The Chopper

For the technically minded or those wondering why it costs $3000 per hour to run the chopper, here are some specs...


BK117-B2 HELICOPTER
Call sign: WESTPAC 3 
Manufactured: Japan, 1989 
Aircraft: BK117 Twin Engine – Single Pilot – Instrument Flight Rated 
Engines: 2 Lycoming LTS 101 producing 750 shaft horse power each 
Fuel: Aviation turbine fuel – Jet A1 
Fuel Capacity: 709 litres 
Fuel Burn: 300 litres per hour 
Cruise Speed: 125 knots or 230 kilometers per hour 
Range: 2 hours plus 20 minutes reserve or 460 kilometers 
Payload: 1100 kilograms including fuel 
Maximum Weight: 3350 kilograms 
Maximum Height: 10,000ft 
Crew (per flight mission): 

• 1 Pilot; 1 Aircrewman / Winch Operator;
• 2 Medical staff; 
• 1 Rescue Crewman (if required for winching operations)

Equipment: 

• Single Pilot Instrument Flight Rated
• DAFCS Auto Pilot (Digital Automatic Flight Control System)
• Colour Weather Radar with both vertical and horizontal modes
• Dual Garmin GPS integrated with Garmin moving map graphic system
• Laptop computer based moving map system
• Medical oxygen system including suction
• Advanced Life Support & patient monitoring equipment
• Fitted for 1 stretcher patient & 2 sitting
• Goodrich Lucas 2 person rescue winch, 270ft of cable load rated to 272 kilograms
• Nitesun search light, 30 million candle power 
• VHF / UHF Emergency Distress Beacon Homer

Communications:

• Next G mobile telephone
• Satellite telephone
• 4 Aviation band VHF radios
• 2 Aviation band VOR navigation receivers
• 1 Aviation band ADF navigation receiver
• 1 GRN radio (Government Radio Network – Ambulance)
• 1 UHF radio (Company Helicopters, Public service, fire etc)
• 1 VHF High radio (Marine)
• 1 VHF Low radio (Police)

The Sponsorship

The easiest way to sponsor me is to transfer funds directly from your account to the chopper account and send a quick email to choppernenw@rescuehelicopter.com.au to let Barry know.


Account Name: The Barossa Valley to Tamworth Charity Bike Ride
BSB: 032 621
Account Number: 370 633
Reference: Ross Dobson


You can cut and paste the following official sponsorship details into the email...
The Barossa Valley to Tamworth Charity Bike Ride
Fundraising for the New England North West Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service
P.O. Box 962 Tamworth NSW 2340 Ph: 02 6766 6641 Fax: 02 6766 7268


Sponsorship and Pledge Form
1.SPONSOR DETAILS 
Company Name:
Contact Name:
Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
2.SPONSORSHIP OPTION
I would like to take up the following option
A: SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE 
Event Partner $5,000
Diamond $2,500
Platinum $1,500
Gold $1,000
Silver $500
Bronze $250
B: RIDER SPONSORSHIP of: Ross Dobson
I agree to sponsor the above rider $______ per km, or $______ TOTAL AMOUNT
3. PAYMENT
A: CHEQUE/MONEY ORDER payable to
The Barossa Valley Tamworth Charity Bike Ride
B: BANK DEPOSIT
Bank: Westpac Banking Corporation
Account Name: The Barossa Valley to Tamworth Charity Bike Ride
BSB: 032 621
Account Number: 370 633
If payment made by EFT please reference the company / contact name listed above 
Upon receipt of funds please send a Tax Invoice Receipt
4. TO CONFIRM YOUR SUPPORT PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO:
Mail: PO Box 962 Tamworth NSW 2340
Fax: 02 6766 7268
Email: choppernenw@rescuehelicopter.com.au
For further information please phone 02 6766 6641 or 
visit our website www.rescuehelicopter.com.au
Thank you for supporting this event.

The Helicopter Service

So, where the bloody hell is Tamworth and the New England North West?

The map below gives you some idea of the area the Tamworth based helicopter covers.

It looks like its about a third of the size of New South Wales. I'm informed that the land area of the New England North West is around 80,000 square kilometers.

Big isn't it? That's roughly equivalent to half the size of England or Texas in the US.

The 200,000 people who live in the region depend on the helicopter to get them to a hospital in the case of an emergency. The distances from homes and workplaces can be quite long and/or isolated and that first hour of medical attention can be life saving.

And who knows? You might be travelling through the region and who can ever tell when they just might need fast medical care.

The Ride

Did I say 1700 kilometers? Its close, something like 1565 kilometers across three States is the latest estimate.

