MAF maintenance and training base - Mareeba, Australia

A short visit to MAF Mareeba maintenance base (north of Cairns, Australia), before I'm due to fly to Gove, Northern Territories.

 

It was good to find UK staff member Ben Sibthorpe well.

 

Ben and family have been here for 2 & 1/2 years having been in Chad for many years and previously in Tanzania. Now Chief Engineer of the engineering maintenance base in Mareeba.

Aircraft repaired, routine maintenance carried out and the refurbishment of the newly acquired GA8s all carried out here.

 

In hangar: GA8 being prepared for Arnhem Land:

Aircraft outside - "GA8 completed for PNG"

 

We talked a little about apprenticeships and training opportunities for engineering and component maintenance. With the lack of engineers generally, providing appropriate training will be vital for the future.

 

Great to see the team here -  including Tony Lohmeyer (previously in Bangladesh and I met in PNG in 2007) .

 

Short flight with training captain Andrew Jenkins to see the local area and an airstrip which is used as first assessment exercise for flight standardisation candidates.

 

 

 

I have to mention Vaughan Woodward and Rosemary - not only can Vaughan turn his hand to almost any project it seems but also manages to look after us well in transit and provide a well timed feast before departure to the airport  :) Rosemary's ' chocolate mud pie' is really something to write home about!!