RAAF Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters) Sikorsky S-76A Helicopter VH-LHN Pops into Longreach Airport

On Sunday 9 July, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue Sikorsky S-76A helicopter VH-LHN passed through Longreach Airport while returning to RAAF Base Williamtown (Newcastle) from RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.  It arrived from an overnight stay at Cloncurry and departed to Charleville and Moree in New South Wales where it will spend the night.

File photo

It is expected that VH-LHN will continue to Williamtown on Monday 10 July.

VH-LHN is owned by Lloyd Helicopters and operated by CHC Helicopters Australia, and is one of a number of choppers used for RAAF Search and Rescue jobs. On this flight it was heard to be using the radio callsign of "Chopper 64".

VH-LHN is heading back to Williamtown following a deployment to the Northern Territory where it provided a support role during the RAAF's Exercise Diamond Storm.  The Exercise, hosted by the RAAF, is one of the practical components of the air warfare instructors course (AWIC), whose graduates are experts in Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities and integration across the services, and have technical mastery of their own roles, platforms and systems.

Photo taken by 'IAD'  ©