Airforce take to skies

The airspace over Nelson has been a hive of activity with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) deploying to train in the area.

No. 14 Squadron arrived last Monday on Exercise Wise Owl which has seen pilots from RNZAF Base Ohakea take to our skies to train in the T-6C Texan and A109 light utility helicopter.

Pilot Officer Nathan Sycamore is one of those in training and says the time in Nelson has been exciting but challenging.

The pilots have been focussed on learning to operate from an unfamiliar airfield and space while practicing formation flying, which can see the planes fly within 10 feet of each other – an impressive sight from the ground.

“We’ve spent the first half of our training trying to avoid other aircraft and we’re now trying to fly within 15- 20 feet away from them, it’s really challenging but exciting.”

The 26-year-old first started flying at the age of 16 which peaked his interest in a career with the New Zealand Defence Force.

His long-term aspiration is to fly the RNZAF new Hercules C-130J that will be arriving sometime in the coming years.

Flight Lieutenant Travis Dunn has been partnered with Nathan for the training stint in Nelson.

He says the students have come ahead in “leaps and bounds” since their arrival in the region.

“We’ve been really lucky with wonderful weather and the Nelson Tower has been super accommodating for the type of operations that they’re not used to.”

Travis started his career in the US Air Force in the early 2000s, and ended up in New Zealand after a tip from a friend.

“My friend was doing the check flights at the factory and one of the Texans came off the line. My friend said ‘thats a really cool paint scheme where’s that one going’?

“The guy said ‘this is for New Zealand, if you know anyone who wants to move there they’re looking for instructors’ and he came back and told that story and I thought ‘that sounds pretty cool’.

He said the move across the world has been a great opportunity, although a lot different to what he was expecting.

“I thought it would be plug and play so I had to learn a whole lot but hopefully I’ve also been able to share as much as I learned.”

He says the biggest difference between the two air forces is where the students begin.

“To go through pilot training in the US you have to be a college graduate and you get pre-screened with an introductory flight training. Here some of these kids are literally kids, 18-years-old with very little experience.

“The crawl-walk-run learning curve is steep here, it’s a very deliberate crawl at first which I wasn’t used to and then that transition.”

For Nathan, his focus is on getting through the 18 months piloting course, with the Hercules in his mind.

“It’s an extremely rewarding career, you’re constantly learning and striving to be a better pilot and the best you can be.”

The training ends today, with the aircraft and pilots returning home to Ohakea.