Radschool Association Magazine - Vol 42

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Allan George's Gems.

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North Korea.

I think, perhaps, that there is more than just a little bit of propaganda floating around about North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. It suits both sides to overstate this threat. However, it is worth looking at their non-nuclear stuff. There are lots of ‘jokes’ doing the rounds of the email circuit, most depicting Kim Jong Eun as a dope leading a country with toys as weapons, but nothing could be further from the truth. It seems, if stock holdings count for anything, that North Korea will not be the ‘push-over’ these emails suggest.

See HERE.

BugBots.

Another story doing the email circuit concerns the U.S. military. This story says the US Air Force has been working for a while on tiny, bug like drones, to serve as miniature flying spies. There is a video, supposedly from the US Air Force Research Laboratory, that shows the military is also interested in turning these "Micro Air Vehicles," (MAVs) into biomorphic weapons that can lie in secret for weeks at a time ~ and then strike an adversary with lethal accuracy. "Individual MAVs may perform direct-attack missions," says the video's gravelly voiced narrator. "They can be equipped with incapacitation chemicals, combustible payloads or even explosives for precision-targeting capability."

You can see the video HERE – but as Mr Ripley once said, “Believe it or not!!”

Veteran Mental Health training for Community Nurses.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, recently launched a new online, interactive professional development course for community nurses who will care for more than 325,000 veterans, war widows and widowers.

“The vetAWARE course increases nurses’ understanding of the common mental health challenges faced by veterans, and how to best support them and their families. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) contracts hundreds of community nurses around the country to provide health services to former and current servicemen and women, and war widows and widowers.

Community nurses see our most vulnerable veterans and war widows in their own home and so are uniquely placed to recognise signs of mental distress. Even the most experienced nurses will benefit from knowing where to refer their patients, and newer nurses will gain an insight into the mental health issues associated with war and war-like service.

vetAWARE has been endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing Australia, and nurses who complete the course will achieve points towards their professional development requirements.

Click HERE for more information about vetAWARE.

Exercise physiology.

Exercise physiology is a specifically designed physical activity program that assists people to recover from major injury or illness and manage chronic disease. DVA Introduced funding for exercise physiology treatment in 2007. In recent months, a number of questions have been received by DVA in relation to exercise physiology treatments and gym memberships for ÐVA health card holders. If you have a Gold Card. DVA will pay for your exercise physiology treatment based on your clinical need. If you are a White Card holder, DVA will pay for exercise physiology if it is a clinically necessary treatment for an accepted disability, for example. knee surgery. In order to access this service, you will need a referral from your General Practitioner (GP). Your GP determines the services you require.

Exercise physiology is not intended to be an ongoing form of treatment, but rather, it is designed to give you the skills to independently manage your health condition through an appropriate exercise regime.  If you feel you would like to continue with a generalised exercise regime following your treatment cycle, it becomes a privare arrangement between you and your gym or exercise physiologist. DVA does not pay for general gym programs or gym memberships under Gold and White Card arrangements.

For more information see Factsheet HSV30 Exercise Physiology available HERE.

Qantas Boeing 747.

Ever wondered about the life cycle of an aeroplane. For them to be made, someone has to order them. Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, Cessna and the others don’t just make a batch of aeroplanes, stick them in a showroom and hope someone buys them (like Ford or Holden do with cars). Aeroplanes are made to order.

See HERE.

Payments to Asylum Seekers.

There has been a lot of talk about the level of financial assistance given to the Asylum Seekers who arrive in Australia by boat. Some emails doing the rounds would have you believe they are given ten times the aged pension, free phones, cab charge vouchers, 5 star hotel rooms, etc etc, – not true!!

Rob Messenger, who was an Independent member in the Queensland Government has also seen these emails and while in Parliament he commissioned the Qld Parliament Library to do a study (2011) to find out the truth.

This is what he found:

“Australian Government financial assistance to eligible asylum seekers is currently set as 89 percent of the basic Centrelink Newstart Allowance or Special Benefit Allowance.”

