Edition 5105, April 02, 2009

Transcription

AIR FORCE
Vol. 51, No. 5, April 2, 2009
The official newspaper of the Royal Australian Air Force
Airshow special edition
Pages 9-13
FINAL FLAME: An F-111 performs a
spectacular ‘dump and burn’ at the
Australian International Airshow 2009
at Avalon. It will be the last time the
‘Pig’ will appear at Avalon, with the
fleet set to retire next year.
Photo: LAC Christopher Dickson
F-111 and Caribou light up Avalon for the last time
SKY
FIRE
Ex Red Flag flies in
Nevada Page 3
Miranda named in
Mid East Page 7
2 News
AIR FORCE April 2, 2009
Loophole to
be closed
THE eligibility criteria for the
Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (DHOAS) will be
tightened for members who have
had a break in service of up to five
years, under legislation before Parliament.
This is among proposed changes
to the DHOAS under the Defence
Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1)
2009, introduced into Parliament on
March 18. Subject to being passed
by Parliament, the amendments to
the DHOAS Act will take effect 28
days after being signed into law.
They will not apply retrospectively and will not affect any person’s entitlements that are based on
a subsidy certificate issued before
the amendments take effect.
Director Housing and Removals
Policy Robert McKellar said the
amendments were designed to correct some anomalies and improve
the scheme’s administration.
“Several months’ operation of the
scheme has highlighted some areas
where there have been unintended
outcomes that are not consistent with
the policy intent,” Mr McKellar said.
He said the amendments would
clarify the eligibility and entitlement
of members who rejoined the ADF
after a break in service of up to five
years before July 1, 2008, “removing a windfall gain for some of these
members”.
Members may receive a shorter
period of subsidy assistance if they
had a two to five-year gap in effective service before starting a period
of reserve service.
Mr McKellar said the proposed
change was designed to be more
equitable by bringing members
with up to a five-year break in
service who rejoined before July
1, 2008, under the same rules as
members who rejoined after that
date.
The amendments also make clear
that the previous service of members
who rejoin the ADF after more than
a five-year break does not attract a
home loan subsidy.
Mr McKellar said the amendments would improve the reliability
of subsidy certificates as evidence to
a home loan provider that a subsidy
is payable to a member.
“This is done by making the
issue of a certificate conditional on
a member having a service credit in
the scheme,” he said.
He said the legislation would
ensure that only serving members
buying a home for the first time had
access to the option of a subsidy
lump-sum payment.
Members who have owned a residential property that they haven’t
occupied will no longer be able to
take the lump sum.
The amendments clarify that the
subsidy could be paid either monthly
or as a combined lump-sum payment and monthly payment. They
also ensure that members who take a
lump-sum payment option retain sufficient service credit in the scheme
to support ongoing monthly subsidy
payments.
The proposed changes provide
a consistent framework for administering entitlements where a subsidised borrower has shared liability
for a loan, including clarifying the
entitlements of subsidised borrowers
who are partners.
They also ensure that the entitlement of a subsidised borrower who
has a joint mortgage with a person
who is not their partner is proportional to his or her liability for the
loan.
Finally, the amendments will
mean that when decisions on a
members’ entitlements are made, the
scheme administrator must provide
written reasons for the decisions and
provide advice about review options.
This will help members choose
whether to request a review of a
decision.
Further detail of the amendments is
available at http://intranet.defence.
gov.au/pac/ or http://www.defence.
gov.au/dpe/pac/. More information
on the DHOAS is available at www.
DHOAS.gov.au
SAD DUTY: Members of 7RAR carry the coffin of their colleague, CPL
Mathew Hopkins, off a 36SQN C-17 to his waiting family at RAAF Base
Williamtown after arriving from southern Afghanistan.
Photo: CPL Rachel Ingram
ALG brings home
two more troops
after tragic week
NUMBERS 36 and 37 Squadrons have returned to Australia
the bodies of the latest Australians
killed in Afghanistan.
CPL Mathew Hopkins from the
Darwin-based 7th Battalion Royal
Australian Regiment (7RAR) was
shot and killed on March 16 after
his patrol was attacked by a heavilyarmed group of 20 Taliban soldiers.
Then, on March 19, the day CPL
Hopkins’ body was embarked on
to a 37SQN C-130J for the return
home, another soldier was killed
when an improvised explosive device
(IED) he was trying to render safe
exploded. He was SGT Brett Till,
an EOD specialist from the Incident
Response Regiment.
Australian, Afghan and coalition
soldiers gathered to farewell CPL
Hopkins at Tarin Kowt, including
a Canadian piper. In a traditional
ramp ceremony, the soldier’s casket was carried aboard a waiting
37SQN C-130. The aircraft then
departed to rendezvous with a
36SQN C-17 for the final flight back
to RAAF Base Williamtown where
it arrived on March 23.
Waiting there with family and
friends were Defence Minister Joel
Fitzgibbon, Shadow Minister for
Defence Science and Personnel
Bob Baldwin, CDF ACM Angus
Houston, CA LTGEN Ken Gillespie
and Commander 1st Brigade BRIG
Michael Krause.
Meanwhile, back at Tarin Kowt,
a ramp ceremony was held for
SGT Till on March 21. Led by a
lone piper and engineers from the
Mentoring and Reconstruction
Task Force, an eight-man bearer
party carried his casket aboard a
37SQN C-130. SGT Till’s casket
was then flown back to RAAF Base
Richmond by a 36SQN C-17 to waiting family, friends and dignitaries.
CPL Hopkins’ funeral was held
on March 27 and SGT Till’s on
March 31.
REMOVING THE WINDFALL: Legislation before Parliament on the eligibility criteria for the Defence
Home Ownership Scheme is aimed at correcting some anomalies.
Photo: LAC Aaron Curran
Home truths
The DHOAS was introduced on
July 1, 2008, as an initiative
designed to improve ADF recruitment and retention rates.
It provides a subsidy on the interest incurred on a home mortgage.
Director
Rod Horan: (02) 6265 4650
[email protected]
Editor
Simone Liebelt: (02) 6265 2253
[email protected]
Deputy Editor
John Martin: (02) 6265 7219
[email protected]
Senior Reporter
Andrew Stackpool: (02) 6266 7611
[email protected]
The scheme provides increased
subsidy assistance as a member
passes specified career points.
The assistance available under
the scheme is also provided in
recognition of the difficulties
members might have in purchasing a home because of the nature
of their service.
At the start of March, 5197 members were receiving subsidy
assistance on a mortgage.
Reporter/Photographer
LAC Aaron Curran: (02) 6265 1355
[email protected]
Website: http://www.defence.gov.
au/news/raafnews
Email: [email protected] (Put
[sec=unclassified] after title in subject line)
Subscriptions
Trish Dillon: (02) 6266 7607
[email protected]
Fax: (02) 6265 6690
COMING HOME: The casket of SGT Brett Till is carried on the shoulders
of his mates on to a 37SQN C-130J during a ramp ceremony at Tarin
Kowt in southern Afghanistan.
Photo: CPL Ricky Fuller
AIR FORCE
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News 3
Learning
more at
Red Flag
By Judy Ferrier and
Andrew Stackpool
ELEMENTS of 6SQN and 37SQN
learned a lot about combat flying the
tough way when they deployed to Exercise Red Flag in the US recently.
The exercise was held at Nellis Air
Force Base in Nevada from February 21
to March 14.
They joined other fliers from the US
and the UK while a 36SQN C-17 provided logistics support.
They played the Blue Forces who
were tested in an increasingly complex
range of scenarios. Opposing them were
the highly-trained pilots of the USAF’s
64th and 65th Aggressor squadrons flying F-16s and F-15s respectively. But
even here there was an Australian link.
SQNLDR Steven Bradley from 75SQN
had swapped his F/A-18 for an F-15 as
he is in his second year of a three-year
exchange with the USAF.
“It is great to participate as a member of the Aggressors,” SQNLDR
Bradley said.
The exercise aimed to provide pilots
an opportunity to practise and refine
their skills for real combat situations.
The RAAF detachment was led by
OC 81WG GPCAPT Gavin Turnbull,
who said the exercise delivered the ADF
participants unrivalled ability to conduct
operations into a complicated and dense
ground and air threat environment.
“We were able to integrate with
real SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air
Defence) assets, Airborne Command
and Control aircraft, Electronic Attack
and Intelligence platforms, and Low
Observable aircraft such as the F-22
Raptor,” GPCAPT Turnbull said.
“We brought additional personnel to integrate into key areas such
as the Combined Air Operations
Centre, Intelligence, Joint Tactical Air
Controllers, Ground Control Intercept,
Air Traffic Control and the Joint
Electronic Warfare Operational Support
Unit. They took away invaluable lessons by integrating with their coalition
partners and working in a difficult environment.”
GPCAPT Turnbull said the exercise
had a number of ‘themes’.
“It’s about our people who provide
essential support to the Air Force participating in Exercises like Red Flag. It’s
about ‘getting there’ – all the elements
that come together so that our aircrews
can gain the specialist training Red Flag
provides,” he said.
“It all started months prior to the
exercise with conferences planning the
scenarios, the personnel requirements,
TECH TALK: Above, CPL Shaun Ironmonger, an avionics
technician with 6SQN, talks to Rich Pargeter about the
differences between the F3 Tornados and the F-111 aircraft
control systems.
AGGRESSIVE: Right, SQNLDR Steven Bradley stands in front
of the F-15C Eagle that he is now flying as part of his three year
attachment to the USAF’s 65 Aggressor Squadron.
Photos: AC Craig Barrett
equipment support and logistics of getting the personnel and assets expeditiously to where they needed to be.”
These personnel include maintenance technicians, engineers, logistic
and administrative personnel, medical
officers, aircrew, combat support officers and intelligence and communications staff.
6SQN senior engineering officer
SQNLDR Peter O’Donnell described
the activity as a whole of team effort.
“It was a great effort by all personnel
involved to get the F-111s to Nellis
on time,” he said. “We were greatly
supported in our efforts by a C-17A
Globemaster from 36SQN and the two
C-130Hs from 37SQN, which also participated in Red Flag.”
