3 Sqn Tropic Astra Samoa 2009 (lots of photos)

[Trev]

I've just got back from 4 weeks on exercise with 3 Sqn in Samoa.
It was a tented camp, so I'm happy to be back sleeping on a real bed and using a real toilet (intead of portaloo's)
It was usually about 35 degrees in the shade every day and down to about 29 at night. Its nice to be in the colder weether again.
Our Camp was on the side of Samoa's international Airport at Faleolo. The camp was 75m away for the runway centre line.
When the Pacific Blue and Air NZ 767's landed at night the red Anti Col light used to light up my tent. SO it was quite noisey

Heres a few Photos from the exercise.
1

2

3 a close up of the Boing that dropped us off. shows how close the runway we were too.

4 The Pacific Bly Boeing that used to fly in a couple times a day.

5 our flight line was next to the Polynesion air manitenance hanger.

6 the polynesion air maintenance hanger

7 a familair aircraft flying out of Faleolo 2-3 times a day.

8 the boeing landing for the mid exercise change over.

9

10 we had one of our P-3's visit for a week . They were doing fishery patrols for Samoa

11

12 Aircraft Mantenance in the field

13 The herc taking off after a mid exercise resupply. nice contrails off the prop tips

14 a visiting French Casa CN-235


Hope you like the photos
Trev

[Ian Warren]

I really do like the maintenance pic ... the guy just back from a early morn game of Golf

[Trev]

We had a couple of the Kawasaki Mules (golf carts) over there with us. They were very handy, especially when it got muddy after the rain.
All the Hueys and the ground support equiment went over in HMNZS Canterbury, So we wernt short of shipping space.
3 Sqn took 2 30 ft shipping containers with all the aircraft spares and servicing equipment.
We had a further 13 30ft shipping containers that had the tents, mobile kitchen, showers, and everything else we needed to support 150 people in the field.

[Naki]

Great pics...are you looking forward to fleet of new choppers?

BTW the last pic is of a Transall not a CN-235. Transall is bigger than a CN-235..main difference from the front view is the shape of the engine nacelles

[krispilot]

Nice shots mate.
Assume your in the RNZAF but what is your job there?
Saw one of the Sounds Air Caravan's there are they on a contract there? and do you know the pilot who's flying the Carvan? If its still the same guy he's one of my relations

[Trev]

QUOTE (krispilot @ Sep 2 2009, 12:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice shots mate.
Assume your in the RNZAF but what is your job there?
Saw one of the Sounds Air Caravan's there are they on a contract there? and do you know the pilot who's flying the Carvan? If its still the same guy he's one of my relations

I'm a Sgt Safety and Surface Technician at 3 Sqn, I've been in for 22 years in Oct
I look after all the Aircrews Flying clothing, Flying Helmets, Liferafts, Life Jackets etc.
Back at Ohakea my trade also does all the sewing, Spray painting, sign writing, embroidery and parachute packing

Here's a link to the trade sheet on the RNZAF website - http://www.stepup.mil.nz/jobs-in-the-rnzaf...ssm/default.htm

Yes I'm looking forward to both the NH-90's and the A-109's. Hopefully they arrive next year. But I'm guessing the arrival date will slip to the right abit.
Our new hanger is progressing well. Its supposed to be finished by about March next year.

I'm not sure who the soundsair caravan was contarcted too. We were down to the oposite end of the airfeild from the terminal so I dont know who was flying it.

Trev

[Bazza]

Thanks Trev, an interesting set....good to see where the taxpayers dollars go to....

[spongebob206]

Awesome Trev.
Excellent Pic's.

Was in Samoa a few yrs ago, beautiful place.

Love to head back.

[shotgun]

Cool pics
My first instructor was with 3sqn.
Great pics

[Airtrainer]

Thanks for the pictures, I lovbe picture 9!

[Gavin Conroy]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Sep 6 2009, 11:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I really do like the maintenance pic ... the guy just back from a early morn game of Golf

Yip thats a great shot.

[mavman]

Fantastic Photos Trev! Thanks for sharing and look forward to seeing more from you too!

[CAVOK]

QUOTE

When the Pacific Blue and Air NZ 767's landed at night the red Anti Col light used to light up my tent. SO it was quite noisey[/quote]


Sorry about that ole chap... Company policy mandates full reverse on every landing... saves on brakes.. and the thought of using assumed temperature derate came to mind for takeoff.. but wasn't much in it.... so full 26K of thrust it was..

hope you didn't get too many sleepless nights...

They should have put you on the golf course at Aggies instead....