Every day there seems to be a reminder of the devastating power of Mother Nature. Her brute force is varied and does not discriminate, with the potential to level cities and bring nations to their knees. Yet amidst these tragedies we are also reminded of how the world can come together as one in a way that seems to defy every other global circumstance. Physical and fiscal aid brushes away borders and humanity is able to be recognised for its redeeming qualities rather than its recklessness.
When natural disasters strike and in all forms of aid and rescue, aviation has a key role to play. The machine that owes much of its whirlwind evolution to times of war is now the primary means of rapid response for those in trouble. Whether the situation is an international crisis or a lone stranded hiker in an inaccessible canyon, aircraft can provide assistance in a manner and time frame that can only come from the skies.
The first recorded air-sea rescue dates back to 1911 when a Curtiss seaplane undertook a rescue sortie on Lake Michigan in the United States. In 1917, Australian Frank McNamara won the Victoria Cross when he landed his Martynside bomber under fire to rescue a downed fellow pilot after a raid near Gaza. And so, the seeds of airborne rescue were sown, growing in complexity at a rate corresponding to the development of the machines. Aircraft as simple as Tiger Moths had their aft fuselage modified to accommodate a stretcher and patient while the Douglas C-47, became a stalwart of allied medical evacuations in World War 2. Yet perhaps the most significant development saw the advent of the helicopter. Its ability to hover above and extract patients from a small clearing or disabled vessel rather than a prepared runway immediately ear-marked the helicopter as a key player in the rescue field. From the close of World War Two to the present day, helicopters have been at the forefront of this vital role.
It was also in war that the logistics of moving men, supplies and machines grew to a grand scale. Legends emerged such as the airborne crossing of the Himalayan Mountains, or ‘Flying the Hump’. With seaborne routes blocked, China was supplied from the air to enable it to continue its war with the Japanese. From 1942 and in the face of towering terrain and horrendous weather, over 600 aircraft were ultimately lost flying this dangerous yet critical route. In a ‘Cold War’ perspective, the Berlin Airlift bypassed the Soviet blockade of the city from the air to provide the supplies needed to its occupants. Over the 11 month blockade over 200,000 flights were conducted and ultimately resulted in access from the West being afforded to Berlin.
In the current day, the use of aircraft in humane endeavours is highly diversified and far-reaching. The range and speed of modern transport aircraft have indeed shrunk the world in a commercial sense, but this technology also permits the rapid deployment of aid. Tragedies such as Haiti and the Boxing Day Tsunami have resulted in a response from all corners of the globe and not merely the immediate neighbours of the stricken nations. Such is the speed with which assistance can be mobilised that initial response rescue teams can be on-scene within hours to help in the search for survivors. This is then followed by the co-ordinated supply of food, water and shelter on a scale that could not be imagined before the advent of the aeroplane. In such circumstances the only limitations lie in the capacity of the airport.
In the face of fire aircraft now battle hot-spots from the air. Whether it is via a ‘Bambi-Bucket’ tethered beneath a helicopter, a converted Boeing 747 with a 20,000 US Gallon tank or deploying fire-fighters at the front, airborne resources provide a real tactical advantage against bush-fires. Their speed can permit an early response to a small remote outbreak before it escalates, while their precision can dump retardant within metres of battling fire crews and threatened homes. In contrast, when communities are isolated by rising flood waters, helicopters can provide rescue and the vast tailgates of military transports can deploy food for man and stock from above.
Organisations such as Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service have been providing aero-medical transport for over ninety years and now such services have almost become an expectation of modern society. Whether retrieving critically ill accident victims or routinely transporting patients from remote communities to the advanced facilities in major centres, air transport provides a timely, comfortable means of transfer for those already suffering.
When oil rigs catch alight or vessels are lost miles from home, relief comes from the air. Air Forces and civil operators boast the range and technology to locate and recover stranded victims despite the weather or the difficulty of the extrication. From large fixed wing electronic surveillance marvels to rotary wing aircraft and the unique skills of their remarkable crews, there are very few situations that the skies cannot provide the most rapid search and effective transfer to safety.
The spectacular performance of the modern fighter is always the drawcard for any air display. Yet at times such as these when the Haitian community is devastated to a level beyond comprehension it is worth recalling the many noble roles that the aircraft has undertaken across the years. The very nature of aviation’s freedom in the three dimensions allows it to access disasters with speed when other means of communication and contact are cut. Task specific helicopters and aeroplanes have even dispensed with the need for a runway in many instances as winches and aerial deployment of loads provide immediate aid. We must also remember those who crew these aircraft. Not just the pilots, but the winch operators, crewmen, doctors, nurses, loadmasters and paramedics. The skill, care and compassion are the factors that transform an inert machine to a life saving resource.
Aviation has brought our world closer together in so many ways. Yet undoubtedly the most worthy pursuit of aviation is in the way that we can help each other and enhance our ability to co-exist. Even in its darkest hours the world can take comfort in the knowledge that at an airfield somewhere there is always a crew at the ready with their wings of hope.
