Supporting Army Helicopters – CAPT Shannon McGee and FSGT Jason Smart

'Watching those aircraft take off ... and knowing that you are part of that success, part of that story, there's not many better feelings.’ In this week’s episode, we talk about the challenges and opportunities of keeping the CH47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache helicopters in the air. Our guests are CAPT Shannon McGee and FSGT Jason Smart from the Army’s new 16 Aviation Support Battalion in Townsville, Queensland. CAPT Shannon McGee is a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer on the CH47 Chinook and FSGT Jason Smart is an Aircraft Technician who has seen the introduction-into-service of the MRH90 Taipan and has deployed supporting Army helicopters multiple times, including in the first days of INTERFET in Dili and later from a patrol base in Balibo, both in Timor-Leste. 

The 16 Aviation Support Battalion is tasked with keeping the fleet of CH47 Chinooks in the air to meet Army’s need for rotary wing lift while preparing for the introduction-into-service of the Australian Army’s newest helicopter, the AH-64 Apache combat helicopter. Both 1 Aviation Regiment and 5 Aviation Regiment will fly out of Townsville, operating from Hamel Lines at RAAF Townsville. The Apache is replacing the Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter and will become the 1 Aviation Regiment’s attack aviation platform. The first AH-64 Apaches are scheduled to commence flying operations in the next six months and many of the aircrew and support staff have already commenced training in the United States to prepare to be thrown the keys. 

The team that supports Army flying operations include maintainers, Aviation Ground Crew, Life-support Fitters, and engineers. The come from the Army, RAAF and civilian contractors that have maintained helicopters at Hamel Lines for decades, conducting everything from routine to deep maintenance. They will be joined by Maintenance Augmentation Teams provided by the United States Army and field service representatives from Boeing to enable the introduction-into-service. Army aviation is at the start of exciting times and these are the people that get to create history. 

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