Call Sign October 2011
Page 8
In the January issue of Call Sign, Dial-a-
Tom Whitbread's son in
Cab Board member Tom Whitbread told
of his pride in son Russell and how hard
he had worked to gain his flying wings.
horror flight reminder
However, getting a job that involved flying
turned out to be difficult until gaining a
position with Susi Air - a fast growing com-
pany in Indonesia that flies passengers and
cargo to remote areas around Borneo,
Sumatra and Java - some with runways that
are just rough airstrips in jungle clearings.
Now Call Sign has been told that two of
Susi Air's pilots were killed last month after
their Cessna 208B Grand Caravan I
crashed in the jungle shortly after taking off
with food and diesel for a remote village
that relies on the flights for provisions.
Tom Whitbread continues the sad
story...
"In the January issue, I wrote about miss-
ing relatives over Christmas due to them
working abroad because they could not get
work in their chosen
occupation in England.
This was because my
son, Russell now works
for Susi Air in Indonesia.
On
Friday
9
Villagers greet a Susi Air flight carrying provisions.
September I received
Inset pic: The wreckage of the crashed flight
news that a Susi Air
flight from Wamena in
downed
plane.
situations and then if it does, a medical
Papua went missing in
Several
villagers
team can be a long time coming as these
the jungle on route to
having heard of the
areas have not yet reached the twentieth
Kenyam - usually a 40
crash, begun walk-
century, let alone the twenty first.
minute flight. The
ing to the site to see
Russell, who has worked as David
two young pilots Australian
if they could help,
Cootes' co-pilot, was shocked to hear of the
David Cootes and his co-pilot Tomas Munk
while another rescue
tragedy and very upset at losing two work-
from Slovakia - were doing their job of
team waited at Kenyam to start the hike to
mates and friends. But it hasn't changed his
delivering supplies and diesel to the little
the crash scene at first light. A further vil-
views of working in Indonesia. He is now
village of Kenyam. They would have taken
lage was also selected - some 8km from the
back in the classroom in Pangandaran
off with no thought of the tragedy that was
crash site - with the thought that there
studying for his Captain's position, which
to befall them just minutes later.
might have been some easier paths through
will give him extra status. Has the crash put
The weather over there changes quickly
the jungle. The pilots would already have
Russell off at all?
and can be deadly when cloud suddenly
been without medical attention for a day, so
"Susi Air is a very safe airline and this
covers views of the nearby mountain range
if injured could be in dire need of help.
is its first fatal accident. David and
so the pilots always remain visual with the
Susi Air sent out a plane to try and locate
Tomas were friends and workmates, but
terrain by climbing above both the clouds
the exact crash site, but that was driven
this is what we do and I know they'd
and the mountains. It was then that the Susi
back by bad weather. However, when a
have expected us to carry on. There are
Air GPS monitoring system showed the air-
break in the weather came, a helicopter
people out here who rely on us just to
pilot saw an area he thought he could use
craft was not moving and changed colour;
carry out their daily lives. How could we
to land a rescue team and watched as vil-
this alerted staff that a plane was in trouble.
not continue? If Susi Air used old
lagers on the ground set about clearing the
Because the area is so remote and mainly
banger planes it would be different, but
site. This was thought to be some 600
jungle, there are no repeater aerials for
they are an excellent, safety conscious
meters from the area they needed to reach,
radio signals or mobile phones, so ground
company with one of the most modern
but due to heavy jungle they lost time and
staff couldn't contact the aircraft.
fleets of aircraft and helicopters in the
as nightfall came they camped and waited
After the flight time had passed,
area, the oldest being 8 years old with
for the following day.
ground staff knew this was not a GPS
the newest just 1 month."
Due to bad weather and harsh jungle ter-
failure and put into operation the pro-
Going back to my January article in Call
rain, rescuers didn't reach the crash site
cedure for a downed plane. A search
Sign, a young gentleman named David
until 07:30 on the Monday morning two
and rescue plan was instigated, which
Burns read it online (I don't think it's the
days after the crash - and their worst fears
began by sending a plane to the last
same David that used to work in the call
were realised when they found the bodies
known co-ordinates and within 45
centre). After reading the article, he was so
of David and Tomas. They then had the
minutes of starting, the plane was dis-
impressed by the description of the country
awful task of trying to get them to a landing
covered.
and beaches together with the description
space so the helicopter could get them back
Due to the harsh terrain, a helicopter was
of Susi Air, that he applied for a position
to a main airport for transportation to their
sent to the location to see what it could do,
with them! Soon after, he met Russell and
homeland and to allow their relatives to
but that too caused a scare when it had to
told him that he had been very taken by my
bury them.
land due to bad weather and was unable to
article and that was why he went to
In my previous article, I said how lucky
radio base to say all was ok. But the rescue
Indonesia.
these pilots were to be flying over golden
continued into the next day and the heli-
So once again, well done Alan for putting
beaches, crystal clear ocean and having
copter had another try but could only land
the magazine online. I believe he has sev-
great views of the huge jungle. What an
the rescue team in a village 3km from the
eral thousand people worldwide who wait
ideal job! It wouldn't go through your mind
crash area due to the jungle. The rescue
for the new issue each month!"
that the plane might crash in those idyllic
team now had an 8-hour walk to the
