After a flight out to Queensland’s Australian ranges, NZ3811 balances on a rock, in control of FLTLT Tim Costley. Crewman SGT Richard Wing checks under the Iroquios. Photo: LAC Rachel Main. OH-07-0555-04-tn.jpg.
James Heffield
Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel and two Iroquois helicopters departed for Townsville, Australia, on Monday 13 August for a tropical flying exercise with the Australian Defence Force.
The exercise, which runs from August 13 – October 1, allows 87 RNZAF personnel to improve their skills and foster closer relationships with their Australian counterparts.
RNZAF Air Component Commander AIRCDRE Peter Stockwell said aircraft responded differently in tropical environments and it was important for aircrew to learn how to adapt.
‘Training in tropical environments is important for us to be able to operate effectively in places like Timor-Leste and around the Pacific. Higher temperatures and humidity have an affect on both aircraft and human performance so we need to adapt our operating procedures so we can be confident of our capability when we deploy on operations.‘
The opportunity to train alongside our closest ally was also valuable to enable the development of working relationships that lead to effective interoperability.
‘Although the New Zealand and Australian Defence Forces do business in a similar way, there are subtle differences which can only be fully understood by personnel if they train alongside each other,’ AIRCDRE Stockwell said.
The RNZAF Iroquois and crews will complete up to 180 flying hours during the exercise. They will be working alongside Australian Army helicopters and soldiers.