For the two 37SQN C-130Hs and
their 74 supporting personnel (including two from 87SQN and three from
285SQN), Red Flag proved an opportunity to hone up on opposed combat
flying skills with both day and night
sorties.
Their missions included delivery of
paratroops by static line and freefall
descent and landing on semi-prepared
airstrips to deliver and pick up personnel and vehicles. During these low-level
missions, they were under constant
threat from enemy aircraft, surface-toair missiles and radars.
See next edition for a full wrap-up of
Exercise Red Flag.
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4 News
Looking up
to a legend
By John Martin
AIRCDRE Tracy Smart really
appreciated AVM Eric Stephenson’s presence at her promotion
ceremony at Air Force Headquarters, and no wonder.
Not only is he an Air Force living
legend, he once held a job that has
now become hers – that of Director
General Air Force Health Services
(DGAFHS), providing advice to
CAF as his senior health adviser.
His stint was for four years from
1980 and, while it is impossible to
compare eras, AIRCDRE Smart
realises there is a thing or two she
can learn from Dr Stephenson, 86,
of Batemans Bay about the core role
of putting the health and wellbeing
of Air Force people ahead of politics
and bureaucracy.
AIRCDRE Smart recently
read Dr Stephenson’s autobiogra-
phy, ‘Three Passions and a Lucky
Penny’, and found it particularly
inspiring.
After serving as a navigator in
the RAF in World War II and being
shot down and held as a prisoner
of war in Germany, he completed
his medical studies in Britain and
moved to the RAAF in 1955.
For almost the next 30 years, he
worked as a medical officer in uniform and even in retirement continued working in Defence health until
just last year when he ended a 50year association with the Air Force.
He may well have been the most
well-known face at AIRCDRE
Smart’s promotion ceremony.
“He knows all of the senior leaders – he’s treated all of them, at one
time or other over the past 50 years,”
AIRCDRE Smart said.
AIRCDRE Smart now
wears two hats. She has a day
job in Joint Health Command as
Director General Corporate Health
Management, as well as the
DGAFHS role which disappeared
with the change to a single joint
health one-star position at the end of
1998 but was resurrected with her
promotion on February 5.
“I’m really proud the position
has come back again because it raises the profile of health in Air Force,”
she said.
“It means we have the appropriate connection to the senior leadership and it also ensures that we’ve
got an Air Force voice in the joint
health world.”
Also present at AIRCDRE
Smart’s promotion ceremony was
the last DGAFHS, AIRCDRE
Warren Harrex (ret’d).
Fun in the fast lane
The Roulettes set the crowd abuzz with an aerial display over the track
at the Clipsal 500 V8 Supercar race in Adelaide on March 22. See next
edition for full coverage of the event.
Photo: LACW Shannon Urie
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GOALS THE SAME: AIRCDRE Tracy Smart shares a moment with AVM Eric Stephenson at her
Photo: FSGT John Carroll
promotion ceremony.
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The project proposal includes new
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traffic control tower.
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this year.
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News 5
Helping
friends
In late February, a United States Air
Force (USAF) C-17A at Amberley had
become unserviceable after it suffered a
fuel probe fault.
Senior Engineering Officer for
36SQN, SQNLDR James Alexander,
said it took four hours to repair the damage.
“We had a probe in stock which we
provided, along with two of our maintenance staff to assist where possible,”
he said.
“Working with the USAF maintainer,
the part was replaced with a serviceable
item and the aircraft returned to service.”
In March, a visiting Royal Air Force
C-17A arrived at Amberley with a windscreen fault – requiring a change of one
of the windscreens.
Towed in to the 33SQN hangar
on March 12, the British Globemaster
was repaired with a windscreen from
36SQN’s stock.
This allowed it to fly out of Amberley
on its task the following day.
CO 36SQN WGCDR Adam Williams
said foreign military C-17s were not an
unusual sight in Amberley, with about
one aircraft a month choosing to transit
through Amberley because it is a known
C-17 operating location.
Likewise, Australian C-17As are
becoming a common site at American
C-17A bases such as Hickam in Hawaii
and McChord in Washington.
“Our C-17As choose their transit locations based upon a number of factors – but
we prefer to transit to known C-17A operating locations due to the likelihood of
assured parking, ground-handling capabilities and logistic support – as well as a
chance to interact with our C-17A counterparts,” WGCDR Williams said.
“We can assist a foreign C-17A operator at Amberley as the case dictates,
and that assistance varies from liaising
with Boeing and the base, through to
conducting repairs and supplying parts.”
The USAF has 183 C-17As of a total
of 205 ordered, with the RAF operating
six, and Canadian Armed Forces with
four.
INSIDE STORY: The RAF C-17A inside the 33SQN hangar for windscreen repairs, which allowed it to fly
out of Amberley the next day. About one foreign aircraft a month transits through Amberley because it is a
known C-17 operating location.
Photos: CPL Tim Keiler
N GR
EW E
A
Li
m
T
ite R
d
Of A
fe
r* T
E
By FLGOFF Eamon Hamilton
A DOSE of mateship at 36SQN has
helped two foreign C-17A operators
get going again at RAAF Base Amberley recently.
WELL DONE, CHAPS: The British Globemaster after being towed for repairs.
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6 News
Through Life for
Hercs secured
THE C-130J Hercules is set for a
bright future with the signing of a new
Through Life Support (TLS) Contract
for the 12-strong fleet at the Australian
International Airshow 2009 at Avalon.
Now approaching their 10th year
of service with the Air Force, the
C-130J fleet will receive major servicings
and logistics support from Team Aero at
RAAF Base Richmond under a $292.8
million contract.
OC Air Lift Systems Program Office
GPCAPT Mick Brown said the fiveyear rolling contract could be extended
annually, with the first C-130J servicings
expected to be conducted at the former
33SQN B707 hangar later this year.
The servicings include routine
deeper level maintenance of the fleet
as well as future upgrades.
“The scope of Team Aero’s work
enables them to undertake future
block upgrades for the C-130J, such
as the upcoming Block 6.1 upgrade,”
GPCAPT Brown said.
Team Aero consists of Australian
Aerospace as the primary contractor,
with Lockheed Martin as the major TLS
sub-contractor and Standard Aero
responsible for the deeper maintenance
of the C-130J propulsion system.
Australian Aerospace already conducts AP-3C maintenance from a facility at Richmond, while StandardAero
has been responsible for maintenance
of the C-130J’s Rolls Royce AE2100
turboprop.
GPCAPT Brown said he looked forward to forging a close working relationship with Team Aero in supporting
the J-fleet.
“We are establishing a long-term
relationship with industry through a performance-based contract. For Defence,
this is not only about cost containment but looking at leading efficiencies
in C-130J support.”
SIGN HERE: Head of Aerospace Systems Division AVM Colin Thorne, left,
and Australian Aerospace CEO Dr Jens Goennemann at the contract signing
between Defence Materiel Organisation and Team Aero. Photo: WOFF Ray Bennell
LIGHTING THE WAY: Back, from left, WOFF Gary Suthers (285SQN), Paul Sinclair (Electrical Trades Union),
Nicole Ashe (Crompton Lighting) and FLTLT Terry Danne (37SQN).
Photo: LACW Amanda Campbell
All glow for
PNG ward
LIGHT has been shed on the
children’s ward at Port Moresby
General Hospital following a recent 37SQN task.
Under the Defence Assistance
to Civil Community scheme, a
Hercules was tasked to deliver
tools and 100 fluorescent tubes to
Port Moresby from RAAF Base
Richmond.
The C-130J delivered the lights
to Port Moresby on March 4 while
it completed airlift support to ADF
personnel in northern Australia.
Unofficially dubbed Operation
Light-Up, the task was requested by
the Electrical Trades Union (ETU)
and Crompton Lighting which donated the lights.
The children’s ward has only one
operational light, making the work-
place unsafe and difficult to provide
quality care to the children of Papua
New Guinea.
ETU Assistant Secretary Paul
Sinclair said the new lights were
expected to greatly increase the
safety and quality of care available
to patients.
“The ETU were made aware of
the lack of adequate lighting in the
children’s ward of the Port Moresby
General Hospital late last year,” Mr
Sinclair said.
“We have had nothing but
support from both the Defence
Minister’s office and Defence
personnel who really need to be
thanked.”
Eight ETU members travelled to
Port Moresby on April 1 with Virgin
Blue to be met by staff from the
Australian High Commission. Work
started on April 2 and was expected
to take up to three days, with the
crew looking to work on other electrical problems in remaining wards.
“Port Moresby General Hospital
has four electricians on their staff,
however due to budget restrictions,
they are unable to buy materials to
repair or replace lighting and fans in
the hospital,” ETU spokesperson Paul
Lister said.
“The local electricians will work
alongside our volunteers and any
leftover materials will remain at the
hospital for the in-house electricians
to use in the future.
“We hope to make this an annual
exercise by either sponsoring the
Port Moresby General Hospital and
returning in future, or looking at
projects in other regions such as the
Solomon Islands, East Timor, or
remote NSW,” he said.
Demi dancing at Richmond
DEMI Sorono, who made
it into the Top Four on So You
Think You Can Dance Australia
on Network 10 last year, will
perform at RAAF Base
Richmond on April 19.
She won’t be alone, though.
Demi, who toured entertainment centres across the country
with the show’s Top 12, is the
newest member of one of the
rising stars in kids’ entertainment, The Casio Brothers, and
they are touring the country
together as The Casio Brothers
& Demilition B-Girl.
They aim to get the kids dancing and singing and even doing
aerobics. And there’s plenty of
parallel Simpsons-style humour
to keep the adults entertained too.
Their message is that living
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International 7
She’s called Miranda
By LEUT Anthony Lutz
THE time-honoured tradition of aircraft-naming continued with the arrival
of the latest addition to the AP-3C fleet
in the Middle East Area of Operations
(MEAO).
In an evening ceremony the Orion was
named Miranda.
“We think Miranda is a very appropriate name because it gives the aircraft
a life and personality all of its own,”
Senior Engineering Officer FLTLT Sean
Donovan said.
“In the MEAO, Miranda will certainly
punch above her weight. She’ll be a fantastic achiever.”
The naming ceremony for Miranda
was conducted by RAAF Chaplain,
SQNLDR Garry Hooper.
