Australian Aerospace Farewells the Grande Dame of the Skies
August 3rd, 2009
Australian Aerospace Limited’s Deeper Maintenance Workshop at Brisbane Airport recently closed a long-running chapter in the history of Australia’s defence aerospace industry when it farewelled the last DHC-4 Caribou transport aircraft from its facility.
This last Caribou—serial A4-140, which is a veteran of three years’ service in the Vietnam War (1968 to 1971)—is one of a fleet of 29 Caribou to serve Australia during the past 45 years. It will retire as a permanent display at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook; the ADF intends to provide a number of retired aircraft to museums across Australia.
The remaining Caribou fleet—now reduced to 13 aircraft—is scheduled for retirement from active service in December 2009. The Caribou has been the RAAF’s light tactical transport aircraft for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since 1964.
Australian Aerospace and its predecessor organisations have provided deeper maintenance and through-life support for the Caribou fleet since the aircraft entered service with the RAAF. Australian Aerospace’s support functions include maintenance, engineering and comprehensive logistics.
Air Commodore John Oddie AM, CSC, Commander RAAF Air Lift Group, visited Australian Aerospace to thank the staff for their continued support. “Today marks the end of a very successful deeper maintenance programme. The partnership between the Air Lift Systems Programme Office (ALSPO) and Australian Aerospace has been a demonstrative success for over 40 years.
“ALSPO is appreciative of the support Australian Aerospace has provided over this extended period. The company has responded rapidly and effectively to numerous fleet wide challenges,” Air Commodore Oddie said.
The Caribou deeper maintenance programme was only one of many in which Australian Aerospace was involved. It continues to provide deeper maintenance, engineering and through-life support programmes to the military, including for the RAAF’s fleets of Orion AP-3C reconnaissance aircraft, C-130J Hercules transports and soon-to-be delivered Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker-Transports.
Australian Aerospace Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurocopter, which is, in turn, a part of the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Group (EADS). It was created in 2003 through the merger of Eurocopter International Pacific Limited and Australian Aerospace Pty Ltd, and has more than 1,000 staff in Australia and New Zealand.
