Over watch

When a RAAF Orion crew answered the (SAR) call

In any military flying career, there are days that stand out as special. Days on which you are given the opportunity to be part of something bigger, that define you as an aviator. Sometimes, these days are shrouded in secrecy and the details are classified. But every once in a while, there is a great story to tell.

For me, 1 August 2011 was one such day. In 2011, I was flying the magnificent AP-3C Orion, as the captain of Crew 6 of No. 10 Squadron. Based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia, the Orions were the multi-role stalwart of the Royal Australian Air Force, capable of everything from hunting submarines to gathering intelligence over Afghanistan to Search and Rescue operations.