Chaplain Hooper prayed for the safety
of Miranda and her team of aircrew and
ground crew.
He blessed the aircraft, reflecting on
the values of teamwork and peace, and
then appropriately christened Miranda
with water splashed across her nose.
Air Force aircraft have been named
since World War I. The practice became
very popular in World War II, with fighters and bombers given names such as the
Memphis Belle. The practice has continued through the Vietnam War to current
operations.
RAAF aircraft are also named in operational theatres for reasons of morale and
ownership. A name not only gives the aircraft personality, but aircrew and ground
crew develop an affinity with the aircraft
they either fly or service.
The naming ceremony also coincided with the completion of Task Group
633.2’s tour of the MEAO.
At the ceremony’s conclusion, the outgoing CO of Task Group 633.2, WGCDR
Perry Jolley, presented several Good Show
Awards and Commendations to ground
crew members.
The awards recognised devotion to
duty, technical mastery and teamwork.
In addressing all award recipients,
WGCDR Jolley said 633.2 had set a fine
example to the entire task group.
“During our tour we have set extraordinarily high standards of mission success
rates. Most importantly, troops on the
ground could rely on our aircraft to be
there in support,” he said.
“Our reward for hard work has to be
the confidence of our troops, and we now
have that confidence.”
The ceremony was also attended by
WGCDR Alan Lawrence, the incoming
Principal Air Advisor to the MEAO Air
Component Commander.
“It’s great to see the Task Group’s
excellent results. I know future rotations
look forward to the challenge of maintaining this standard,” WGCDR Lawrence
said.
SPLASH: Above, CPLs Steven Byrne and Craig Schippan
christen Miranda, the latest Orion to commence operations in the
MEAO.
DESERVING: Left, WGCDR Perry Jolley presents 10SQN’s CPL
Daniel Mackie with a commendation.
BLESSED: Bottom left, Chaplain SQNLDR Garry Hooper conducts
the naming ceremony for Miranda.
Photos: SGT Brent Tero
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DEF1433 AANN (09/08)
8 News
Interest in
ADF is up
By WO2 Graham McBean
DEFENCE recruiting figures continue to defy national trends with a 54
per cent increase in enquiries across
the ADF in January 2009.
The increase in interest bucks the
Australian trend – Australian Bureau
of Statistics figures show that unemployment increased by 29,900 in the
Australian workforce in January.
ADF enquiries for 2008 peaked in
October with a 27 per cent increase to
8780 – or 1863 more people than the
same period in 2007.
In January this year, enquiries
jumped from 3503 in 2008 to 9937.
Recruiting authorities said the figures were encouraging but it was still too
early to tell whether a tightening labour
market was having a direct effect on
ADF recruitment and retention.
Director Military Recruiting
GPCAPT Sheldon Kimber said work
was needed to convert enquiries and
applications into 11,100 recruits.
“I do believe we have put in place
recruiting strategies and initiatives that
have led to an increased interest in
recruitment,” GPCAPT Kimber said.
“I would expect that this increased
interest, coupled with changed economic circumstances, should improve
our chances of recruiting many of the
people making enquiries.
“However, regardless of the economic circumstances and job market,
the ADF is an employer of first choice,
not last resort.”
Application figures peaked in
September 2008, also at 27 per cent,
with a more modest 13 per cent in
October and 14 per cent increase in
November. The January figure, however, was down marginally by 57 to
1272 but DFR is now approaching the
traditional recruiting period.
January enlistment/appointment
figures for the full-time Air Force were
at 86 per cent of predicted targets as at
February 1, with part-time figures at
71 per cent for the same period.
GPCAPT Kimber said there was no
direct historical connection between
economic downturns and recruitment;
rather there was increased retention of
serving personnel in a tough job market with reduced vacancies.
He said he was more concerned that
trades, professions (including engineering and specialist recruitments)
were still undersubscribed.
SEEKING INFORMATION: Above, SGT Tunya Fox from Defence Force
Recruiting talks to members of the public at the Australian International
Airshow 2009 at Avalon.
TESTING HIS SKILLS: Right, Jackson Williams on the flight simulator in
the DFR tent at the airshow.
Photos: LAC Aaron Curran
“We are not yet seeing the same
increases in actual enlistments and
recruiting numbers in the roles and trades
we particularly want to fill,” he said.
GPCAPT Kimber said more than
100,000 enquiries were needed to
achieve recruiting targets. More than
40,000 applications were then required
to convert successful civilians into
recruits.
Chandler Macleod Group took on
the mammoth task of recruiting the
ADF’s full-time and part-time recruits
on February 1 after a six-month transition from the former contractor,
Manpower.
New fellow for ADFA
UNDERGRAD and postgrad
courses in air power will be offered
at UNSW@ADFA, now that the post
of Chief of Air Force Fellow in Air
Power has been established.
This follows the signing in of a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
between Air Force and the university which establishes a senior lecturer for the purposes of providing
air power education and mentoring
for Air Force ADFA cadets.
WGCDR Mark Hinchcliffe took
up the position in January this year.
The courses will be available to
all ADFA students, including civilians and international students, and
will aim to promote a deeper understanding of air power and its role in
a whole-of-government approach to
national security.
WGCDR Hinchcliffe will occupy
IT’S OFFICIAL: Professor David
Lovell from UNSW and AIRCDRE
Leo Davies from AFHQ sign the
MOA.
Photo: FSGT John Carroll
the fellow’s position for three years
and will research ‘air power in the
Australian context’ while at ADFA.
CAF has endorsed this new position as an invaluable opportunity to
“not only educate our future officers
but to provide strong academic mentoring for them as well”.
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Avalon Airshow 9
IN CONTROL:
44WG Air Traffic
Controllers at Point
Cook, FLGOFF
John Houghton (left)
and SQNLDR Mark
Oksanen monitor the
airspace during the
airshow.
Tower of strength
By LAC Aaron Curran
AFTER nearly 17 years the lights
were turned back on and the cobwebs
wiped away in the Point Cook control tower to assist the Australian International Airshow 2009 (AIA09) at
Avalon.
Air Force Air Traffic Controllers
(ATCs) returned to the home of the
Air Force at the request of the airshow
organisers and the Army to handle the
large volume of air traffic over Avalon
from March 10 to 15.
With up to 250 aircraft movements
per day, it showed the need for air traffic control at Point Cook during that
period.
Under the direction of SQNDLR
Michael De Wit, Tactical Operations
Officer (TACOPS) at 44WG, five ATCs
picked up the binoculars and radios
and took control of all aircraft movements in the area surrounding Avalon.
“The five ATCs were part of our
online notice-to-move team,” SQNLDR
De Wit said.
“It tested our point-of-entry team,
how we could get them down there and
the logistics of bringing all the equipment and admin services down there
as well.”
Made up of controllers from various detachments around Australia, they
SKY WATCH:
In the stand,
the audience
watches the
skies for the
next exciting
flying display.
Photo: AB
Morgana Salabert
arrived at Point Cook five days before
the tower was made ‘active’.
They had meetings with the base
commanders and the local flying community to set down rules and procedures.
One of the team, FLGOFF John
Houghton, from RAAF Base Pearce,
said there were different procedures
at Point Cook compared to his base,
so it was a challenge for him to learn
and apply them in a limited amount
of time.
“Additionally, we had the challenge
of civilian aircraft from the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology
training centre and other aircraft that
were transiting our small piece of airspace for the airshow,” he said.
Much to their surprise the condition
of the tower was good with everything
in working order. The ATC team and
the detachment commanders brought
with them equipment and the deployment kit from TACOPS.
“We just set it all up, plugged it
in, applied those procedures we
had agreed on and away we went,”
FLGOFF Houghton said.
During the weekend when the
general public attended the airshow,
the traffic really ramped up with military aircraft mixing in with civilian
Tipsy at the Airshow
By FLTLT Jaimie Abbott
ing operational and exercise
deployments.
ACROSS the Victorian
“A few people have asked,
airspace, Surveillance and
‘Is that a missile launcher?’
Response Group assets were when they have seen the
on show down below at the
radar,” Airshow Detachment
Airshow.
Commander FLGOFF Sean
Nobody could miss the
O’Leary said.
41WG exhibition, which was
“They are pretty surprised to
the first display set up near the
discover we use this to control
entrance. The TPS-77 radar was aircraft within the Afghanistan
a drawcard.
airspace.”
It was clear the personnel
There were further surprises,
were proud to show off the radar with many people unaware
and display system. Drawn from that the AP-3C was involved in
3 Control and Reporting Unit,
operational flying.
1 Radar Survelliance Unit, 114
“It’s been great for recruitMobile Control and Reporting
ment as many of the high
Unit and 41WG, they boasted to school students have expressed
industry leaders and members
interest in what we do,” 11SQN
of the public about the equipAirborne Electronics Analyst
ment’s important role in improv- FSGT Michael Cuthbert said.
“We were working from 7am to
ones and testing the controllers’ skill.
“Every one of us was motivated to be 11pm in two shifts.”
One of the challenges they faced
there,” FLGOFF Houghton said.
AIR POWER: A USAF B-1 bomber
touches down after its display at the
airshow.
Photo: PO Rick Prideaux
was the lack of geographical reference points in their area. A reserve
ATC from Essendon airport came out
and assisted them during the build-up
phase.
“He was a great help and gave us
all a good understanding of the geographical features we needed to know,”
FLGOFF Houghton said.
“We didn’t actually have any points
that we could track aircraft by, so we
used things such as stadiums, river
mouths and bridges.”
With the five ATCs being a mix of
experienced and junior controllers, it
gave them the experience of operating
at a new base and a tick in their logbooks which will help them in future
courses.
“They did a good job down there,”
SQNLDR De Wit said.
“To their credit, they have shown a
lot of enthusiasm and put in a good rate
of effort to get up to speed as quickly
as they did.”
SQNLDR Mark Oksanen, who led
the team in the tower, said that if Point
Cook needed to be ramped up in the
future they were now able to go back
down, deploy and provide the service.
“The expectation is that air traffic
will only get busier there in the future,”
he said.
