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Exercise Pitch Black takes to the skies in the Top End

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AIR F RCE August 2, 2012<br />

News<br />

Hawk pilot’s double joy<br />

THE pilot at <strong>the</strong> controls of <strong>the</strong> Hawk<br />

127 Lead-<strong>in</strong> fighter when it clocked<br />

78WG’s 75,000th fly<strong>in</strong>g hour has two<br />

reasons <strong>to</strong> celebrate.<br />

FLTLT Daniel Truitt has also been<br />

ndorsed as <strong>the</strong> new Hawk 127 Leadn-Fighter<br />

low level aerobatics and display<br />

pilot at 76SQN at RAAF Base<br />

illiam<strong>to</strong>wn.<br />

The 75,000th fly<strong>in</strong>g hour came<br />

n late June at William<strong>to</strong>wn dur<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

ly<strong>in</strong>g display and FLTLT Truitt was<br />

understandably thrilled <strong>to</strong> be <strong>in</strong>volved<br />

n <strong>the</strong> his<strong>to</strong>rical moment.<br />

“In addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> 75,000-hour<br />

mark, it was also <strong>the</strong> 4000th fly<strong>in</strong>g<br />

hour for 76SQN for <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial year,”<br />

LTLT Daniel Truitt said.<br />

“I was very proud <strong>to</strong> be part of<br />

uch a wonderful miles<strong>to</strong>ne for <strong>the</strong><br />

awk fleet and all <strong>the</strong> personnel that<br />

keep <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> air.”<br />

76SQN CO WGCDR Chris Hake<br />

added his congratulations.<br />

“Four thousand fly<strong>in</strong>g hours this<br />

year has been a remarkable team effort<br />

rom 76SQN and is testament <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

hard work and quality of <strong>the</strong> squadron<br />

ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ers,” WGCDR Hake said.<br />

On July 10, 78WG, Tactical Fighter<br />

Support Project Office Lead <strong>in</strong> Fighter<br />

Logistics Management Unit and BAE<br />

Systems recognised <strong>the</strong> achievement<br />

of <strong>the</strong> Hawk 127 fleet at a function.<br />

OC 78WG GPCAPT Bernard<br />

Grealy said <strong>the</strong> achievement represented<br />

<strong>the</strong> collaborative efforts of <strong>the</strong> Air<br />

Force, Defence Materiel Organisation<br />

and BAE Systems personnel <strong>in</strong> support<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> aircraft.<br />

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FINEST HOUR:<br />

FLTLT Daniel Truitt<br />

who was at <strong>the</strong><br />

controls when <strong>the</strong><br />

Hawk’s 75,000 fly<strong>in</strong>g<br />

hour was brought up.<br />

Pho<strong>to</strong>: CPL Mark<br />

McConnell<br />

The Air Force ordered 33 Hawks <strong>in</strong><br />

June 1997, 12 of which were produced<br />

<strong>in</strong> Brita<strong>in</strong> and 21 <strong>in</strong> Australia.<br />

They were divided between 76SQN<br />

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at William<strong>to</strong>wn and 79SQN at RAAF<br />

Base Pearce.<br />

The Hawk is used as a fast-jet<br />

conversion aircraft for pilots go<strong>in</strong>g<br />

on <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Classic Hornet or <strong>the</strong> Super<br />

Hornet.<br />

It also provides vital maritime<br />

strike, air defence and close air support<br />

tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Army and Navy.<br />

The Hawk also has a throughlife<br />

support program that has been<br />

designed for 25 years service.<br />

Its design allows for system<br />

upgrades <strong>to</strong> be <strong>in</strong>corporated, reflect<strong>in</strong>g<br />

evolv<strong>in</strong>g tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g requirements.<br />

On July 10, Defence M<strong>in</strong>ister<br />

Stephen Smith and Defence Materiel<br />

M<strong>in</strong>ister Jason Clare announced <strong>the</strong><br />

sign<strong>in</strong>g of a $25 million contract with<br />

BAE Systems <strong>in</strong> Brita<strong>in</strong> <strong>to</strong> upgrade <strong>the</strong><br />

Hawk 127.<br />

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7<br />

MMILESTONE:<br />

GPCAPT Bernie Grealy signs<br />

t<strong>the</strong><br />

commemorative certificate, pictured left,<br />

i<strong>in</strong><br />

recognition of <strong>the</strong> completion of 75,000<br />

ffly<strong>in</strong>g<br />

hours by <strong>the</strong> BAE Systems Hawk<br />

1127,<br />

flanked by General Manager Fast Jet<br />

SSupport<br />

Andrew Gresham, left, and Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />

LLead-In-fighter<br />

Logistic Management Unit<br />

RRichard<br />

Wes<strong>to</strong>n. Pho<strong>to</strong>s: CPL Mark McConnell<br />

Commander Air Combat Group<br />

AIRCDRE Anthony Grady said: “The<br />

upgrade of <strong>the</strong> Hawk 127 systems will<br />

also allow Operational Conversion students<br />

<strong>to</strong> successfully convert not just <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong><br />

our current platforms but also <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> our<br />

future platforms <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> F-35A.”<br />

FLTLT Truitt can probably expect<br />

<strong>to</strong> take <strong>the</strong> Hawk 127 <strong>to</strong> about 10<br />

events, such as <strong>the</strong> Avalon air show, <strong>in</strong><br />

his new role.<br />

He jo<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> Air Force <strong>in</strong> 2003<br />

and graduated from 2 Fly<strong>in</strong>g Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

School at RAAF Base Pearce <strong>in</strong> 2005.<br />

He flew F/A-18s for 75SQN at<br />

RAAF Base T<strong>in</strong>dal before complet<strong>in</strong>g<br />

his <strong>in</strong>struc<strong>to</strong>r’s course last year.

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