Page 37 - AAPT March 2019

Join us at Avalon 2019, stand 3G7.
Feature Story
ALPHA Tank Boost

New external fuels
tanks provide our
BRAVO Hercs with more long-

range muscle

Eamon Hamilton writes
External fuel tanks on a No. 37
COLLINS key role in helping deliver presents and
Squadron C-130J Hercules played a
aid to remote island communities in the
West Pacific. For Operation Christmas
Drop 2018 at Andersen Air Force Base
in Guam, the RAAF sent A97-440, a
C-130J Hercules recently equipped with
two external fuel tanks.
These boost the aircraft’s fuel
capacity from 19 tonnes to 27 tonnes.
During the operation, the crew flew
missions of up to eight hours and (L-R) Captain Raymond Gutierrez, a C-130J Hercules Pilot with the United States Pacific
delivered items to seven islands. The Air Forces 36th Airlift Squadron, and Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant No. 37
Squadron Nicholas Bourke
We are Collins Aerospace. With our customers extra fuel provided the crew with greater
options for range and loiter time during
we chart new journeys and reunite families. their missions, allowing them to factor Among the far-flung islands delivered challenging at times. “The drop zones
We protect nations and save lives. We fuse in contingencies such as bad weather to by the RAAF was Kapingamarangi, required a degree of crew coordination
to find the best drop location and
an atoll in the Federated States of
intelligence and partnership to tackle the or other emergencies. Micronesia that’s 2000km from Guam. achieve success.”
toughest challenges in our industry. And every According to FLTLT Nicholas Bourke, Kapingamarangi holds the distinction Many of the islands require crews to
day, we imagine ways to make the skies and RAAF Detachment Commander for of being the first island delivered to drop precisely onto a spot in the water or
Operation Christmas Drop, the extra
spaces we touch smarter, safer and more range made the RAAF Hercules the by Operation Christmas Drop in 1952. on a lagoon, where recovery boats can
The crew of a USAF WB-29 weather
negotiate coral reefs, shallow areas,
amazing than ever. platform of choice when delivering to reconnaissance aircraft overflew the is and breakwaters.
the most remote islands. “(The tanks) land and, seeing the community, made Large flocks of seabirds on the
UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins add about four hours of flight time to an impromptu delivery. islands, often startled by the appearance
what we could normally achieve,” FLTLT
In 2018, the RAAF was fortunate
are now Collins Aerospace. Bourke said. to be tasked on two missions to of a Hercules, also present a hazard for
aircrew that must be safely overcome.
“That’s really important going out Kapingamarangi. “It’s a great honour The RAAF crew were also challenged
TOGETHER, WE ARE to islands that are 2000km away out for us to go out to that original island to at Agrihan Island in the Northern
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
REDEFINING AEROSPACE with no other airfields around nearby if participate now, some 67 years later,” Marianas.
Formed out of a large volcano that
FLTLT Bourke said.
something was to go wrong.” “We’ll fly three and a half hours just towers above the Pacific, Agrihan
The operation involved 154 bundle to reach the island, and spending half has sheer waterfront cliffs and almost
loads delivered by Hercules transports an hour out there surveying the drop no level ground, leaving few options
from the United States Pacific Air zone and completing the drop.” for crew to ‘run in’ to the drop zone.
Forces, Japan Air Self-Defense Force As well as proving the utility of the With no trained drop zone party on
(or Koku Jieitai) and RAAF. They flew external fuel tanks on the C-130J during the ground, aircrew must survey the
to 56 island communities located in these missions, Operation Christmas conditions from the air. “We conduct a
Republic of Palau, Northern Marianas Drop 18 provided an opportunity for the number of passes over the top to make
Islands, and Federated States of crew to practise airborne survey and sure it’s clear and suitable to drop, and
Micronesia, spread over more than six delivery to unfamiliar drop zones. then after that we’re able to complete
million square kilometres of the Pacific. “Delivering supplies to people who the airdrop,” FLTLT Bourke said. “Our
The RAAF crew was assigned the call are a long way away is great training participation here allows us to train
collinsaerospace.com sign ‘Santa 99’, and delivered 16 bundle for us,” FLTLT Bourke said. “The our airdrop crews to conduct airdrop in
© 2019 Collins Aerospace, a United Technologies company. All rights reserved. loads to seven islands. airdrops, while beautiful, were also quite austere environments far away
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