Outlook AHSA Newsletter November 2023

DerekB30/11/202327/12/2023

The November 2023 edition of Outlook / AHSA News was distributed to members recently.

This edition can be read online in the viewer below.

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1933 Following the forced landing and crash of the de Havilland D.H.50 aircraft VH-UEM on 22 December 1932, Paddy Whelan of the Lasseter Reef Company was rescued on 5 January 1933 by H.F. Baker, flying the repaired aircraft. Whelan had been supplied with food from the air by de Havilland Hercules aircraft of Western Australian Airlines and Westland Wapiti aircraft of the RAAF. Source: Parnell, N. and Boughton, T., Flypast, A record of aviation in Australia, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1988.

1977 Former Connellan Airlines employee Colin Forman stole a Beechcraft 58 Baron (VH-ENA) from Wyndham Airport, flew to Alice Springs (around four hours flying time) and dived the aircraft into the Connellan complex. Four people were killed on impact, including Forman's former manager. A secretary was badly burned and died of her injuries in hospital five days later. Four other Connair employees were injured. Source: The Canberra Times, 8 Jan 1977.

1997 On January 5 and 6, 1997 two emergency beacons were activated in the stormy Southern Ocean some 2,500 km south-west of Australia by competitors in the Vendee Globe single-handed around-the-world yacht race. One was triggered by Thierry Dubois aboard his yacht Pour Amnesty International and the second by Tony Bullimore on the yacht Exide Challenger. Tierry's boat had capsized and couldnt right itself whilst Tony's boat had lost its keel and capsized in the mountainous freezing ocean only 1,500 km from Antartica. The RAAF was tasked with a "MAXIMUM EFFORT" to immediately find the missing yachtsmen and to drop emergency life rafts to the men to keep them alive until the RAN frigate HMAS Adelaide sailing at flank speed could arrive. Four RAAF Orions A9-656, 658, 659 & 760 were tasked with the SAR Mission. The aircraft were all launched from Perth airport at maximum take-off weight, in 40C heat using all of the available runway. Perth is not a RAAF Base but was closer to the yachtsman and Qantas provided assistance to the RAAF crews with meals and rest facilities. The first RAAF Orion launched to the rescue was A9-760 under the command of FLTLT Ludo Dierickx. A9-760 reached Thierry Dubois (Pour Amnesty International) the same day, finding him standing on his upturned yacht holding onto its rudder blade in the rough seas and 60 knot winds. A9-760 dropped numerous emergency life rafts until Thierry could climb into one, thus saving his life. Tony Bullimore's capsized Exide Challenger was found soon after but there was no sign of Bullimore who was infact in an airpocket inside the overturned hull. Submarine warfare listening sonar buoys were dropped by the Orions next to Bullimore's overturned yacht and tapping sounds were heard, indicating he was still alive. For next 3 days RAAF Orions A9-656, 658, 659 & 760 maintained a constant rotating watch over Dubois' liferaft and Bullimore's yacht whilst HMAS Adelaide steamed towards them. At any one time for 3 days there were three RAAF Orions airborne, one circling Bullimore and Dubois, one returning to Perth, and one flying out from Perth. Finally on the 3rd day HMAS Adelaide reached and rescued the two yachtsmen. Sources: Ian Pearson, Cold War Warriors; https://navyhistory.org.au/occasional-paper-98-life-line-the-rescue-of-tony-bullimore/