According to today’s Newstart Payment Rates, that means an eligible single asylum seeker with no child receives $439 per fortnight and $474 for an adult with a single dependent child. The Parliamentary Library study summary continues,

“Other financial assistance may be provided through the Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme (ASAS) and the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS). Newly arrived holders of humanitarian visas may also receive a one-off Crisis Payment from Centrelink equal to 1 week's extra payment.”

The official Parliamentary Library summary concludes with:

“Refugees in Australia receive the same benefits as any other permanent resident. In addition, according to the Refugee Council of Australia, refugees are exempt from the newly arrived resident’s waiting period for Social Security benefits, receive 510 hours of free English language instruction and some access to post-arrival assistance.”

You can read the full Parliamentary Library report on Financial assistance for asylum seekers on Rob Messenger’s website www.robmessenger.com

Operational Service Medal.

If you log onto the defence website you'll find reference to the new Operational Service Medal (OSM) that replaces both the Australian Active Service Medal (AASM) and the Australian Service Medal (ASM). The Australian Operational Service Medal (OSM) recognises Defence people, both Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and Defence Civilians, who willingly and ably perform their work as part of an operation or within other specific hazardous environments and conditions that has been recommended by the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) and which have been approved by the Governor General for declaration as an operation warranting recognition through a medal.

The OSM will replace the AASM and the ASM for future operations. For ADF members the OSM will be awarded as the standard medal with a unique ribbon for each operation, similar to the practice in place for the United Nations Medal. Provision also exists for the award of an accumulated service device to denote those who undertake multiple tours on a particular operation. Those operations currently recognised by the AASM or ASM will continue to be recognised with those medals while the operations are active, for example Operation SLIPPER.

The current medals for service in Afghanistan will continue to be issued.

How does he do THIS?

Energex

"Energex" is a Queensland Government-owned/Queensland Tax Payer owned electricity Supply company, this is a Queensland Energex truck.

Of course, this has nothing to do with the increase in electricity prices.

Defamation.

People say things about each other all the time. So much so, that we have a variety of ways to describe this very common human behaviour. We call it gossiping, scandal mongering, backbiting…but where it involves a statement about another person which: 

• is communicated verbally or in writing to another person; and

• has the potential of causing damage to that other person’s reputation; and

• is false.

The legal term for this behaviour is “defamation”.

These days, people access and use the internet and communicate by way of e-mails and social networking with increasing frequency. As a result, defamatory statements are becoming increasingly common, including when: 

• a person sends an e-mail containing a defamatory statement to a number of people, and this e-mail has been brought to the attention of the person defamed; and

• a person sends a private e-mail containing a defamatory statement to one person, and that person then forwards this e-mail to third parties which then comes to the attention of the person defamed.

There have been many cases where people have been defamed using the internet. It is easy, in a moment of anger or frustration, to state a little too frankly what you think about someone else. In fact, it is so easy to do this that it can be dangerous. E-mails can be quickly written and sent to many people simultaneously. Once sent, they are permanent and cannot be retrieved. If you send an e-mail to another person that contains defamatory statements, you may be liable to pay damages to the person defamed.

You may also be liable to pay damages to the person defamed if you receive an e-mail that contains defamatory comments and: 

• forward that e-mail to others; or

• reply to the e-mail and copy other recipients into the reply.

If that happens, you may receive a letter from a lawyer and be forced to retain your own lawyer to respond and potentially apologise for making the defamatory statements or passing them on. Be aware that it is very easy for someone to edit an e-mail originally sent by you when they forward that e-mail. If your e-mail has been edited you may find yourself being accused of defamation and you may be required to produce evidence to show that the edited e-mail was not sent by you.

If you are concerned that someone may edit an e-mail sent by you it is best to ensure that you always keep a copy of the sent e-mail for yourself. You can keep an electronic copy or print the e-mail. To avoid being accused of defaming someone else or re-publishing someone else’s defamatory statements, it is always best to ensure: 

• you do not forward emails which contain controversial comments sent to you by others;

• you read through and satisfy yourself that you are comfortable with, everything contained in an email sent to you by someone else before you forward it;and

• you avoid making statements that others could interpret as damaging to their reputation.

If in doubt, either seek profession advice – or better still, don’t do it!!

Australia’s Fuel Holdings

Australia’s current fuel holdings are a concern, a real concern. At our current rate of consumption we have about 3 weeks’ worth!!!

