A RAAF C-27J Spartan from Amberley has been in Papua New Guinea to join forces with a PAC-750 aircraft.
The first rotation of the exercises involved an Amberley Air Base Spartan and 20 personnel from 35 Squadron transporting 1,000 passengers and about 38,000kg of cargo.
The focus of that first detachment was to support PNG’s government and defence force requests for airlift and mountainous terrain flying.
Officer Commanding 84 Wing Group Captain Matt Cooper said PNG defence force members were taken on familiarisation flights to develop their understanding of Spartan capabilities.
“Working with the Defence Cooperation Program and the Olgeta Aviator Mobile Training Team in Port Moresby, the detachment established training opportunities at less prepared and remote airfields accessible to the Spartan,” Group Captain Matt Cooper said.
The detachment also provided airworthiness and safety tasks for the PNG defence force’s introduction to the PAC-750XL aircraft.
The detachment was the first aircraft into Bougainville after the Mt Bagana volcanic eruption and helped by delivering humanitarian and disaster relief supplies and evacuating affected communities.
More than 8,000 people are thought to have been displaced in PNG’s autonomous Bougainville region from ash and pyroclastic flow.
Locals from about 10 villages at the base of Mt Bagana were affected.
Water sources have been contaminated and crops destroyed by the volcano’s activity.
Corporal Daniel Oehm said the deployment opportunity was both challenging and rewarding.
“The tasks included passenger and cargo moves, with more than 400 PNG defence members transported across PNG within two of the six weeks,” Corporal Oehm said.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity for a longer deployment so early on in my career.
“The most rewarding task was being on the first aircraft to deliver supplies to Bougainville.
“The effort the crew put in to deliver this outcome on one of our final days was a momentous achievement and the locals were so grateful for the supplies.”
This detachment focused on expanding potentially accessible airfields for the C-27J Spartan and strengthening aviation ties between the nations.
