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Press, 26 April 1984, Page 1

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One of the two United States Air Force Galaxy aircraft which visited Christchurch Airport during the holiday period takes off yesterday bound for Honolulu.

The first Galaxy arrived in Christchurch from Auckland on Friday and left on Sunday for Australia after the crew had rested.

The second Galaxy arrived about 10.30 a.m. yesterday and left about 2.10 p.m. the same day. It had also been in Auckland where the two aircraft have been supporting Exercise Cayuse Run, a long-range battlefield reconnaissance technique exercise involving

the United States Army Special Forces and the New Zealand Army Special Air Service (S.A.S.).

The U.S.A.F. Christchurch detachment commander, Major W. H. Dudley, said yesterday that the aircraft had come to Christchurch for refuelling and crew rest because his detachment was able to service the aircraft if necessary. The Galaxy is the biggest aircraft in the world. About 70 to 80 of the aircraft are flown by the U.S.A.F. They

have a capacity cargo payload of 80,000 kg and can fly for 6400 km without refuelling.

A maintenance repair crew is being flown from a United States Air Force base in Honolulu to assess damage to a $64 million Galaxy forced to land at Darwin’s R.A.A.F. base. The plane was diverted to Darwin on Tuesday on a flight from Western Australia to Guam when one of its four engines shut down.