A report, written by ex-Deputy Chief of the RAAF, now retired, Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn, was released in Feb this year. Being released in February, it predates the recent announcement of the pending closure of Shell at Geelong - the case is worse than originally thought.

His executive summary is:

As the world’s ninth-largest energy producer, Australia has abundant renewable and non-renewable energy resources. Despite these resources, we are heavily dependent on imports of refined petroleum products and crude oil to meet our liquid fuel demand. This import dependency has increased in recent years.

Our transport systems are wholly oil dependent. The reasons for this dependency may be economically sound due to the relative lower cost of oil but the lack of fuel diversity significantly impacts our resilience if we experience supply interruptions or a reducing availability of affordable oil supplies in the future.

The very small consumption stockholdings of oil and liquid fuels in Australia, combined with what appears to be a narrow assessment of our fuel supply chain vulnerabilities, does not provide much confidence that the strategic risks to our fuel supply chain are well understood and mitigated by our nation’s leaders, the business community or the population at large.

In essence, we have adopted a “she’ll be right” approach to fuel security, relying on the historical performance of global oil and fuel markets to provide in all cases. Unfortunately, as a result of our limited and decreasing refining capacity, small stockholdings and long supply chains, our society is at significant risk if any of the assumptions contained in the vulnerability assessments made to date prove false.

We would not be the first country to get our assumptions wrong. In that respect, history can be relied upon.

Click HERE to hear an interview between AVM John Blackburn and radio 2GB’s Ross Greenwood.    Click HERE to read the full report

Fake Medals.

With ANZAC Day upon us, it is fitting that we mention a scam which is unfortunately growing in activity. The scam happens when you have your medals mounted at (some) private mounting businesses.

A few of these unscrupulous businesses are substituting your real medals with replicas and then mounting the replicas. This is more difficult with full-size medals because the member's details are engraved on the edge of most. Miniatures are the most common victim of this scam as it takes a keen eye and experience to detect a substitution, a task made difficult when you have no other set for comparison.

For some years now it has been a requirement that replica medals have an identifying mark to indicate they are replicas. By the nature of a medal, it is important that the medal looks authentic when worn, so the "replica" marking is made in a position which is not on display, like the reverse side but not all replicas comply with this requirement. When court mounted the replica indication cannot be seen. Detection of replica miniatures is easy enough in all but one case. Because they are usually cast and not minted the edge is a bit rounded whereas the originals have a flat edge with a well-defined angle at the front and back. For the scammer, full-size medals which have the engraving on the back can be substituted more easily than those engraved on the edge because the engraved area on the back is covered by the court mounting but are detected in the same way.

The proprietor of a long established militaria company in Brisbane said that collecting medals is a growing "superannuation strategy" which can net even the legitimate collector a retirement nest-egg. It seems that some collectors have found a way to increase their profit margin by this substitution scam. The extent of substitutions ranges from sloppy work - one replica clasp amongst originals - to a complete set of five miniatures.

Anyone who will have medal work done by private businesses should: 

• take clear, close-up photos of the originals so you can recognize a substitution; obtain a receipt detailing, individually, what medals you are presenting for work and that they are originals and what work is to be done;

• be prepared to explain why you require a receipt and what information is required on it (without making accusations); and

be prepared to walk away if you don't get it.

Dutch Department Store Ad

HEMA is a Dutch department store. The first store opened in November 1926, in Amsterdam and today there are 150 stores all over the Netherlands. This company has a sense of humour and a great computer programmer, who has far too much time on his hands. Click HERE to see one of their commercials - don't click on any of the items in the picture, just wait a couple of seconds and watch what happens.

And who said romance was DEAD??

And THIS has to be the best mixture of old and new we’ve ever seen!

The old Herc, in one form or another, has served the RAAF for 55 years. As someone once said, “If the F-111 was the most significant aircraft the RAAF has ever operated since World War II, at least the Hercules is close behind". It is difficult to overstate the importance of the Hercules to national defence. Today, over 70 countries operate the Herc.

