The Army’s Black Hawk helicopters have been cleared for full operations six days after being restricted to essential flights.
The partial suspension followed the emergency landing of a Black Hawk on April 24 during preparations for Anzac Day commemorations in Papua New Guinea. According to the ADF, an investigation found that the helicopter suffered an engine fault but concluded that the problem was an isolated one. No one was hurt in the incident.
Australia’s Black Hawks were also grounded briefly in January following the discovery of a number of fractured bolts during routine maintenance checks.
The Army operates a fleet of 34 S-70A-9 Black Hawks, with three currently deployed to Timor Leste and the remainder based in Holsworthy and Townsville.