26 riders and 6 support crew start at Lyndoch in South Australia with the route unraveling like this...

Day 1   Sat        6th  Mar    Lyndoch to Swan Reach       SA            83k

Day 2   Sun       7th  Mar    Swan Reach to Loxton          SA            95k

Day 3   Mon      8th  Mar    Loxton to Meringur               VIC          85k

Day 4   Tue       9th  Mar    Meringur to Mildura               VIC          94k

Day 5   Wed   10th  Mar    Rest Day

Day 6   Thu     11th  Mar    Mildura to Robinvale              VIC          85k

Day 7   Fri       12th  Mar    Robinvale to Balranald           VIC          81k

Day 8   Sat      13th  Mar    Balranald to Hay                    NSW      133k

Day 9   Sun     14th  Mar    Hay to Carrathool                  NSW        65k

Day 10 Mon    15th  Mar    Carrathool to Griffith              NSW        81k

Day 11 Tue      16th  Mar    Rest Day

Day 12 Wed    17th  Mar    Griffith to Ardlethan               NSW        86k

Day 13 Thu      18th  Mar    Ardlethan to West Wyalong  NSW        71k

Day 14 Fri       19th  Mar    West Wyalong to Forbes       NSW      104k

Day 15 Sat      20th  Mar     Forbes to Parkes                  NSW        33k

Day 16 Sun     21st   Mar    Parkes to Peak Hill                NSW        50k

Day 17 Mon    22nd Mar    Peak Hill to Dubbo                NSW        71k

Day 18 Tue     23rd  Mar    Dubbo to Dunedoo                NSW        90k

Day 19 Wed   24th  Mar    Dunedoo to Coolah                NSW        46k

Day 20 Thu     25th  Mar    Coolah to Quirindi                  NSW      138k

Day 21 Fri       26th  Mar    Quirindi to Tamworth             NSW        74k

That gives a total distance of 1565 mountain bike kilometers, however, at this stage the exact ride route is still under development and with mainly ‘off-road tracks” and “outback roads” forming the route it is anticipated an extra 200km to the ride distance will be added achieving the 1700 kilometer mark. 

view the route in Google maps here

The Rub

OK, here's the rub, the purpose of the ride is to raise funds for the Rescue Helicopter Service based in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and I need you to put a few of your hard earned dollars their way.

It costs something in the order of $3 million per annum to run the BK117-B2 chopper out of Tamworth.

No, you don't need to pay that much, around 50% of the operating expenses are provided for through the NSW Department of Health and Westpac pay for naming rights that makes up another 10%.

It's events like this ride that raise the remaining $1.2 million for those operating expenses which include manning the chopper with trained crews and the maintenance facilities.

So, drop some money here:
Westpac Banking Corporation Account Name: The Barossa Valley to Tamworth Charity Bike Ride BSB: 032 621 Account Number: 370 633


Be sure to reference my name so they can tell you have sponsored me.

The Rescue Helicopter is a registered charity with all donations/sponsorship tax deductible. Email me with the amount and your address details and I will arrange for an official receipt to be sent to you.

To check the bona fides of this event, please email Barry Walton at barry.walton@rescuehelicopter.com.au or call him on 61 02 6766 6641.

The Fitness Regime

The fitness regime is....being thought through thoroughly at the moment. Yes I know, I should have been out every weekend racking up 50 plus kilometer runs, alas, the preparation to date has consisted of only commutes on the single speed to work and back.

The ten days off over Christmas will provide the opportunity to head out on the Federal Highway for a few 100k shake downs. Well, nine days now that the rain set in for the day.

Relax, two months is plenty of time to shed ten kilos and get bike fit :-)

The Challenge

"Hey Roscoe, were going to do something special for the 10th anniversary of the 'the Ride' in 2010", was how Barry Walton opened up the phone call.

Which he followed up with a clipped "Ya interested?"

"Sure" I confidently responded. "Where to mate?".
"The Barossa back to Tamworth over three weeks, you wanna come?"

"Oh you bet!" was how I got myself into the challenge.

1700 kilometers in 21 days on a mountain bike, about a third of the distance across Australia, on the dirt back roads fundraising for the New England North West Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

I had completed four of the previous nine rides whilst residing in Armidale, originally becoming involved through the calculated provocation of ABC Local Radio New England North West's David Evans.

With the initial excited and impetuous response to Barry a distant memory, now residing in 'Our Nation's Capital', Canberra and having missed the last four rides, not to mention the middle age spread gathering bulk around my waist,  I have bravely committed to raise funds, get fit and complete the ride.


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