AMSA aiding Australian Antarctic Division’s summer preparations

Australian Maritime Safety Authority conducts training in Canada for Australian Antarctic Division contracted aircraft operators (AMSA)

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has conducted a training course for Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) contracted aircraft operators in Canada ahead of the Antarctic summer season.

The support aircraft were based in Calgary out of season, AMSA, said in a statement, and carried search and rescue equipment such as radio direction finding equipment for locating distress beacons and droppable life-support equipment.

The four-day course, conducted by two AMSA specialist search and rescue trainers, were for people going to be deployed to Antarctica this summer.

“Each Antarctic summer season, AAD contracts aircraft to support their operations in the Australian Antarctic Territory,” AMSA said.

“Annual training is undertaken to ensure that any AMSA tasked air searches and search and rescue supply-drop operations undertaken by AAD’s contracted aircraft are conducted effectively and safely.”

AAD director Tony Fleming said the training enhanced safety for personnel working in Antarctica.

“Given the remote and extreme conditions we work in, the AAD is keen to ensure the people working with our program have the best possible training,” Dr Fleming said in a statement.