GENERATIONS:
A P-51 Mustang
(left) prepares to
launch while right,
four Hornets show
the crowds how
it is done at the
airshow. Photos: PO
Rick Prideaux
10 Avalon Airshow
What a
display
By LAC Aaron Curran
TEAMWORK: SQNLDRs De
Wit and Catie Williams in front
of the Mobile Air Traffic Control
tower. Photo: LAC Aaron Curran
Army and Air Force displays side by
side,” SQNLDR Williams said.
IT’S NOT often you get it right
Called into the role only five weeks
first time, but with the Australian In- before the airshow started, she had a
ternational Airshow 2009 (AIA09), huge job ahead of her getting the
Air Force did, and did it well.
required exhibits organised and in place.
Held at Avalon from March 10 to 15
in, at times, stormy weather, Air Force
managed to put on a display both in the
air and on the ground worthy of any
major public event.
In charge of the effort was SQNLDR
Catie Williams, ADF Ground Display
Commander AIA09.
“It was the first time that Air Force
had taken the lead in setting up the displays at Avalon,” she said.
“I placed all the displays in a
‘deployable’ layout instead of a sideshow alley arrangement. The CAF
wanted a deployable living diorama of
trades and musterings within Defence
to encourage people to come into the
military.”
The Army was incorporated into the
plans to show that Air Force and Army
do work and deploy together, dispelling
the old ‘us and them’ attitude.
“The message about working together as one ADF team was very important
to me. I did that by deliberately placing
“Starting from scratch, I got exhibits
that would interest the public and people wanting to join the military and to
highlight trades and categories for those
wanting to join the Air Force in particular,” she said.
With the aid of FLGOFF Ben Fraser
from Combat Support Unit, RAAF
Base Williams, and various detachment
commanders who attended, SQNLDR
Williams managed to stitch it all together in time for the opening.
“Ben and I did most of the organising of the ground and static displays,
but food, fuel and the many other support items that were needed were organised by WGCDR Barbara Courtney and
her team from the Base Command Post
at Williams,” she said.
One display foremost in her mind
was the Caribou. Being one of the first
displays to go in, it was dragged across
paddocks and put into place at the front
gate to the airshow.
She said it became a huge drawcard,
with past COs and Army officers, who
served in the aircraft in Vietnam, all
coming out of the woodwork for one
last look.
“It was important that it was up front
because it was one of the main drawcards of the show, so people could say
goodbye to it,” SQNLDR Williams said.
“The whole time the back of the
Caribou was chockers with people.”
SQNLDR Williams did not come
into the airshow totally unprepared.
She was involved in the organising
and running of the 2006 RAAF Base
Richmond Airshow, Operation Deluge
(APEC conference) in 2007 and
Operation Testament (World Youth
Day) in 2008.
“The experience of those operations
and also of being in an Expeditionary
Combat Support Squadron helped me
to have that holistic view of base support and knowing who can do what,
and what assets I have, helped me put
together the ground display at Avalon,”
she said.
The comprehensive ground display at Avalon took shape “with lots of
big ticket toys that I was very pleased
with”.
“It was fabulous and all involved
were very enthusiastic,” she said. “Air
Force left a big and impressive footprint
at AIA09.”
FINE FIGHTER: A US F-16
Fighter touches down in front
of the crowds at Avalon.
FLAGGED: The RAAF
Roundel. Photo: AB James
Whittle
SWARM: Above, the static aircraft display area is a sea of colour as the crowd
builds up during the airshow.
Photo: SGT David Grant
HI: Left, the 38SQN Caribou taxiing out for its flying display. Photo: LAC Aaron Curran
Volunteers line up for the show
By LAC Aaron Curran
WHEN the military asks for volunteers, a resulting stampede usually
occurs – in the other direction.
SPECIAL DUTY: Two of the volunteers who assisted with the airshow
were SGT Joseph Constantino, a clerk from 325ECSS, and CPL Brooke
Carter, an aviation technician from 6SQN, pictured above at the Air Force
stand in the exhibition hall.
Well, not on this occasion.
Air Force asked for volunteers to
come to the Australian International
Airshow 2009 (AIA09) at Avalon to
talk about their careers. More than 130
applications were submitted from across
the Air Force.
Needing only 16 to work at the Air
Force stand in the exhibition hall, the
number of applicants came as a pleasant
surprise to the staff at Communication
and Reputation Management (CRM) in
Air Force Headquarters.
FSGT Ben Wright from CRM said
the volume of applicants meant they
could pick the best of the best.
“They represented a cross-section
of Air Force musterings and specialisations, and went along to talk about their
personal experiences,” he said.
Most of the volunteers were there for
up to three days and did shifts of seven
hours with breaks in-between. Things
got quite busy as the airshow progressed
with more experienced people being on
the stand during the trade-only days.
“We selected our more experienced
people to be on the stand on the trade
days and had a lot of high level engineering people come up for a chat,”
FSGT Wright said.
“But on the public days we had a
larger number of younger members on
the stand.”
Air Force had the volunteers at the
airshow back in 2007, but one of the
major differences this time was the
dress.
“Instead of having everyone wearing Service Dress, we had technicians
wearing DPCUs, pilots and air combat
officers in flying suits, and even a crew
attendant in VIP Dress,” FSGT Wright
said.
“We wanted to get across to the public that it’s not only the Army that wears
DPCUs but the Air Force as well, and
equally, that we wear a range of uniforms for the variety of jobs that we
do.”
SGT Joseph Constantino, a clerk
BIG WET: Despite the
miserable weather, the crowd
enjoyed the airshow.
Photo: AB Morgana Salabert
from RAAF Base Edinburgh, volunteered because it was an opportunity for
him to share his experiences and also,
as a person born in the Philippines, to
show that you can have a successful
career in the Air Force.
“I had a genuine interest in wanting
to share with the younger generation
that you can have a secure career in the
Air Force and to give them some guidance,” he said.
“It was a platform for me to talk
to people who think that they are not
good enough or qualified enough for the
ADF. I also wanted to tell a lot of foreign-born Australians that they can have
a good career in the Air Force.”
Avalon Airshow 11
Welcome, Wedgetail
By FLTLT Jaimie Abbott
ONE of the biggest and bestlooking assets at the Australian
International Airshow 2009 was
the new Wedgetail aircraft – but
it wasn’t there just for looks.
Although not the first time a
Wedgetail had appeared at Avalon
(an incomplete model featured
in 2005), it was the first time the
public could see the 737 up-close
in its near-finished form.
As well as attracting interest from spectators and industry
leaders alike, the Airborne Early
Warning and Control (AEW&C)
aircraft was a drawcard for international buyers as well.
Program Manager AVM Chris
Deeble supported Boeing in presenting the AEW&C capability
to potential buyers. It was hoped
with increased players in the market, there would be an eventual
reduction in ongoing development
and sustainment costs.
AEW&C is also already being
purchased by the Turkish and
Korean Air Forces.
“We have seen interest from
other nations who want to follow,”
AVM Deeble said.
“UAE, India and Italy have all
shown interest in AEW&C as part
of their future capability development plans.
“Once we deliver it, interest
will grow.”
Interest has already grown for
the new OC 42WG, GPCAPT
Stephen Meredith.
RAAF Base Williamtown will
be the home base for 42WG and
2SQN, the operating Wing and
squadron for the Wedgetails.
“It’s fantastic to be a part of
this. With the Wedgetail at Avalon
people could see it, touch it and
feel it,” GPCAPT Meredith said.
“There is no doubt members
of the public have been interested
in the aircraft. Many have asked,
‘When are we going to see it?’
So it will be exciting when it is
finally handed over to Air Force,”
he said.
AVM Deeble said it would be
a busy year with planned events
such as an Operational Utility
Demonstration which will be conducted as part of Exercise Arnhem
Thunder.
“Hundreds of Defence and
industry personnel have worked
hard to deliver the Wedgetail
program so it’s fantastic to see
the progress being made and the
potential to have aircraft in-service later this year,” he said.
SPECIAL SHOWING: Air Force representatives of the Wedgetail AEWC aircraft stand by their machine at the Australian
International Airshow 2009 at Avalon. From left, SQNLDR James Pearson, AVM Chris Deeble, GPCAPT Stephen
Meredith and SQNLDR Chris Loeliger.
Photo: AB Evan Murphy
King Air
is top of
the props
By FLTLT Daniel Scott
ON GUARD: ACW Kim MacManigall and ‘Cane’ (left) and LAC David O’Donnell and ‘War’ guard the B-1
bomber as the USAF’s CAPT Chris Rumpf watches on.
Photo: AB Evan Murphy
Dogged determination
keeps bomber safe
By FLGOFFs Nick O’Connor
and Cindy Ritchie
AIR Force’s Military Working Dogs and their handlers
were put to the test recently
when called upon to secure a US
Air Force B-1 bomber at Melbourne Airport.
The dogs and their handlers
stepped up to the mark when a
B-1 was diverted to Tullamarine
Airport and blew a tyre upon
landing.
The handlers received a direct
request from the US Embassy to
secure the aircraft.
SQNLDR Brett Green,
Force Protection Officer based
in Melbourne for the Australian
International Airshow 2009 at
Avalon, said his team was ready
to respond to the call.
“I have never known the US
to trust another nation with
the security of a B-1 bomber,”
SQNLDR Green said.
“We secured the aircraft only
42 minutes after the initial phone
call.”
MWD Handlers LAC David
O ’ D o n n e l l a n d AC W K i m
MacMenigall and their dogs
‘War’ and ‘Cane’ were patrolling
RAAF Base Williams, Point Cook,
when the call came through.
“It was nice for a change to
respond to a situation that we
knew wasn’t an exercise,” LAC
O’Donnell said.
“After all the training and the
special bond we built with our
dogs, it was great to put all of
this into action in a real-life situation.”
LACW MacMenigall said the
dogs were keen to get to a new
place and break the normal training and patrol regime.
“It was also exciting and
a privilege to look after the
American’s top aircraft,” she
said.
USAF 37 Bomb Squadron
Supervisor CAPT David Grasso
said having the Australian MWDs
and their handlers show up was
a relief.
“We have a good working
partnership with the Australians
and knew the $300 million bomber would be safe in their hands,”
CAPT Grasso said.
