By Brenton G Davis  

Helicopters, by nature, do some of their best work in remote and where no other conventional equipment can compete, gives them sometimes inhospitable places. Their ability to perform roles the edge which has been the very backbone of the industry.

The inventor of the conventional helicopter, Igor Sikorsky himself, summed it up over fifty years ago when he predicted that no airplane or any other type of vehicle will be able to do what his helicopter is capable of doing. His forecasts ring true today as they have done over the decades and provide the rotary wing pilot with opportunities and experiences rarely enjoyed by any other professional.

Mineral sands exploration, oil and gas support or aero-magnetic survey, they all take the helicopter professional to areas of the country where the average working class man will never venture. And whilst they, and all the other forms of remote rotary deployment, give the pilot a new and interesting look at diverse parts of Australia, they all tend to become routine after a while. In a country which has been applauded around the world for one of the most spectacular coastlines on the planet, there is one helicopter tasking though which stands apart as exceptional.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is responsible for the vast Aids to Navigation Network which stretches around the country and includes lighthouses and beacons. Being of such critical importance for the whole maritime industry, both domestic and international, the integrity of the system is paramount. Accordingly, each and every light must receive regular scheduled maintenance, and much of the network cannot be effectively covered by anything other than helicopter. Hence the much coveted pilot’s job of…the lighthouse run.

With the whole of the country’s coastline to be covered, AMSA’s maintenance contractor (Australian Maritime Systems Ltd) usually splits the helo tender into several parts with up to three or four different companies being involved in its completion. In the largest of our states though, Western Australia, the enormous distances required create what is surely one of the longest helicopter task routes in the world. Some years the entire state is covered by the one provider with a single dedicated machine using a rotation of pilots. Departing from Perth, the sortie begins with a ferry flight relocation to Esperance in the south-west. From that most picturesque of coastal towns, the work begins, which will see the helicopter cover some 3,500nm as it progresses all the way up the W.A. coastline to Kununurra before returning to Perth.

The predominant aircraft of choice over the years has been the AS350 Squirrel. With its open layout cabin, the Squirrel allows for more flexibility of loading bulky equipment whilst still allowing two service technicians to travel with the pilot to each site. This is not to say though that the helicopter answers all of the needs of the client. Like every rotary wing tasking ever devised, the client has way too much equipment compared to payload available. This is where the lighthouse run becomes such a logistical masterpiece.

AMSA plan well ahead for each and every maintenance requirement along the route. Many lights will only receive a visit every two years and some are bypassed altogether by the helicopter as they can be most cost effectively covered by road, being mainland based. For the truly large tasks such as rebuilding or relocating a structure, work is often contracted to a maritime construction firm often using tug and barge arrangements. So with requirements and equipment forecast well ahead, payloads, fuel and timings can unfold into a workable plan. Most of the heavy replacement parts are delivered by road to the closest hop-off point where the helicopter team can rendezvous with ground crew. Task specific loads are then prepared for an individual light depending on what types of service are due.

The types of loads the pilot finds himself strapping down into his aircraft include solar panels, large rechargeable batteries, lenses and paints. As is appropriate in our environmentally friendly world in which we all now live, all the new gear taken out is replaced by just as much old gear coming back in. Often times sling loads are required as old bulky loads such as disused fencing are brought off the islands in an attempt to reduce the manmade footprint. With the bare minimums of equipment on board, pilot and two technicians, tool kits, survival equipment and some food, the helicopter’s Max All Up Weight is easily reached. Add to the aircraft the extra initial weight of the emergency pop-out floats and each and every task turns into a battle between horsepower and gravity.

Once the helo is through translation and on its way though, almost every part of these trips is rewarded with spectacular, ever changing scenery. Remote coastlines, untouched islands and all of the marine surprises our oceans can provide make for some very visually pleasing flying. At each destination though, a fresh challenge awaits the otherwise blissful pilot who, by now, has relaxed into their comfortable flight. To keep impact to a minimum, small concrete pads have been laid at most sites. Averaging 5m x 5m, under normal circumstances they would suffice any medium sized helicopter. However, these pads have quite often gone two years without a single visitor and Mother Nature has sought to reclaim her ground. Landings are often a tentative affair with the pilot having to very carefully choose skid placement to accommodate the tail rotor between the now overgrown bushes. The bush-saw and axe become well used tools with each pilot doing their best to help accommodate the next visitor to the site.

Other challenges facing the pilot relate to the normal flying parameters of distance and time. Like all contracting tasks, the pressure is always on to ‘get the job done’. And with some legs stretching in excess of 60nm over water, the weather can pose it own problems. Field operations along the Australian coast rarely see a pilot overnighting with access to NAIPS and internet based weather information. So, with early starts and limited options, drizzle, sea mists, fog and glare can sometimes make long over-water legs very interesting. And good command decisions are sometimes not favoured by the client when they result in the schedule being pushed back. Just as problematic when covering such distances is the arrival of un-forecast winds. The careful placement of fuel drums along the route minimizes the risk, however it still remains as one of the most crucial issues. 

Once on location, it is all hands to the pumps. Three bodies shifting equipment from helo to light speeds the process along well. But with the technicians started into their work, the pilot generally has plenty of time to explore the island. They are long days typical of remote helicopter operations, but very rewarding ones. Duty hours are generally stretched to the limit, so once again the planning of the operation is critical. Days off are best planned for the aircraft and crew to be in a suitable location to facilitate aircraft maintenance, or equipment re-supply if required. So quite often, multiple sites will be covered from the one base several days in a row, giving the crew some respite from continually shifting hotels.

The lighthouse run is surely unique. Vast remote distances covered by a single machine in visually spectacular conditions to affect a vitally important job. It is a tasking which admirably reflects the spirit of our Australian aviation pioneers. And for the lucky few who get to experience it, the memories will last a lifetime.