Bankstown - Saturday 12th September 2009

[Grahame Hutchison]

After a flight along the Northern Beaches early this morning, I did my usual photographic snoop around the airport for things of interest. Nothing new to report so I had a chat to the pilot of the Ambulance Service of NSW Agusta AW139 to see what he knew about the new EC-145s (he thought the one I photographed last month over at the Eurocopter Hanger was the second of the new choppers, the first one being down in Adelaide for training). While we were talking he received a radio call out to an emergency in the Dooralong Valley just west of Wyong on the Central coast. It was straight into action and the crew of four departed in less than 15 minutes of receiving the call.

Before leaving the airport I noticed the Yak-50 about to depart so I parked nearby for a look. This is the aircraft I photographed back in May, and when the engine started, it was the most amazing sound I have heard in a long time (a powerful, deep throaty note). The pilots helmet was fluro green in colour, the same as the nose spinner, and taxiing looked a little challenging, with such a long nose on the tail dragger.


Before the call out the Pilot had the engine cover slid forward to gain access to the front section of the twin P&W PT6C-67C
powerplants. When I first saw this from a distance, I thought they had fitted something new above the cockpit.


The undercarriage is very low to the ground, so the searchlight has a hydraulic lift to raise
it up to the side of the aircraft


The SpectroLab searchlight with hydraulic lifting arm fitted to the port side of the fuselage. Note the wire cutter under the nose, wire
deflector on top of the nose and up the centre of the cockpit windows, and wire cutter above the cockpit.


Closeup of the SpectroLab searchlight which looks the same as the one fitted to the new EC-145s. This is a 28V DC 1600 Watt Short Arc
Xenon 30-40 Million candlepower unit. SpectroLab is a Boeing company.


The starboard side winch fitted above the main cabin door.


The helmets for the pilot and crew member hang from the cabin roof ready for action.


Crew members prepare to depart for the emergency at Dooralong on the Central Coast.


Rescue 24 did an intersection departure from Golf 1 on Runway 29R.


Rescue 24 climbing out from Runway 29R, the undercarriage still not retracted.