THE 32SQN King Air 350 static display claimed the ‘top prop’
award at the Australian International Airshow 2009 at Avalon.
The squadron was presented
with the Concours D’Elegance
award for the Best Military
Propeller Aircraft display, up
against some stiff competition.
The C-130J, AP-3C and
Caribou – in its last Avalon
appearance – were in the
running, along with the Royal
Singapore Air Force’s PC-21.
The King Air won the award
due to the exceptional efforts of
personnel from 32SQN and the
School of Air Warfare during the
public days; handing out more
D’ELEGANCE: 32SQN’s King Air
was named the best propeller aircraft
at Avalon.
Photo: AC Terry Hartin
than 5000 posters, 1000 arm
bands and 500 stickers, along with
answering hundreds of questions
from the crowd.
32SQN operates a fleet of eight
King Air 350 aircraft to support
the training of ADF Air Combat
Officers and Royal New Zealand
Air Force Observers at RAAF Base
East Sale.
HOT SEAT: Today Show weather presenter
Giaane Rooney, after presenting the
morning weather live from the cockpit of an
FA-18, with the pilot, 3SQN CO WGCDR
Terry van Haren.
Photo: AB James Whittle
12 Avalon Airshow
13
THUNDER AND WONDER
Despite wet and windy weather, a vast array of aircraft
thrilled more than 165,000 people at the Australian
International Airshow 2009, as LAC Aaron Curran reports.
I
f you were walking the streets of
Melbourne a few weekends back
and saw family groups with mud
on their shoes and smiles on their
faces, you might have guessed
they had been to Avalon.
More than 165,000 people attended
the Australian International Airshow
2009 (AIA09) from March 10 to 15 to
see the best Air Force, the ADF and the
international Defence industry had to
offer.
This was in the face of appalling
weather, competition from the Bushfire
HORNET HAPPINESS: Above, FLTLT
James Atkinson from No 2 Operational
Conversion Unit shows Tanya Jensen,
12, of Warragul, Victoria, around the
cockpit of a Hornet.
Sound Relief concert and the effects of
the global financial crisis.
Air Force once again took the lead,
bringing to the show a huge range
of assets including F-111s, F/A-18s,
Hawks, PC-9s, AP-3Cs, Caribous,
C-130s, CT-4s and the new 2SQN
Wedgetail.
Complementing the aircraft was a
massive ground display by Air Force,
Army and Navy units.
The Air Force effort included displays by 1 Airfield Defence Squadron,
44WG, the Security and Fire School,
firefighters, the Air Force Band,
1 A i r fi e l d O p e r a t i o n s S u p p o r t
Squadron, Military Working Dogs,
Health Services Wing with their
Aero-medical Evacuation display,
23SQN, 1 Combat Communications
Squadron, and a 38SQN Caribou at
the front gate.
Sadly for visitors, AIA09 was the
last time that the Caribou and F-111
would be on show at Avalon.
“We just love the Caribou,” said
local resident Brian Hynds, who came
along with his son Dylan. “It’s a shame
they are going out of service.
“We came specifically to see it for
the last time. Forty-five years service is
a long time and we have watched them
from our house over the years.”
Late on Saturday, a storm cell
came through that shut the flying program down and caused some damage
to tents and light aircraft.
Unperturbed by the weather, the
crowds kept growing, sloshing through
the mud. Their persistence paid off,
with the cloud lifting enough for the
flying displays to go ahead.
Until the gates were thrown open to
the public at 2pm on Friday, entry was
confined to trade only.
Head ADF Planning Team AIA09
AIRCDRE David Pietsch said the
trade days were very important for
people working in capability development and acquisition.
“They came and spoke to companies about what they were offering,”
he said. “It exposed many ADF personnel to the range of capabilities that
Defence companies provide, particularly Australian small and mediumsized enterprises, because it showed
what Australia could produce.”
One major contributor to AIA09
was the United States military. The
US Department of Defense had a massive stall covering all three Services
and their latest projects. Out on the
flightline and in the air they had
F-15s, F-16s, an F/A-18F Super
Hornet, a C-5 Galaxy, a C-17, a B1-B
Lancer bomber and a KC-135 tanker.
One person who was thrilled
with the US involvement was CAF
AIRMSHL Mark Binskin, who
received a ride in a Super Hornet.
“The Super Hornet ride courtesy
of the US Navy and Boeing was brilliant,” he said.
“The F/A-18F represents a leap forward in capability from our Classics. I
look forward to our first tranche of
Super Hornets arriving in Australia
next year.”
Other participants were aircraft
from Singapore, Malaysia and New
Zealand. The Navy brought along
its Squirrels and Sea Hawk with the
Army supplying Black Hawks, a
Kiowa, an RBS70 surface-to-air missile system, M1A1 Abrams tank and
an M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier.
“The airshow was an outstanding
success,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.
“A lot of Air Force and ADF people
worked hard to prepare for this event
and it paid off. I was really proud to
HERE IT COMES: A storm cell comes
in from the west over the airshow on
Saturday morning.
see Air Force on display in the air and
on the ground.”
Perhaps the crowd favourite was
the F-111.
“The dump and burn on Friday
night was brilliant, with the low cloud
and the eerie glow it produced,”
AIRCDRE Pietsch said.
FAST AND FURIOUS: A RAAF
F/A-18 puts on a spectacular
aerial display for the crowds.
COLD COMFORT: LACW Danielle
Hill, a clerk with 1AOSS, didn’t let the
stormy conditions spoil the fun at the
airshow. Photo: LAC Aaron Curran
PROMOTIONAL PUSH: Above, FLGOFF Alesha Whitehead
(right) and FLGOFF Justine Hawker (centre) speak to Ben
Collisan (green top) and Todd Robson.
Photo: SGT David Grant
READY TO FLY: Below, CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin gets
ready for his flight in an American F/A-18F Super Hornet.
PANTHER PRIDE: Above, AC Andrew Barr, of 382ECSS, RAAF Base
Amberley, shows Country Fire Authority members Kate Allen and Dean
Harding the Panther fire truck.
Photo: SGT Dave Grant
CATS FAN: Above, Geelong footballer Harry Taylor signs a
shirt for 3SQN’s SGT Phillip Griffis.
Photo: WOFF Don Kenny
TIP-TOP CONDITION: Right, aircraft technician CPL Timothy
Hyland, of FACDU at RAAF Base Williamtown, checks the
engine bay of a PC-9 aircraft .
Photo: ABPH James Whittle
BEHIND THE WHEEL: Above, plant operator LAC Aaron
Fayers of 1AOSS helps set up the ground displays.
Photo: ABPH James Whittle
STAR TURN: A 38SQN Caribou comes in to land after its flying
display at the airshow.
Feature 15
My mini blimp quest
By Barry Rollings
Low and slow
“OUTBACK JOE” keep your eye
on the sky. SQNLDR Shawn Jenkins is
coming to the rescue.
What do these cryptic statements
mean?
SQNLDR Jenkins, who has an abiding passion for unmanned aerial vehicles, plans to enter the mini blimp he has
constructed in the Outback Challenge at
Kingaroy Airport from September 28 to
October 1.
The challenge, which has not been
won in the two years it has been contested, requires contestants to navigate
their Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
through a corridor from Kingaroy Airport
to a designated search area, find the
dummy dubbed “Outback Joe”– providing GPS co-ordinates for his position
– and drop him an emergency package
(water bottle) without hitting him. A time
limit applies and contestants are awarded
points in relation to the speed with which
they can complete the challenge and how
accurate their emergency drop is.
SQNLDR Jenkins, who had his interest in the blimp piqued in 2003 when
he was involved in a number of demonstrations and trials of small Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAV), is confident he is
up to the challenge this year with his own
unique UAV.
Of the 2003 trials, SQNLDR Jenkins
said: “These were all traditional fixed
wing designs which would be operated in
military airspace but would have significant constraints in operating over populated urban terrain. A blimp is an effective
and safe option in such an environment.”
A former United States Navy pilot, he
was recruited to do Electronic Warfare
(EW) test and evaluation work on
AP-3Cs at 92WG from 1996-1999. He did
EW doctrine development and information operations lecturing at the Australian
Defence Force Warfare Centre from 1999
to 2002.
While Staff Officer Aerospace
Development in Special Operations
Command from 2003 to 2005, he had a
year-long break to attend the Australian
Command and Staff Course in 2004.
More recently, he commanded 28 (City
of Canberra Squadron before being posted
this year to the Air Operations Centre at
the Headquarters Joint Operations Centre.
While at university, SQNLDR Jenkins
studied Aerospace Engineering. He has a
Bachelor of Science in Engineering and
his interest in building the blimp gained
momentum after the Coalition first went
into Afghanistan.
“Many Predator missions were flown
at high altitude over the Op Anaconda area
without detecting the Taliban insurgents,”
SQNLDR Jenkins said. “I believe that
a UAV that can fly low and slow (slow
gives a steady camera picture), image an
area, take a bit of damage, and maybe
even stimulate a ground response would
be a great tool in a war zone. Especially
DIMENSIONS: The blimp is 9m
long, max mid-section diameter
1.8m.Outer envelope: Rip-stop
nylon. Inner: low helium-leakage polyurethane.
POWER: 2 x petrol-powered,
vector-capable engines.
Filled with: 26 cubic metres
non-flammable helium (cost
$1200 per inflation).
INFLATION TIME: 35 minutes.
CONTROLS: Originally radiocontrolled. Now capable of
autonomous flight using an
autopilot through its ground
station comprising four personal notebook computers once
programmed.
CEILING: Below 400ft, within
eyesight and away from airfields
because of civil aviation restrictions. Theoretical: 2000-3000ft.
COST TO DATE: $60,000.
SEARCHING FOR JOE: SQNLDR Shawn Jenkins with his 9m blimp.
if it can be flown safely over populated
areas.
“This design has dual redundancy
in its envelopes and the low helium
pressure means it can take some damage while still maintaining flight. With
two engines and multiple datalinks, my
design could be flown low over hotspots to inexpensively draw ground fire
and locate ‘hostiles’. If it does take a
lot of damage, it just slowly sinks to
the ground, which doesn’t threaten people or things on the ground.”
