04 January 2006
Helicopter maintenance crews support Pakistan aid mission

Maintenance crews from the Australian Army 5 Aviation Regiment in Townsville are deployed to Qasim Aviation Base, near Islamabad, Pakistan, to maintain Australian Black Hawk helicopters supporting the humanitarian aid mission under Operation Pakistan Assist.

Four 5 Aviation Regiment Black Hawks are providing vital transport and support to the Australian Defence Force medical team assisting people in Pakistan and Kashmir affected by the 8 October 2005 South Asia earthquakes.

The team is working from a medical centre established at the isolated town of Dhanni, about 20km north-east of Muzaffarabad, on the Pakistan side of the Kashmir Line Of Control.

The team, of about 140 personnel, includes medical personnel, a command element, an aviation detachment and logistics and communication personnel.

The helicopters give the ADF team mobility to extend medical care from Dhanni to a large number of people in the mountainous terrain of the surrounding region who need medical attention.

The health and support personnel comprise members of the Army's logistic support force based at Randwick Barracks, Sydney; a Royal Australian Air Force primary health care team from Richmond, New South Wales; and personnel drawn from a range of units across Australia, including Reserves.

20051229adf8195319_001 Captain Steven Cleggett and Craftsman Matthew Bruce check the main rotor head of an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter during maintenance at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_004 Corporal Graham Ward signs the paperwork to certify that an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter is ready for flight on completion of maintenance at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051229adf8195319_008 Captain Steven Cleggett and Craftsman Matthew Bruce inspect a main rotor blade damper as part of preventive maintenance on an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_010 Captain Steven Cleggett and Craftsman Matthew Bruce inspect a main rotor blade damper as part of preventive maintenance on an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051229adf8195319_011 Craftsman Luke Buchanan cleans a part of the main rotor head assembly of an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter during routine preventive maintenance at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_020 Aircraft life support fitter Corporal Andrew Kenny (RAAF) sews rank insignia and name tags to flying clothing as part of his job with the Australian Army 5 Aviation Regiment team deployed at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051229adf8195319_023 Regular checks, inspections and maintenance are all part of the job for Aircraft Life Support Fitter Corporal Andrew Kenny (RAAF), who is deployed to Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, with the Australian Army 5 Aviation Regiment. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_025 Supply and logistics are a vital role carried out by Warrant Officer Class Two Jon Blaik (left) and Corporal Greg Milne, both deployed to Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan as part of Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051229adf8195319_029 Lance Corporal Tanya Sayers, based at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan, is responsible for delivering and sending all mail and packages to and from Australian troops deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_037 Lance Corporal Tanya Sayers, based at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan, ensures that the mail always gets through to the troops deployed in remote Dhanni, Kashmir, under Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051229adf8195319_039 Corporal Tony Ebdon, an aircraft structural fitter, paints the boxing kangaroo on the side of an Australian Black Hawk helicopter deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_047 Craftsman Nathan Thompson performs preventive maintenance on the rear stabilator of an Australian Black Hawk helicopter at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051229adf8195319_050 Lance Corporal Tanya Sayers sorts bags of mail ready to load on a Black Hawk helicopter for delivery to Australian Defence personnel personnel serving on earthquake relief at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051229adf8195319_063 An Australian Black Hawk helicopter prepares for an early morning mission in support of earthquake relief out of Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 29 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051230adf8195319_007 Australians Sergeant Sheldon Medford and Trooper Adrian Hill explain operations procedures to an American counterpart as part of the joint air operation at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, in support of earthquake relief. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051230adf8195319_008 Sergeant Sheldon Medford (right) and Trooper Adrian Hill (centre) liaise with Australian Black Hawk helicopters from the joint air operations centre at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, as part of Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051230adf8195319_010 Sergeant Sheldon Medford (front) and Trooper Adrian Hill (centre) liaise with Australian Black Hawk helicopters from the joint air operations centre at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, as part of Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051230adf8195319_013 The sun burns through early morning mist and smog as Australian Army maintenance crews complete pre-flight maintenance of Black Hawk helicopters prior to the first mission of the day from Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051230adf8195319_016 Craftsmen Jared Darby and Lloyd Eastoe perform pre-flight checks on an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter prior to launch at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051230adf8195319_018 The sun burns through early morning mist and smog as Australian Army maintenance crews complete pre-flight maintenance of Black Hawk helicopters prior to the first mission of the day from Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20051230adf8195319_022 The sun burns through early morning mist and smog as Australian Army maintenance crews complete pre-flight maintenance of Black Hawk helicopters prior to the first mission of the day from Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20051230adf8195319_024 The sun burns through early morning mist and smog as Australian Army maintenance crews complete pre-flight maintenance of Black Hawk helicopters prior to the first mission of the day from Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 30 December 2005) Low-Res | Hi-Res