Tour By Helicopters

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 13

Tour By Helicopters

Two Iroquois helicopters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 3 Battlefield Support Squadron will stir up the snow in the Mount Cook region next week.

The two machines will be at Mount Cook as part of an extensive visit to the South Island. The snowstorms will be created while the crews of the Iroquois are gaining experience in operating their helicopters in mountain country. As they approach the ground for snow landings they will hover close to the surface while the 40 knot downdraft from the rotors blows away loose snow to provide a firm landing area. An R.N.Z.A.F. spokesman said in Christchurch yesterday that comprehensive displays of the abilities of the two helicopters would be given at the R.N.Z.A.F. Base, Woodbourne, at 9 a.m. on October 26; at Taieri at 10 a.m. on October 29, at Invercargill at 10 a.m. on October 30; and at Wigranl at 9 a.m. on November 1.

The Iroquois will arrive at Wigram on the afternoon of October 31 from Queenstown. They will remain there overnight and the next day will give a major handling demonstration which will be open to the public. Demonstrations will include general manoeuvrability, winching exercises, combat loading and unloading with 10 soldiers, displays of external carge carrying, steep takeoffs up to 1000 ft, and landing with an engine failure. In the afternoon similar demonstrations will be given at Burnham Military Camp. During the rest of the day the machines will visit some Christchurch secondary schools.

The spokesman said that although it was not possible to include further major demonstrations, an extensive programme of visits to airfields

and schools, and scheduled flights would mean that most South Island towns would see the Iroquois. The detailed itinerary of others events in the helicopters’ programme is:— October 26: Blenheim and Marlborough College 10.25 to 11 a.m. (one aircraft), Nelson College 11 to 11.40 a.m. (one aircraft), Nelson airport 11.50 a.m. to 12.50 p.m., Motueka 1 p.m., Takaka 1.20 p.m., Karamea 2.5 p.m., Westport airfield 2.40 p.m. October 27: Buller High School 10.10 to 10.40 a.m. (one aircraft), Hokitika Airfield School 10.50 to 11.20 a.m. (one aircraft) Hokitika airfield 11.35 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., arrive Mount Cook 1.50 p.m. October 28: Fairlie 10.30 a.m., Timaru airport 11 a.m., Timaru Technical College 12.40 p.m., (one aircraft), Waitaki Boys’ High School 1.5 p.m. (one aircraft), Oamaru 1.35 p.m., Dunedin 1.55 p.m., Momona airport 2.10 p.m. October 31: Leave Queens-

town 10 a.m., Cromwell 10.15 a.m., Alexandra 10.30 a.m., Roxburgh 10.50 a.m. The aircraft will then fly to Wigram via Dunedin, Oamaru and Timaru. November 1: 10.30 a.m. to noon, visit Christchurch schools. November 2: Leave Wigram 8.30 a.m., Kaikoura 9.35 a.m., Woodbourne 10.30 a.m. The men who will captain the two Iroquois helicopters during their tour of the South Island are Squadron Leader G. C. Hubbard, of Blenheim, officer commanding the helicopter flight of the No. 3 Battlefield Support Squadron, and Flight Lieutenant M. Robinson, of Fairburn, Australia, who is serving on exchange duty with the R.N.Z.A.F. The R.N.Z.A.F. photograph shows one of the Iroquois helicopters carrying out a simulated rescue with the aid of a winch from the machine.