Being a hot air balloon pilot for the
past few years has given him an appreciation for just how stable a hot air balloon is for shooting imagery. Cameras
mounted on his own mini blimp can
“probably see a kangaroo 3km away”.
Once programmed, computers can
control the blimp on its ascent, directional travel – it can go backwards, too,
– and descent. It can carry a host of different payloads and is not aerodynamically stressed.
“The outside envelope is made of
strong rip-stop nylon, while the inner
envelope or bladder is made of lowhelium-leakage polyurethane. The
shape of a blimp is maintained by the
helium within; at a slightly higher pressure than ambient pressure outside the
envelope. The flight control surfaces
are balsa covered in plastic film and the
gondola is moulded plastic.”
The design had now evolved to
the extent that he was ready for the
Outback Challenge in which the blimp
should also prove its value in a searchand-rescue role.
Photos: LAC Aaron Curran
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16 News
Looks deceive
WHEN seven aviation engineers
from RAAF Base Wagga visited Gundagai in February to examine the Sheahan
Bridge duplication project, it might have
seemed odd to some.
BRIDGE LESSONS: RAAF Base Wagga aviation
engineers on the bridge access gantry, from left, FLTLT
Gary Simms, CAPT Shane Sorensen, SQNLDR
Darren Hill, SQNLDR James Leitch, SQNLDR Rex
Kidner, FLTLT Lachlan Melville and SQNLDR Terry
Pridham.
Photo: Martin Harris
The Officer in Charge of Engineering
Training Flight, SQNLDR Terry Pridham,
can explain, though.
“While the project is not strictly aviation engineering in its application, it does
provide valuable learning opportunities
that can still be applied everyday back in
the aviation world,” he said.
“Seeing projects such as this one during its construction phase helps engineers
gain a more detailed understanding of
technical concepts, risk and project complications that can occur.”
Wagga staff regularly undertake
Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) as part of Air Force’s agreement
with Engineers Australia to up-skill engineers and keep them current with industry
developments in the various disciplines of
engineering.
The 32-year-old Sheahan bridge straddles the Murrumbidgee River and flood
plains of the township. It is 11kms long
and is a steel box girder structure that is
single lane in each direction.
The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA)
has undertaken a project with FultonHogan to duplicate the structure, then
refurbish the current bridge to provide full
dual carriageway for this section of the
Hume Highway.
SQNLDR Pridham said the new bridge
was a modern balanced cantilever design
with load bearing sections that resemble
part of the wing box structure common in
most aircraft types.
“During the construction phase, the
balanced cantilever bridge resembles an
unloaded wing structure on an aircraft on
the tarmac,” SQNLDR Pridham said.
“It is not until the final sections of cantilever are joined that the load pattern on
the upper structure changes from tension
to compression.
“Of particular interest to aviation
engineers are the methods that civil engineers use to mitigate risk during project
management, finance and construction,
areas which all engineers, regardless of
discipline are required to cope with.”
For further information regarding CPD
opportunities for aviation engineers in
the Wagga region, contact SQNLDR James
Leitch on (02) 6937 4800.
INSTRUCTIONAL: The visitors look at
the formwork being put in place for the
last section of the cantilever structure
to be poured. Photo: SQNLDR Terry Pridham
DEFENCE FORCE WELFARE ASSOCIATION
50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE ADF
DFWA has worked for you since 1959 to campaign for improved
conditions of service for ADF members and their families; advocate
fair and equitable treatment and retirement benefits for former ADF
members; and provide help for serving and retired personnel make
claims under Commonwealth legislation covering superannuation,
compensation and veterans’ entitlements.
With respect to the SAS pay issue, the Association has alerted
Government that there may be yet a further group which may be
affected by this problem – those that are either recently discharged,
or in the process of being discharged, some on medical grounds,
and possibly some widows.
With respect to travel to and from the new Headquarters Joint
Operations Command near Bungendore, the Association is
concerned that although the promised road improvements might
improve safety in the long run, it does little to resolve general
transport issues for ADF personnel posted there, having to travel
long distances by private means, often after hours, along a
notoriously dangerous country road.
Problems such as these highlight the need for more effective,
independent representation for ADF members, which is our role !
DFWA continues to work hard for you and has achieved much in its
50 years … help us continue with the good work by joining NOW.
Want to learn more about these matters ?
Visit www.dfwa.org.au
Remember … we give you a voice
BIRTHDAY: Evans Head from the air.
Photo: RAAF Museum
Evans Head
marks 70th
WORLD WAR II veterans will be reunited
in October for the 70th birthday of Evans Head
Air Weapons Range (EVADWR).
A community committee has organised a
big event at the airfield to commemorate the
milestone.
“The airfield is historic and is heritage
listed,” OIC FLTLT Phil Townsend, who is a
member of the committee, said.
“It was the largest Australian training base
in WWII so this will be a significant event that
commemorates its official opening.”
The reunion and celebrations will be held
over the weekend of October 3 and 4, and will
include a memorial service, an opening ceremony and luncheon, dedication of a plaque commemorating Air Force personnel who died there,
displays at the airfield and official dinners.
“We’ve invited Governor General Quentin
Bryce and CAF, Commander Air Combat
Group, Commander Air Force Training Group
and other senior officers to the Saturday service and opening ceremony/luncheon,” he said.
On October 5, the veterans will be invited to
the bombing range where EVADWR staff will
prepare a barbecue for them and invite them to
watch bombing runs by F-111s.
“It will be a significant ceremony with the
historical importance of the airfield, and it is
even more important as Air Force still operates
a training bombing range here 70 years later,”
FLTLT Townsend said.
“It is also significant that the profile of the
Range is about to change with the introduction
of the Super Hornet.”
During World War II, Evans Head aerodrome
was the Air Force’s largest training base and perhaps the largest in the Southern Hemisphere with
more than 5000 personnel trained there.
For more information, contact FLTLT Phillip
Townsend at [email protected]
or telephone (02) 6682 4740.
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Bushfire Appeal 17
BIG GIVERS: Australian Red Cross representatives Pat Vogler and Maureen
Johnston receive a cheque to $8756 for the Red Cross Victorian fire appeal
from Chaplain WGCDR Paul Goodland and FLTLT Anita Green at RAAF Base
Amberley.
Photo: LAC Benjamin Evans
BIG EFFORT: Above, WGCDR Mark Fox (left) and
Defence Credit Union employee Nicole Scandura
present a $19,365.50 cheque on behalf of RAAF
Base Edinburgh to Clinton Jury from the Red
Cross Bushfire Appeal.
Photo: ACW Shannon Urie
BIG HEARTS: Left (from left), WGCDR Peter
Donaldson, FSGT Jack Daniel, SQNLDR Matt
Hetherington, WOFF Scott Chenery and SQNLDR
Shane Smith show off the $17,221.64 collected
by the members of the C-130 Task Group
Detachment in the Middle East. Five thousand
dollars was donated from the Det’s social club
with the remainder from all areas of the task group
as well as nearby American and British Service
personnel.
Photo: SQNLDR Andrew Cranshaw
Fundraising flows out
Air Force is still raising funds for the
Victorian bushfire victims. RAAF Base
Glenbrook raised $450 in fines at a dining-in
night at the Officers’ Mess, while the 2 Air
Transportable Health Squadron detachment
at RAAF Base Tindal led the charge and
raised $1027 with Red Cross tin collections
at the front gates of the base.
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18 Flightline
ARE YOU THERE?: AC Cameron Swift from 381ECSS
mans the ground operations radio during Operation
Resolute, the surveillance operation that was held late last
year at RAAF Learmonth.
Photo: AC Mark Friend
DOG DAY OUT: FLTLT Michael Clements from 2ATHS
checks Military Working Dog ‘Vooch’ at Learmonth,
while his handler CPL Anthony Tulk lends support.
Photo: AC Mark Friend
CHECK MATE?: Avionics technician LAC Elias Youssef from 6SQN
at RAAF Base Amberley conducts a vehicle security check while he
is deployed with the Orion detachment in the Middle East Area of
Operations.
Photo: SGT Brent Tero
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TRUE TO TYPE: Above, LACW Amy Finnegan,
a clerk with 381ECSS, is hard at work at RAAF
Learmonth during Operation Resolute.
FEEDING FRENZY: Right, cook LAC Lachlan
Robinson from 381ECSS prepares another
meal for the hungry personnel who were
deployed at Learmonth. Photos: AC Mark Friend
GROUND TO AIR: Below, Air Operations
Officer FLGOFF Damien Martin checks out
an AP-3C in the Middle East after briefing the
crew before they depart on another mission in
support of Operation Slipper.
Photo: ABPH Paul Berry
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Cadets Corner 19
BULLETIN BOARD
Air Force Band
SHIPSHAPE: Above, CFSGT Dani Brewster (left) and LCDT
Michael Marriner were two of 50 Air Force Cadets from 8WG AAFC
who visited HMAS Coonawarra and the Armidale-class patrol boat
HMAS Bathurst, while below, CDT Hunton Bowland, CDT Warren
Collins, LCDT John Gobbert and LCDT Ash Martin tour the patrol
boat facility at HMAS Coonawarra.
Photos: ABPH Bradley Darvill
April 1: The Catalina Wind Quintet will support the Air Force Anniversary function at
the RAAF Base Wagga Officers’ Mess.
April 2: The Clarinet Quartet will provide
background music for the Air Force Week
cocktail party at the RAAF Base Glenbrook
Officers’ Mess.
April 2: The Ceremonial Band will support
the SATC Graduation Parade at RAAF Base
East Sale.
April 5: The Ceremonial Band will take
part in the ‘Awarding of the George Cross
to Malta’ Commemoration at the Shrine of
Remembrance in Melbourne at 11am.
April 8: The Ceremonial Band will support
the GAP Year ceremonial parade at RAAF
Base Williams, Point Cook from 11am.
Apprentice reunion
Members of 26 Trade Apprentice Intake
who trained at both RAAF Bases Wagga and
Williams from 1972 to 1974 are invited to
attend the intake’s 40th year reunion.
