. A40-017, partially completed in Germany, and the fuselage for -018 will be completed by Australian Aerospace in Brisbane, and are expected to be delivered to the ADF in the first half of 2010.

The ADF has ordered 46 MRH 90s for the Army and Navy, about eight of which have been delivered to date and all but six of which will be built at Brisbane.

Afghanistan Chinook Rotation

Army Aviation’s fourth Rotary Wing Group (RWG-4) deployment, consisting of two CH-47D Chinook helicopters, crew and support personnel returned home in late October following an eight month operational tour in Afghanistan.

During their deployment, the Chinooks and their crews flew more than 780 hours and lifted over seven thousand passengers and more than 450,000kg of cargo.

On August 3 one of the Chinooks was hit by small arms fire from Taliban insurgents.

The Chinooks, A15-201 and -103, were loaded onboard two RAAF C-17s at Kandahar Airfield for the flight back to Townsville for servicing and refurbishment during the RWG’s Afghan winter stand down. Two Chinooks and personnel will return to Afghanistan in March to continue coalition operations.

Careflight Trains Darwin Medics

Sydney based NRMA CareFlight recently completed a two day training program with an initial six Darwin based doctors and nurses on winching procedures, allowing them to be winched from its helicopter to treat critically ill or injured patients in difficult to access areas and aboard vessels at sea.

“This is a first for civil medical capability in the Northern Territory and for Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service (NTAMS) which has been providing medical services in the Northern Territory for 40 years, mainly using fixed wing aircraft,” said Dr Dale Fryar, director of NTAMS.

“With our new training and with CareFlight having a helicopter in Darwin it will cut down the time to access patients in difficult areas to start treating them. ” CareFlight has based one of its two BK117B2 rescue helicopters in Darwin since January to support the Northern Territory government through its Department of Health and Families and the NT Police, plus the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and has since performed over 50 life saving missions.

Meanwhile, CareFlight’s first BK117B2, VH-IME, has now been repainted to display the service’s updated corporate scheme, matching its other BK and A109E Power. The A109E is based in Sydney for HIRT (Head Injury Retrieval Trial) missions, while the two BKs alternate between being based in Darwin and Sydney, and supporting ADF contracts.

Cablex To Provide Workers For Mrh 90 Production

Australian cabling company Cablex and Australian Aerospace have signed a contract for Cablex to provide skilled labour to Australian Aerospace’s MRH 90 helicopter production facility at Brisbane Airport.

The agreement will see at least nine Cablex AMEs installing electrical harnesses on Australian Army and Navy MRH 90s alongside their Australian Aerospace colleagues.

The parties are hoping to extend Cablex’s work to participate in the in-service support of all MRH 90s.

Briefs

• Sikorsky has delivered its first UH-60M Black Hawk to the US Army with a fuselage produced at PZL Mielec’s Poland facility. It is the first of three UH-60Ms to be delivered with a Polish built fuselage.