During the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force quickly discovered that their piston engine transport aircraft (the C47, C-119 flying boxcar, Curtis C-46 and C-124 Globemaster 2) were very ill-equipped for the missions at hand. What was needed was an aircraft that could be loaded and unloaded quickly and efficiently, haul large bulky equipment over long distances, land in tight short and unprepared strips, fly as slow as 125 kt for paradrops, and fly, if needed, on one engine. In 1951 they issued a requirement for such a vehicle to Boeing, Douglas, Fairchild, Lockheed, North American, Northrop, Martin and Airlifts and asked them to come up with a design. Fairchild, North American, Martin and Northrop declined to participate but the remaining companies tendered a total of 10 designs: Lockheed two, Boeing one, Chase three, Douglas three, and Airlifts Inc. one.

The Lockheed design, which was selected in July 1951, was unlike the other offers which were derived from passenger airliners. It was designed from the ground-up as a combat transport with loading from a hinged loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and was called the YC-130. Initially the aircraft had a blunt nose but this was replaced with a radome on later production models and its lack of suitable range became apparent and additional fuel capacity was added in the form of external pylon-mounted tanks at the end of the wings.

A key feature of the Lockheed design was the introduction of the T56 turboprop which at the time was a new application of turbine engines. These used exhaust gases to turn a shafted propeller which offered a greater range at propeller-driven speeds compared to pure turbojets, which were faster but thirstier. Turbojets produced much more power for their weight than piston engines.  The aircraft first flew in August 1954.

Back then the latest Holden was one of these.

Later officially nicknamed Hercules, the prototype had a cargo deck that was capable of carrying an astonishing 300 pounds per square foot and could lift into the air after a ground roll of a mere 855 feet, an astoundingly short distance considering most aircraft of that size required 5,000 feet.

It was designed with 23 cockpit windows allowing for clear visibility on steep approaches and high wings to operate from rough fields. It had a low centre of gravity, reached 310 kts, and boasted a large, easily accessible cargo area that could carry 18,000 kilograms. The inclusion of four turboprop engines provided surplus power to pressurize the fuselage of the aircraft which was necessary to fly efficiently at higher altitudes. The strengthening of the airframe to accommodate pressurization added an extra layer of durability that eventually protected the plane for its unprecedented six decades – and counting – of military and humanitarian service.

Throughout the more than 70 variants and more than 2,400 aircraft, the Hercules has more than proven its worth. There is quite literally a Hercules airborne somewhere in the world every minute of every day.

Twelve C-130A models (the real Hercs) were ordered by the RAAF and were delivered to 36 Squadron at Richmond in 1958/59. These replaced the Squadron's aging DC3's.

 Australia was the first country, outside of the US, to order and operate the C130 and it didn’t take them long to realize its huge potential. In 1965, with Vietnam on the horizon, 12 more Hercules, this time the C-130E model, were ordered and delivered in 1966/67 to 37 Squadron, also at Richmond.

In 1978 the old A models were starting to show their age and it was decided to replace them with the H model. These aircraft arrived in Australia between July and October 1978 and the A models, that had served the country so well, were sent to Laverton where they sat for a while until it was decided what to with them. Some went to museums, some overseas.

The ‘H’ model uses basically the same airframe as the A model, but with upgraded  engines, props and electronics, bit like the favourite axe. With large low-pressure tires and an excellent short take-off and landing capability, the ‘H’ is able to operate into remote areas on unpaved airstrips without support equipment.

This flexibility is a great asset, particularly when operating in the north of Australia. Air-crew used night-vision goggles to amplify the low levels of ambient light at night, allowing the aircraft to operate close to the ground.

In 2006, the H models were handed over to 37 Sqn which then operated 24 Hercs. 36 Sqn packed their bags and moved to Amberley to take delivery of the C17. The H model was retired last year (HERE), 4 or which were given to the Indonesian Air Force.

In 1999, 37 Sqn decided to replace their E models with the “Super” Herc – the J model.   

The C-130J is a comprehensive update of all previous models with new engines/props, flight deck, and other systems. Externally similar to earlier models, the J-model features considerably updated technology. These differences include new Rolls-Royce AE 2100 D3 turboprops with Dowty R391 composite scimitar propellers, digital avionics and reduced crew requirements. These changes have improved performance over its C-130E/H predecessors, such as 40% greater range, 21% higher maximum speed, and 41% shorter takeoff distance. The J-model is available in standard length or stretched versions which is 15 feet longer.

