"The last ever RAAF 'Classic' Hornet Operational Conversion Course" Aviation Spotters Online had the privilege of invitation to attend the return of the Royal Australian Air Force's, Number 2 Operational Conversion Unit back to RAAF Base Williamtown in Newcastle, Thursday December 5th 2019. This momentous occasion was to witness the[…]
Temporary Displaced Threshold… what is it? Safety Week at Darwin Airport reveals.
Safety Week 2019 During October, Airport Safety Week features across the Australian aviation industry. At Darwin International Airport (DIA) Safety Week is an important look at safety within airport operations. It's an annual safety campaign that is specifically tailored to engage with employees and contractors working on an aerodrome, and[…]
The Royal Australian Air Force's 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) put on an event for the unit's family and friends on Friday 27th of September and, as part of this, they also put up a formation and solo handling display of their F/A-18A&B Classic Hornets. As 2OCU nears the end[…]
Road side Airshow, lead up to Avalon 2019
It is an exciting time the lead up to any airshow. Especially an International one where the manufacturers line up to display their latest in aviation technology. Airlines and defence forces bring their latest and greatest to wow the crowds. This years Australian International Airshow was of course no exception.[…]
2 Operational Conversion Unit Hornet, visits its wartime home one last time.
2 Operational Conversion Unit, Royal Australian Air Force Mildura Airport located approximately five hours from Melbourne has a significant wartime heritage. This weekend that history was again honoured with a visit by a Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18B 'Classic' Hornet. The aircraft from the 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) arrived[…]
Dawn Strike 2019, End of an Era.
As the last switch was thrown, the final engine shut down and silence finally spread across the base once again, it was time to reflect on the fact that we had just had the privilege of watching history in the making for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). In the[…]
RAAF Base Tindal – Airside Launches during Diamond Storm 2019
The second media event arranged at RAAF Base Tindal, 350 km south of Darwin, during the Royal Air Force's Exercise Diamond Storm, was an airside visit to capture some Red Air forces taxiing out and departing for the exercise airspace. To have this level of close access is something that[…]
USAF 194th FS F-15C Eagles – Air Superiority over the Top End
The Royal Australian Air Force's Diamond Storm and the Air Warfare Instructor's Course normally includes a foreign component to the exercises. This has occured for decades now and 2019 was no exception. This year the United States Air Force deployed two squadrons to RAAF Base Darwin to participate and train[…]
'Iron Butterfly' – a close look at the B-52H Stratofortress during Exercise Diamond Storm 2019
During Exercise Diamond Storm 2019 ASO was invited by the Royal Australian Air Force Public Affairs Office (PAO) to capture imagery and be given a tour of a United States Air Force Boeing B-52H Stratofortress. Also we were to be briefed by senior RAAF and USAF representatives to give us[…]
AWIC 2019 – Warfare training in the Royal Australian Air Force
The Air Warfare Instructor Course (AWIC) hasn't always been in the current format we see at the latest series of Diamond Exercises – Diamond Shield, Diamond Seas and Diamond Storm, each in itself a unique phase of training where the ADF makes the best even better. The Royal Australian Air[…]