New Adventure

[chopper_nut]

So it would appear that I've finished on the boats for the time being at least. Only off work for a short time when Manolos Aviation in PNG called me up. Been up there for the last two weeks flying MEDEVACS in a BO105.


New Toy


Hanger at Ulavio. BK117 and S76 plus a few 105s


Taking on fuel at Tokua (AYTK)


First job. Stabbing at Simberi Mine


A few people came out to see us at Hitung...


And then a few more...


Flight nurse Kaylie (yellow shirt) treats an appendicitis case at Anir Island


Parked at the end of the old airstrip at Anir


Local pups come out to take advantage of the new shade generated


Weitin had a good turnout of people to see the sick mother off


Starting descent into New Britain after being over New Ireland at 6000ft


Unloading patient at Vunapope Hospital Kokopo


Sometimes, you've just got to land where you can...

[emfrat]

Well done Nick Best of luck, take care up there.

[Fozzer]

Wonderful, professional photographs!

Worthy of an Album!

Tracking the area on Google Maps....around the Bismark Sea!

A new part of the World for me! Familiar names; New Britain and New Ireland!... ....!

Certainly in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!

Well done, Nick!.... ....!

Paul.... ....!

[Charl]

Talk about exotic!
How's the 105 handle?
As I recall the rotor design is quite different from most other helos.

[chopper_nut]

Cheers guys. It's a steep learning curve coming out of tuna. The whole twin engined mindset is something that I'm still getting used to. We flew around the old airstrip at Rabaul which was the wartime strip. There is a wreck in the bush and some anti-aircraft installations around but I haven't gone up there to investigate yet. Charl: The 105 and BK117 are unique in that the rotor head is rigid... that is that there are no hinges at all in it. It's one big hunk of titanium filled with oil to lubricate the feathering that is done on the cuffs. All of the stresses of flight are taken by the blades themselves. It is fully aerobatic..... although I don't think that I'll be doing that with patients on board

[Splitpin]

Wow ! Nick , you couldn't be any more removed from the tuna boats if you tried, well-done mate.
Must feel good to know your making a positive difference to those peoples lives

Your first job was a stabbing! take care fella ....and keep us posted.

[chopper_nut]

Yeah, it is a rewarding job for sure. I've done two stabbings and nearly had to do a third... It's still pretty tribal out there. I've got OK internet so I'll be able to be a bit more active in that regard.

[Charl]

Yes it does seem quite agile
So why weren't all helicopters of that era hingeless I wonder?
Is there a maintenance issue?

[chopper_nut]

Yeah they're pretty agile. A 500 will do a lot of those sort of maneuvers but it's prohibited in the RFM and it starts to break the TT straps in the head. Not sure why other machines didn't have a rigid head like the 105, it might be a cost issue and the fact that you've really got to have some pretty special blades to take up the flight loads. The BK117 uses exactly the same head and drive system.

[deeknow]

I've done two stabbings and nearly had to do a third...

Hey !! shouldn't you be flying instead of stabbing people all over the place ?!?!! ;-)
Lucky bugger, what an adventure

[chopper_nut]

After telling Marty that the internet was no good here, it decides to play ball. Anybody who has worked up here will recognise the following cry '$%#@ YOU DIGICEL'
Anyway, here are some photos from the last two months....


Lovely PNG weather


Getting up nice and high on a 120nm trip


Ugly critters


The villiage of Uvol. Picking up a mother that had been attacked by her son... unfortunately not an uncommon occurrence


Sometimes the weather plays ball




Getting up nice and high and going nice and fast to get the patient to the hospital


I pulled over 100 of these from my trousers after walking around the helicopter for 30 mins at Nonga Hospital near Rabaul


The infamous volcano at Rabaul on dusk... still steaming

[Splitpin]

Great shots Nick ... some of them look like you may have been IFR, on decent at least.

[Splitpin]

Dont tell me those things on your trousers are alive (as in walking)

[chopper_nut]

That photo is a bit deceptive, it looks like solid overcast. We were heading south but the clouds were running east west so there were gaps, just can't see them on the photo. Those were seed pods, not critters.

