OPERATION SIERRA

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE

AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT

The DHC-4 Caribou 35 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force "Wallaby Airlines"

A caribou from 35 Squadron, RAAF, delivering rice at Tapini in Central Province, Papua New Guinea.

For many years, the DHC-4 Caribou of Number 35 Squadron (Wallaby Airlines), have been regular visitors to Papua New Guinea. The mountainous terrain, hot and humid conditions, and changeable weather of Papua New Guinea make this country one of the most challenging aviation environments in the world, and also the best training environment for Caribou pilots. The Caribou is a twin engine, short take off and landing (STOL) transport aircraft that has a crew of two pilots and one flight engineer. The aircraft can deliver a 2.5 tonne load to airfields only 600 metres long. This capability and the training that 35 Squadron aircrew have in PNG operations makes the squadron and its aircraft ideally suited to providing drought relief supplies to the isolated villages in PNG.

The C-130 Hercules 36 and 37 Squadrons Royal Australian Air Force

A RAAF C-130 Hercules from Number 37 Squadron, RAAF, touches down at Kiunga in Western Province, Papua New Guinea.

The C130 Hercules is the workhorse of the Royal Australian Air Force. The four engine turbo-prop transport aircraft can carry up to 15 tonnes and fly over 4,000 km. The normal crew consists of two pilots, one navigator, one flight engineer and one loadmaster. The C130s of Numbers 36 and 37 Squadrons are also regular visitors to Papua New Guinea. For the drought relief operation, these aircraft have been invaluable in moving the many tonnes of relief supplies to the distant Western and West Sepik Provinces.