For more information, contact Steve
Mitchell on 0418 238 758 or email:
[email protected]
2CRU’s 50th anniversary
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DEF1623_AANN
EIGHT BELLS, ALL’S WELL: LCDT Essa Khan from 601SQN
AAFC learned about life before the mast aboard the Sail Training
Ship Young Endeavour late last year. He is pictured striking the
change of the hour on the ship’s bell.
Photo: LCDT Essa Khan
No. 2 Control and Reporting Unit (2CRU)
is celebrating its 50th anniversary on
September 21, 2009. As part of the
celebrations, a reunion dinner will be held
in Darwin on September 19, followed by a
week of activities. The 2CRU 50th Reunion
Committee has been formed in Darwin
comprising former members.
For more details, contact the committee
at email: [email protected] or
SGT Lesley Stowers at email: lesley.
[email protected]
20 History
Beaufortt
returns
By Tony Clark, Beaufort
Restoration Group
RESTORATION of a significant
piece of Air Force history to full flying condition is taking shape in a
hangar in Caboolture in Queensland.
In 1982, a vintage aircraft enthusiast named Ralph Cusack stumbled
upon the remains of a former RAAF
Beaufort medium bomber in an orchard
in Mildura. He purchased them and
transported them to Brisbane.
The cockpit, centre wing section
and badly damaged fuselage became
the genesis of a project by a group of
aircraft enthusiasts to restore the aircraft to museum quality.
As the work progressed, it became
clear that it would be possible to
return the Beaufort to flying condition.
Consequently, in 1997, the Beaufort
Restoration Group – which includes
several former Air Force members in
its numbers – began the long journey
to complete this important piece of
Australian aviation history.
Research revealed that the aircraft was the former RAAF Beaufort
A9-141. The Department of Aircraft
Production (DAP) constructed the aircraft in October, 1942 at its plant at
Fishermen’s Bend in Victoria. After
a series of successful trials and test
flights, on November 26, A9-141 was
assigned to 14SQN at RAAF Base
Pearce.
It flew several reconnaissance, antisubmarine and convoy escort flights
over the Indian Ocean until February
1943 when it was transferred to
7SQN at Horn Island off Cape York,
Queensland. 7SQN conducted similar
patrols.
A9-141’s last operational mission
took place on April 30 when it escorted a convoy carrying supplies to New
Guinea.
The Beaufort was due for a major
overhaul so it returned to Victoria.
On completion, it was allotted to 1
Operational Training Unit (1OTU) and
then to 5OTU at Tocumwal in NSW.
On January 11, 1944, A9-141
ground-looped and crashed while taking off on a training flight. It was so
badly damaged that it was written off
for parts and then faded from history
until rediscovered by Mr Cusack.
With the remains safely in
Queensland, restoration work began in
earnest as volunteers scoured Australia
and PNG for components, including
from other downed Beauforts. This
proved successful and the various
major assemblies began to take shape.
Consequently, in June 2007, a decision
was made to transfer the aircraft to a
DEDICATED: On Anzac Day, 2008, the Beaufort Restoration Group took time to pose with the partially-restored
A9-141. The group aims to have the historic aircraft fully restored and flying in time for the 90th anniversary of
the founding of the RAAF.
Photo: Tony Clark
larger hangar in Caboolture so that the
outer wing sections could be fitted to
the fuselage.
By February 2009, the cockpit,
fuselage, tail section, wing centre section and undercarriage were substantially complete and ready to be reassembled. The two outer wing sections
were nearly complete and were to be
attached to the aircraft in a few months
time.
The group plans to have the
Beaufort ready for its first flight on the
90th birthday of the formation of the
RAAF on March 31, 2011. It will be
the only flying example of a Beaufort
anywhere in the world.
There has been one other major restoration of a DAP Beaufort in Australia
and only a few world-wide. A9-557
was restored to a static display condition for the Australian War Memorial.
Vo l u n t e e r s f r o m t h e B e a u f o r t
Restoration Group were involved in
the restoration, which was completed
in 2003.
In 1939, the Australian government decided to manufacture the UK
Bristol company-designed Beaufort
in Australia. A total of 700 were constructed at the DAP assembly plants
at Fishermens Bend and Mascot in
Sydney between August 1941 and
August, 1944, while the engines were
manufactured by CAC at Lidcombe.
The aircraft represented a challenge
as it was the first all-metal aircraft produced by an aviation industry used to
working in wood and canvas or linen.
Seventeen RAAF squadrons operated the type. It was used for anti-submarine warfare, anti-shipping, coastal
patrol, convoy escort and close support
to ground troops in PNG.
It quickly established a reputation
for its successes.
The last RAAF mission of WWII
was a ground attack mission against
Japanese troops by Beauforts; it was
aborted half-way by the cease fire.
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Personnel 21
Air Force Departure Lounge
SAFETY FIRST: Weapons operators are urged to use the buddy system to avoid the likelihood of
negligent discharges during weapons clearances and final function testing.
Check your
weapons
Who’s leaving after 20 or more years’ service
Name
GPCAPT Brenton Crowhurst
AIRCDRE Graham Bentley
WOFF Dory Costello
WOFF Wayne Maher
WOFF Phillip Stubbs
WOFF Terence Yelds
FSGT Alan Kendall
WOFF Eric Sellers
GPCAPT Chris Leatham
SGT Nicole Pound
FSGT Robert Snaith
LAC Stewart Went
SGT Paul Baker
WOFF Andrew Kassebaum
SGT Matthew Stacey
FSGT Kym Dunstan
FSGT David Geck
SGT Harald Strass
WOFF Ray Woolnough
SGT Stephen Dowden
SQNLDR Dean Paterson
SQNLDR Jason Briggs
SGT Pat Walsh
Must/Spec
PLT
GLIST
CETECH
ATECH
AEA
AVSYSTECH
ALSFITT
LOADM
LOG
CLK
AVTECH
PLANTOP
AVSYSTECH
AEA
ADAVTECH
AVTECH
AVTECH
CETECH
EXWOFF
ATECH
ACO
ADMIN
AVTECH
BE A GOOD BUDDY
If unloading weapons, final-function tests or
weapon clearances are not collectively supervised, you must obtain assistance from another
qualified person to act as a buddy.
A person asked to be a buddy must do so
(regardless of rank) unless they are not qualified
on the weapon or they have reasonable grounds
to refuse. Being a senior rank is not grounds for
refusal.
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Buddies must directly observe and, when
necessary, correct the operator’s drills or handling of the weapon.
Buddies must ensure a magazine is not
fitted before the working parts are allowed
forward.
When unloading, and on the individual safety
precautions, the buddy must clear the weapon
during collective safety precautions (with white
light or manual check at night).
Resettlement training
Dump Trucks | Excavators | Front End Loaders | Skid Steer Loaders ... and much more!
By WO2 Graham McBean
ADF weapon and range safety
authorities are urging personnel to
remember the buddy system and
correct range procedures as the
new training year gets under way.
CDF ACM Angus Houston introduced the buddy system after the
Kovco Inquiry in 2006, specifically
to prevent negligent discharges during weapon clearances and finalfunction testing.
More than 750 negligent discharges were reported between
January 1, 2006, and December
31, 2008 – with about 60 per cent
occurring during the unload drill
and 20 per cent during the finalfunction test.
Safety authorities said these
occurrences were due to personnel
leaving the magazine on during the
unload or placing it on during the
final function test.
Meanwhile, 56 incidents of ballin-blank ammunition contamination
had occurred since August 2000.
MAJ Leon Helmrich, SO2 Small
Arms Policy and Safety, said a key
message was to use a buddy.
He said negligent discharges had
dropped since the introduction of
the buddy system but weapon operators needed to be constantly alert to
safety.
“One negligent discharge is too
many and using a buddy during
safety precautions, unloading and
final function test could reduce up to
80 per cent of negligent discharges
immediately,” MAJ Helmrich said.
“Each one of them is a potentially life-ending event and we can
certainly reduce the numbers of
incidents substantially.”
MAJ Helmrich said the buddy
system worked by providing an
additional level of safety.
Another main safety issue highlighted by ADF occupational health
and safety was ammunition contamination.
Of the 56 incidents since 2000,
12 had resulted in the firing of ball
[live] ammunition through blank firing attachments, with two personnel
wounded.
MAJ Helmrich said the main
cause of contamination incidents
was poor clearance of weapons and
equipment.
He said Air Force personnel
needed to understand the necessity
for comprehensive inspections of
weapons, webbing and magazines
before and after range practices
and immediately before conducting
training with blank ammunition.
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Discharges serious business
EVERY negligent discharge is
taken seriously by Defence.
N GR
EW E
AT
Li
m
ite R
d
Of A
fe
r* T
E
However, ADF authorities
highlight that negligent discharges represent a low number
of incidents compared to the
hundreds of thousands of safe
weapon handling procedures
conducted in training and on
operations.
It is mandatory for all unauthorised and negligent firearm
discharges to be reported and
investigated as quickly as possible. Incidents are collated
through dangerous occurrence
reports, ammunition incident
reports and the discipline system.
Investigations analyse each
incident to identity any deficiencies in training or equipment. The findings inform and
improve upon existing Defence
policy on weapons handling and
training.
This reinforces the very high
standard of weapons training
within the ADF.
All personnel who have an
unauthorised discharge are
required to undertake further
training to confirm and improve
their skills and knowledge of
Defence’s safe weapons handling requirements.
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22 Lifestyle
HEALTH
Shooting flu
The importance of vaccination against influenza is overlooked every year by
many ADF members. CPL Andrew Hetherington explains why you should
visit your medical centre for your free needle of confidence.
GOT a sniffle and a cough? Do ache, chills, sweating, fatigue, cough- bases are at increased risk of influenza
outbreaks because of their high popuyou think you might have the flu and ing and muscle aches and pains.
COL van der Rijt said there were lation density.
now wished you had your free yearly
many ways ADF personnel could pre“Outbreaks in these settings have
influenza vaccination?
Fifty per cent of ADF personnel were vaccinated in 2008 and this
year Joint Health Command wants to
increase that number significantly.
The A and B influenza virus strains
are highly contagious and commonly
spread from person to person through
moisture droplets created by coughing
and sneezing and by touching contaminated surfaces.
Director of Military Medicine COL
Carmel van der Rijt said the flu was
usually more dangerous to elderly people or young children.