[chopper_nut]

Probably time for another batch of photos from the last tour.

Strange things is that I've done a heap of flying but I hardly ever take photos....


Landing up at 5500ft to drop some technicians off. They needed to fix the VHF for Port Moresby in the Rabaul area.


Getting gas at Tokua


Had to fly the cops out to Tanga Island to quell some local action. A couple of quite tricky landing sites that day. Strong winds, 30kts + and hard up against a hill.



One of the more modern PNG villages on Tanga.


Fuel at Lihir during a six hour SAR job.


The boss flew up from Lae in this for its 100 hour inspection. Ex ZK-HAV


The 105 was originally built by MBB: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm. So I guess you could say... here's a gaggle of Messerchmitts.


On the way home from a government job.


Up nice and high for fuel economy... In fact, I think this is the highest I've been in a helicopter... I still had to restrain the old girl from going through VnE up there.. what a machine.


Looking toward the village of Nokon which is where the local MP (and now my friend) lives. He keeps a drum of JetA for us... just in case.


Even up that high, I couldn't get over the tops so I had to go around it a little... They do weather properly in PNG

[Splitpin]

Great shots Nick I do like the 105 ...keep them coming.

[chopper_nut]

Been a hectic week here in PNG. I arrived back into the country to do my six monthly check ride which went fine. A few days before I arrived back, Airservices technicians were dropped on Mt Konakalang which I have mentioned before. They were supposed to be there for two to three days but the weather closed in big time and they had been there for five days when I showed up. The food ran out on the sixth day and because there was an Australian contractor with them, the pressure was on to get them out. The training captain tried to drop food to them, got within a few hundred meters of the mountain top and had to bug out before he got forced into the trees with wind and cloud. He and I plus one from Airservices flew to a village and engaged the locals to hump food up to the mountain top, weather was appalling that day too. The boss arrived the next day and he and I flew up there in 35kts+ wind and managed to kick a supply package out over the pad. We were watching the cloud climb the hill and rotor off the top, it was bloody spectacular. In some pretty damn good flying, he managed to balance the helicopter on the pad while I jumped out and shoved the three guys in the back and we flew away. They were rather grateful. Those plus two MEDEVACs in the last two days has made for an interesting time.


Very early start


Trying to find a village with easy access to the mountain


Engaging the locals at Nokon


Boss man at work. Probably has more time in the 105 than almost anybody else in the world.... Kind of a 'Buffalo Joe' type boss for those of you that watched Ice Pilots


The closest anybody had gotten to the mountain in a week of trying






Bonus sunset from last night.

Things got really hectic during the rescue so unfortunately there are no photos from that.

[chopper_nut]

Spent a number of weeks in Lae during the last stint. The flying was completely different to Tokua particularly with the sheer amount of flying and the pretty high altitudes involved. All good fun really.


Flying into Lae


Climbing up to return to Lae over the mountains. Around 6000ft AMSL there.


Landed at Derim.


Sometimes you just have to land where you can. Logging camp at Oroport.




The bigger the aircraft, the more gear they get you to carry.


Taking the coffin into Wyabu.


Picking up a patient at Wau.


Emo Mission, the same Emo Mission that ORBX created.


Parked at Popondetta Hospital waiting for fuel.


Crossing a ridge at 12000ft... and the ridge is right there. Big country.


Taking coffee makers, of all things, into Yalumet Station.


Cargo hauling PNG style..


Flying polio patients


First time a helicopter has landed at Qoqo. Taking another coffin.


MEDEVAC at Kor. Went in for one patient and her infant... came out with a full helicopter. Seven people, infants and mums.. mostly on the floor.

[NZ255]

Very interesting stuff.
I take it the safety regulations are relaxed? People sitting on the floor etc.

[chopper_nut]

When you're doing medical stuff like that when it's life and death, you just do it. I had plenty of performance so I wasn't too concerned.