F-111's at Ohakea this Friday!

[Dave Homewood]

NZ Air Force Prepares to Host Australian Air Power
Wednesday, 25 July 2007, 11:14 am
Press Release: New Zealand Defence Force
25 July, 2007

RNZAF Base Ohakea is preparing itself for the arrival of three Royal Australian Air Force F-111 strike aircraft on Friday.

The visiting aircraft and their 18 aircrew and support personnel will be hosted by the Royal New Zealand Air Force from July 27 – August 3 for five days of mountain flying training exercises.

During their stay the F-111 aircraft will fly over much of the North Island, including the East Coast and New Plymouth, and down the West Coast of the South Island as far south as Fiordland.

Royal Australian Air Force Squadron Leader Craig Whiting said the mountainous terrain of New Zealand was ideal for mountain flying training.

“We don't have the same terrain in Australia as in New Zealand. The New Zealand weather and terrain pose different challenges to our junior aircrew and these exercises help their development.”

The visiting Australian F-111 aircraft and crews belong to Number 6 Squadron RAAF.

ENDS

[Dave Homewood]

www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0707/S00300.htm

[Bruce]

please fly over the Waikato....

[corsair67]

Sqdn Ldr Craig Whiting was F-111 display pilot until last year, and he certainly knows how to throw a Pig around the sky.

Hopefully some of you guys will get to see him in action. You have to make the most of every chance to see the F-111 because they ain't going to be around that much longer.

Soon all the G models will be mothballed with only the C models remaining in service. I think 6SQN completed it's last pilot conversion training recently.

[ostinato]

Expect some aussie F/A-18's to be buzzing around in the next 2-3 months. But you didnt hear that from me..

[corsair67]

Has anyone taken any photos?

I've given up expecting the RNZAF or NZDF website to ever post any decent photos that are bigger than postage stamp size!

[phil]

Some lucky bugger got a flight in one today. Name drawn from hat kind of deal.

I think we took some (one?) of their guys up in an air trainer, although I'm not convinced that's an even trade....