An Australian Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the 5th Aviation Regiment airlifts Australian Defence Force personnel from Shepparton, Victoria, as part of the ADF’s ongoing support during Operation Flood Assists 2022.
A planned Army Chinook helicopter landing on a Prescott property Yarrawonga on Tuesday, October 25 amazed the 40 onlookers with its power.
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“It’s big, loud and impressive,” farmer Craig Prescott said. “It was a good day.
“Unfortunately, a storm hit us just before scheduled landing, but the two Chinooks hovered about 8kms away. The pilots could see the storm was passing then the one with my mother’s grandson pilot landed on my parent’s property while the other hovered above.
“One of our dams had two-foot of water in it and the Chinook, from about 100m above, got the water out 50m high!” Craig said of the 10,000hp aircraft.
The 31-year-old Chinook-landed pilot, Luke Tesar is the grandson of Craig’s 96-year-old mother Olive Prescott.
Australian Defence Force personnel land at Echuca, Victoria, as part of the ADF’s ongoing support during Operation Flood Assists 2022-2.
Photo by
CPL Jonathan Goedhart
The ADF Army pilot, from Townsville, enjoyed catching up with family members. “We’ve been in the area providing support to communities affected by the floods,” captain CH-47F Pilot and Squadron Aviation Safety Officer, C Squadron, 5th Aviation Regiment Luke told the Yarrawonga Chronicle.
“As we were so close it was opportunist to bring the Chinook to the family farm briefly and let people see the Chinook up close – the Army likes people to see and respect our aircraft and what it can do.”
The 10-minute stopover by the crew of five was appreciated by the 40 local onlookers.
“It’s very rare for a Chinook to land on a private property, but Luke goes above and beyond the call of duty with his job,” Craig said. Like the 58-year-old farmer and CFA Group Officer of five brigades, Craig Prescott does.
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