The C-130J's crew includes two pilots and one loadmaster (no navigator or flight engineer).

The ‘J’ is highly automated and contains state-of-the-art avionics technology. The flight-deck features two head-up displays (HUDs), four large multi-function displays, five monochrome displays and fighter-style controls on the control columns. The glass-cockpit technology also includes an automatic flight control system, auto-throttle, head-down display, traffic collision avoidance system, ground-collision-avoidance system and a stick-pusher to prevent inadvertent aircraft stall. Integrated navigation equipment provides the pilots with an automatic navigation solution from the inertial navigation system and global positioning system, as well as regular ground-based navigation aids. All automation has multiple levels of redundancy for the tactical environment. The aircraft is night-vision goggle compatible and is fitted for, but not with, electronic counter-measure equipment.

Once again, Australia was the second international customer for the C-130J-30 model, with an initial order of twelve aircraft.

Comparisons:

Today, 37Sqn has 12 Hercules aircraft (C-130J) and still operates out of Richmond – and the way the mighty Herc is going, it could still be operating somewhere, 50 years from now.

Some years back, the US Defence Force decided it would investigate the landing of a Herc on an aircraft carrier, the USS Forrestal  - you can see it HERE.

On a personal note, in January 1965 I notched up a few 'firsts'.

On the 11th January, in Perth,  I got my 1st job, I had enlisted in the RAAF and signed on for training plus 12 years, (effectively 15 years) and was now on my way to join 19 Radio Apprentice intake at Laverton.

We were going to get on the train that night for the 4 day trip to Melbourne, but at the last minute plans were changed.

Instead, we over-nighted at the YMCA Perth (another 1st) then on the 12th January my 1st flight in an aircraft, a C130A from Pearce to Richmond.  I don't recall the serial number, but on the Wednesday we flew to Laverton on A97-209 and it is pictured here departing Air Movements Laverton (near 1AD hangers) on the 13th Jan 1965.

The young lad is Ric Toholka, about 15 and a bit and who had been in the RAAF for a total of 2 days.

Shorty after then we got out 1st uniforms and told to have our 1st shave !!!!

RAAF Flight Simulators.

The RAAF Office of Air Force History has released a Pdf file depicting the 70 years the RAAF has used Flight Simulators and Procedural Trainers. You can read it HERE.

Farewell to the Drabs.

WEF 21th April 2013, the RAAF officially farewelled its Tropical Dress, uniformly called Drabs, a uniform worn by male RAAF members over the last 75 years. Based on a similar uniform worn by British military personnel, Tropical Dress was introduced shortly before the Second World War and widely worn during the conflict by RAAF personnel deployed to the Middle East, North Africa, South East Asia and Northern Australia.

The wearing of Tropical Dress endured following the war.

Police Chase.

This could be the greatest police chase in the history of beer and police chases. The TV ad for Carlton Draught entitled "Beer Chase" features a crew of bank robbers who just happen to stop into a bar to celebrate the heist and a cold one. The bar just happens to be the local watering hole for the local cops...the great chase ensues, and of course the bad guys win...it's worth the 90 seconds you'll spend watching it. Click HERE.

The moon.

A photographer, Mark Gee, captured a remarkable 3 minutes of nature at its best.

It is a video clip of the full moon rising over Mt Victoria in Wellington (NZ) and was shot on a calm summer evening, as people gathered on the lookout point to watch the moon rise. This stunning video is one single real-time shot, with no manipulation whatsoever. The camera was placed on a hillside over 2 kilometres from the Lookout point, and was shot with the equivalent of a 1300mm lens.

The amount of planning, trial and error, and luck that went into this are mind blowing. He has been trying to capture this for over a year with many failed attempts. But last January it seems everything was on his side and it all came together in a way even he couldn't have hoped.

Honestly can't say enough good things about this video - from the magnitude of the visuals, to the intimate stories playing out with the people, to the sheer humbling nature of seeing the awe-inspiring reality of this giant rock in the sky that we so often don't stop to appreciate.

Sit back and watch mother nature at her best - enjoy.   HERE

Velly Intelesting – but stupid!!!!

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