13 April 2017

Skytrain Comes to the South

Personnel from the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and the New Zealand Army are headed for Base Woodbourne, near Blenheim, to take part in Exercise Skytrain from 18-27 April.

More than 200 personnel will take part in the exercise, which will focus on tactical low-level flying and aerial drops using the RNZAF C-130 Hercules aircraft. The exercise is run by No. 40 Squadron, which is based at Whenuapai in Auckland.

Detachment Commander for Exercise Skytrain, Squadron Leader Blair Oldershaw, said the exercise was about focusing on aircrew skills and other techniques when flying the C-130.

“Crews will be conducting a wide variety of flying, including night vision goggle operations, load dropping and landing in challenging airfields,” Squadron Leader Oldershaw said.

“This type of training allows our personnel to develop their skills in a controlled environment. Exercises such as this ensure that our crews remain able to react to almost any situation.”

Residents near Woodbourne may notice some noise during this period from low-level flying at night.

Media are invited to a media day at Woodbourne, where they will have the opportunity to fly in a Hercules and speak to those on the exercise. Those who are interested should register to attend by 4pm on 18 April to media@nzdf.mil.nz.

Date: 26 April, 2017

Where: RNZAF Base Woodbourne, Marlborough.

ENDS

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