Fed: Black Hawks, a sturdy hot ship liked by pilots

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2004
Fed: Black Hawks, a sturdy hot ship liked by pilots

By Max Blenkin, Defence Correspondent

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - The Black Hawk is a hot ship and its pilots, among them some
of the small number of Australia Defence Force female aviators, describe it as a joy to
fly.

But flying military helicopters low, fast, at night and with the prospect of being
shot at, remains a risky business.

Australia has had its share of Black Hawk mishaps, none worse than the disaster on
the night of June 12, 1996 when two collided during an anti-terrorist training exercise
outside Townsville, killing 15 Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers and three airmen.

The accident was attributed to pilot error, not to any Black Hawk failing, with the
military inquiry finding a range of systemic failings contributed.

The latest incident occurred this week when a Black Hawk with eight on board crashed
at Mt Walker, southwest of Brisbane. All survived.

Not many aircraft have a Hollywood movie named in their honour. Black Hawk Down - the
story of the calamitous US military operation in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993 - tells of
the downing of two Black Hawks by Somali gunmen.

In fact three were hit by rocket-propelled grenades, designed for knocking out armoured
vehicles, with one limping back to base.

There were survivors aboard both the others, an indication of the fundamental sturdiness
of the airframe.

The Black Hawk had to be good to replace the RAAF's ageing but venerable Iroquois,
which provided sterling service through the Vietnam conflict.

With twin General Electric turboshaft engines, multiple redundant systems and fly-by-wire
electric controls, the Black Hawk can fly harder, faster and longer.

At the start of the East Timor operation in September 1999, Black Hawks equipped with
long range tanks made the hop from Darwin to Dili.

However, the aircraft has had its share of controversy.

Shortly after the order was placed with the manufacturer Sikorsky back in May 1986,
a decision was made to transfer operation of battlefield helicopters from the RAAF to
the Army. The decision still rankles with the RAAF.

Two men died when one crashed near the Army aviation school at Oakey, Queensland in June 1992.

During the 1996 federal election campaign, a Black Hawk carrying then prime minister
Paul Keating narrowly avoided disaster when it clipped trees as it attempted to land in
the Daintree rainforest.

Until the 1996 tragedy, the biggest scandal affecting the Black Hawk fleet related
to a shortage of spare parts, with aircraft availability at times down to low single figures.

The spares problem, also experienced by US users, had several causes. Australian patterns
of Black Hawk use were different to the US, particularly the extensive use of long range
fuel tanks which created extra stresses.

Then there was the institutional failure, with defence failing to appreciate there
was a problem until it was too late for easy remediation.

Like the 1992 crash, the latest mishap also related to a training flight. Its cause
hasn't been determined. Fortunately no-one was killed but the army is down one Black Hawk,
leaving 35 still in service.

The S-70A Black Hawk first flew in October 1974 and was selected to replace Vietnam
era Hueys in US service in 1976. The US now operates some 1,000 of the type.

Australia initially adopted the maritime version, the S-70B Sea Hawk for Navy service,
and the Black Hawk was subsequently selected and a tender issued in 1984 worth $500 million.

The first of 39 was delivered in February 1988 with the majority assembled at the Hawker
de Havilland plant in Sydney.

They are used as a utility helicopter, carrying troops, cargo or acting as a gunship
and are operated by the army's Fifth Aviation Regiment at Townsville and the training
school at Oakey.

The Black Hawk carries a crew of two pilots and two crewman/gunners and up to 10 fully
equipped soldiers.

They can cruise at 120 knots for up to 220 kilometres and external fuel tanks significantly
extend that range.

AAP mb/jlw

KEYWORD: BLACKHAWK (AAP BACKGROUNDER) REPEAT

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