“Nevertheless, it can be a serious
illness for young healthy adults, who
often require one to three days sick
leave and subsequent restricted duty
for one to two weeks to fully recover,”
COL van der Rijt said.
“It also has a secondary impact on
your health, as members are not able
to undertake normal physical training
activities over the period of the illness
with resultant loss of fitness.”
The symptoms of flu can be confused with other ailments. They
include high fever, sore throat, head-
vent themselves from being infected.
“The primary method of preventing influenza, other than becoming a
hermit, is to be immunised with the
current season’s vaccine,” she said.
“Where there is a good match
between the vaccine and the circulating virus, the vaccine offers 70-90 per
cent protection for healthy adults.
“It’s also possible to use anti-viral
medication to prevent influenza if it’s
taken within 48 hours of having contact with a case of influenza.”
This medication is only effective
against the influenza virus not the
other viruses, which can cause a flulike illness.
However, influenza testing normally takes too long for this medication
to be prescribed unless there is a flu
outbreak.
“Personal hygiene is also important in preventing flu and this includes
washing your hands regularly, and
covering you nose and mouth when
coughing or sneezing.”
She said it was important for ADF
members to be vaccinated, as military
significant impact, as individuals with
flu normally need to be isolated and
this can result in large numbers of people not being able to undertake training and being absent from work,” COL
van der Rijt said.
“Attack rates of 50 per cent of personnel during outbreaks on military
bases have been reported in some journal articles.”
Personnel deploying on operations
are normally required to be immunised against influenza as part of their
deployment preparation.
An influenza outbreak in an operational setting could have a significant
impact on an operation.
The 2009 vaccine is now available
in all ADF medical units, so go into
your local medical centre to receive
your injection to prevent yourself
becoming a flu statistic, and to also
protect your family and mates.
For more information, visit: http://
www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/
Handbook-influenza
DRY REACHING: Don’t become a flu statistic this year or pass it on to
your mates; get vaccinated.
Photo: CPL Andrew Hetherington
FLU FACTS: NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT
Flu vaccines are effective about 14 days
after they are administered, and although
protection may last a few years, a new vaccine is distributed annually so as to make
sure that the match between vaccine and
circulating strain is as close as possible
every year. They are up to 70-90 per cent
effective when the match is close.
Often confused with a bad cold, influenza
can cause serious and debilitating complications such as pneumonia, particularly in
the elderly and other high risk groups.
Accounting for 10 per cent of all workplace absenteeism associated with illness,
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influenza is the cause of 1500 deaths in
Australia each year.
If you think you have the flu see your doctor and discuss sick leave so you cannot
spread the virus to others at your work
place.
Cover your mouth when you cough or
sneeze and wash your hands.
In adults, the infectious period is one day
before to five days after symptoms develop
and this can be longer in children - lasting
up to two to three weeks.
Annual vaccination is the single most effective measure to prevent influenza.
Sport 23
We’re back and firing
Air Force men
back on top in
Kapooka 12s
AFTER a three-year absence, the
Air Force men’s team returned with
a vengeance to the eighth Annual
Kapooka 12s Australian football competition in southern NSW on March
14.
The Air Force team dominated
the competition from the outset, winning the Defcredit Shield by beating
ADFA I 8.4. (52) to 2.2 (14) in the
final.
In other competition, honours were
shared around the three Services.
Ten men’s and two women’s teams
competed for prize money and trophies in a 12-a-side competition which
attracted players from around the country.
Most teams which contest the
K12s use the competition as a lead-up
to their home-and-away season. While
some were a little rusty after a long,
dry summer, there were plenty of displays of individual brilliance so early
in the season.
The men’s competition was split
into three divisions with each team
playing at least two games.
The finals were then split into two
separate series. The major finalists
competed for the Defcredit Shield,
while the minor finalists competed for
the newly-introduced Defcredit Cup.
The women’s competition was won
by Navy.
The regular longest kick and sprint
race competitions for men and women
each carried $100 prize money.
Results
Women – Defcredit Shield, Navy 8.6
(54) b ADFA 1.0. (6).
Men – Defcredit Cup, ADFA II 3.3
(21) b HMAS Cerberus 2.6. (18);
Defcredit Shield, RAAF 8.4. (52) b
ADFA I 2.2 (14).
THE HEAT IS ON: Above, OFFCDT Alice Clayfield tackles an
Army opponent as ADFA teammate OFFCDT Kirstie Buchholz,
left, gives support.
GOTCHA: Left, LAC Matt Davey (in white) catches a Navy
opponent in a crunching tackle.
Photos: LS Paul McCullum
Edinburgh can’t catch runaways
By CAPT Paul Sylvester
RAAF Base Edinburgh had to be
content with contesting the minor honours as 1 Brigade Combined (1BDE)
maintained its dominance throughout
the day to win the 2009 rugby union
10s competition at Kapooka.
Now in its 16th year, 18 teams from
as far away as Darwin, Townsville and
Adelaide contested the round-robin on
March 14, with a preliminary phase in
the morning and semi-finals and finals
in the afternoon.
The morning session determined
which teams lined up for the cup, plate
and bowl semi-finals and finals.
Sponsorship this year and team
registrations produced prize pools of
$1800 (cup), $900 (plate) and $500
(bowl) for the winners.
1BDE won the cup final 27-10 in
a much-anticipated decider against
Kapooka.
1BDE had been together for a number
of months, having contested the Hot 7s
International in Darwin playing against
international and state sides, as well as
the South Darwin 10s competition,
which it won.
The morning’s preliminary session
was fiercely contested.
1BDE stood out to win its first two
games by a margin of 120 points and
finish in top spot. Not to be outdone,
Kapooka, 3RAR, 6RAR, 8/9RAR,
Army Aviation, 9FSB, 2/14 QMI and
the Vikings all had two wins apiece in
a fight to secure top positions for the
cup semi-finals.
The remaining teams in the draw,
including Singleton Army Rugby, 17
SA Legacy steps up fundraising
DEFENCE members in South
Australia, particularly those from
RAAF Base Edinburgh, will step
up their fundraising in an attempt to
raise $40,000 for Legacy this year.
Edinburgh’s Legacy representative, FLTLT Craig Keane, said that
the South Australian Defence community had raised more than $25,000
last year, which also involved
Edinburgh collectors during the
badge week appeal.
Defence personnel also took part
in the annual Legacy Cup Australian
football match, wore the Legacy torch
on their uniforms when they contested
the ADF national golf championships
in Canberra in December, and joined
the cycling fever that accompanied
the 10th Tour Down Under classic
in which American cycling legend
and testicular cancer survivor Lance
Armstrong participated.
SGT Nick McKenzie, from
SOMETHING
FOR ALL:
FLTLT Craig
Keane seeks
participants to
help achieve
a $40,000
fundraising
target in South
Australia.
Photo: FLTLT Keane
Edinburgh, who was diagnosed with in the football and about 15 who
testicular cancer in 2001, completed contest the golf titles, he expects 30
the ride for Legacy and spent about cyclists to take up the challenge.
5½ hours on the bike.
Anyone interested in assisting with
FLTLT Keane is eager to hear from
fundraising this year should contact
people talented or determined enough to
FLTLT Keane on (08) 8393 4508 or
take part in all three events this year.
Apart from the 50 who take part
email [email protected]
LEAD TWICE THE LIFE
DMO MILITARY RESERVES
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» Aircrew
Construction Squadron, Edinburgh,
Border Army Rugby Club II (BARC
II), 2 CER and the School of Artillery,
displayed good attacking rugby but had
to be content with filling minor placings in the morning session to progress
to the plate and bowl semi-finals.
The bowl final was won by the
School of Artillery beating BARC II
31-29 in a tightly contested game.
Vikings won the plate final with
a golden point in extra time after the
game against 3RAR finished at 12-12
at full-time.
SPORT
April 2, 2009
Inside: SA’s big goals for Legacy fundraising
GLORY
GIRLS
Air Force women
triumphant in
Kapooka netball
WITH a strong Air Force contingent, ADFA’s
netballers began their season in a whirl of colour
when they won the Kapooka 7s women’s competition at the Army Recruit Training Centre in Wagga
on March 14.
NET WORTH:
ADFA player
OFFCDT Eleanor
Bradshaw (in blue
and red) reaches
for the ball along
with HMAS
Cerberus player
SMN Lauren
Nicoll during
the Kapooka 7s
competition at
Wagga. ADFA
beat Cerberus 7-0
in the final to win
the title. Photo: LS
Paul McCallum
ADFA, wearing a bright new uniform, beat HMAS
Cerberus 7-0 in a rain-affected final.
Coach GPCAPT Sue McGready was thrilled with
the effort.
“It was amazing to see the girls play together like
a well-oiled team given that many of them had not
played together before,” she said.
“We lost a lot of our senior players at the end of
last year and haven’t had the opportunity to select
from the new first years.”
She said the players stuck to their game structure
which enabled the new members of the team to slot
in easily.
GPCAPT McGready was one of eight Air Force
people involved with the team. To put that in perspective, there were only two others – one from Army and
one from Navy.
The Air Force players were goal shooters
OFFCDTs Teresa Bond, Eleanor Bradshaw and Erin
Geoghegan, goal defence OFFCDT Amy Brewster
(captain) and midcourt players OFFCDTs Gabrielle
Cook and Lauren Armstrong, and FLGOFF Lucy
Bree.
They left Canberra at 5am to get to Wagga on time
for the tournament, which was marred by bucketing
rain, lightning and wind.
The women’s grand final and play-off for third
were both halted at half-time because of the conditions.
OFFCDT Brewster, who aside from playing is
also president of the ADFA Netball Club, rated the
Kapooka 7s competition as a great success.
“It was a privilege for ADFA to be involved
this year and we look forward to being involved again in the future,” she said.
The club is already thinking about returning next
year to defend the title.
In the play-off for third place, 1RTB beat ACT
Combined 6-3.
The mixed competition was also affected by the
weather, with HMAS Albatross being declared the
winner on percentages.
Second was ACT Combined. DFR Parramatta had
scored the only point in the play-off against ADFA
before play was abandoned in their final, so that was
enough to give it third.

Edition 5105, April 02, 2009

Transcription

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