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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0971.PDF
FLIGHT, 20 July 1956 117 "BIRD OF SKIN AND BONE Helicopters in Western Papua By GEORGE FARWELL HOVERING over the steamy jungle of Western Papua, thehelicopter pilot surveyed mile upon mile of dense greentimber below, then slowly made a descent to a small clearing where khaki-clad Europeans awaited him. From theperspex blister of the cabin stepped a dark-skinned Papuan with frizzy hair, his long bow grasped in one hand. Beneath the otherarm he carried a squealing pig. From the sago palms nearby some of his tribal friends ranforward to greet him excitedly. For all his wild appearance, this stocky, almost naked man was merely a labourer returning fromhospital to an oil survey party employing him. He had brought with him both his food and weapons.No one in this remote jungle clearing saw anything unusual in the arrival of a near Stone Age man from the skies. To manyvillagers in Western Papua, not far removed from head-hunting and cannibalism, the helicopter with its whirring rotor bladeshas become a normal feature of life—even to those who have never seen a motor car or bicycle. The Papuans, having nowords of their own for mechanical objects, have come to call this queer machine with its bare framework simply "Balus BoneNating." (Balus is Pidgin English for bird; Bone Netting (nothing) means "just skin and bone.") Helicopters in the past few years have revolutionized transportmethods throughout this humid and exhausting region of the tropics—at least so far as prospecting for oil is concerned.There are no roads back there, not even an air strip, and Govern- ment patrols in the interior still have to rely upon wearyingjourneys by foot 3 cutting their way through almost impenetrablejungle with a long string of Papuan carriers. For prospecting something like 50,000 square miles of jungle,swamp, mountain and steep valleys scoured by rushing torrents, travel by foot was obviously impossible. The job would havetaken too long. That was why the Australasian Petroleum Com- pany, now making an all-out effort to strike oil in one of theworld's most difficult terrains, decided to call in helicopters. (The A.P.C. is jointly owned by British Petroleum, Ltd., and VacuumOil Company, Ltd., each with a 45 per cent interest, and Oil Search, Ltd., an Australian company.) An approach was made in 1954 to one of the most experiencedoperators in the United States, the Bahamas Helicopter Company, which had carried out similar work in many parts of the globe.A new company was formed, World Wide Air Services, Ltd., and After landing near a Papuan village in his Bell 47 O-7, Ami L. Simarlidason does his best to make polite conversation. equipped with four Bell 47 D-l helicopters. From Los AngelesSeattle-born Ami L. Simarlidason went out as managing director, with several American pilots. "Helicopters," Simarlidason said recently in Port Moresby,headquarters of the A.P.C., "are only called on when the job is too costly or difficult for normal aircraft types. I guess we'realways left to do the really tough jobs." And in Western Papua the jobs done by his pilots, among whom are several Australians,really can be tough. The helicopters are out in the front line of attack, carrying onvital reconnaissance work that has to be followed up later—much later—by the heavy artillery of drilling rigs. Commercial oildeposits can only be located by drilling deep wells, but it is essential first of all to select the most likely areas. Early explora-tion is carried out by survey parties using seismic methods. These involve the use of dynamite charges which produce shock wavesbelow ground, their echoes and ripples being recorded on extremely sensitive instruments. In this way the conformationof rock structures deep below the surface can be mapped and possible oil reservoirs determined.Seismic parties have to cover vast areas of difficult country in this search. Not only would it have taken them many years withfoot patrols and carriers, but their delicate instruments might well have been damaged. Helicopters have enormously simplified thework. Capable of lifting 400 lb, they have been used to ferry dynamite,food, essential equipment—and, of course, surveyors and their Papuan assistants. Seismic parties, which may remain in the fieldfor several years at a time, consist of up to 40 men. They often employ as many as 500 Papuans as well, whose work is to clearareas of jungle for landing grounds. World Wide Air Services has worked out a system wherebyone clearing is made every mile. This involves a very large amount of work, but is an essential safety measure in case offorced landing. The machines have to fly at 1,500 feet or less, because of the perpetual low cloud ceiling in a region that averages300 inches of rain annually. But the frequency of landing grounds is primarily determined by the nature of survey operations.The driller, with his dynamite and equipment, has to move in a straight line through the jungle, followed by technicians withtheir recording instruments. His progress can be made much speedier and less laborious by the helicopter's ability to leap-frogover obstacles and drop supplies. Since this kind of movement is practically continuous, themachines are in use all day long. Here, for instance, is a typical day's operation: •—7.30 a.m.: Helicopter takes off from temporary base camp, making a succession of flights with two tons of dynamite (70 cases) for blastingsite four miles away. 11.00 a.m.: Flies another 20 miles to pick up a shooter or driller, withall equipment, transporting him to a new position. Noon: Returns to base, for further orders.12.30 p.m.: Take off with rations for seismic crew in field. 1.45 p.m.: Ordered to proceed to landing ground 35 miles distant topick up and transport further party, making several short trips. 3.00 p.m.: Carries observer to new site, ferrying 3,000 lb of gear inseveral flights. 4.00 p.m.: Receives emergency radio call from clearing nearby tofly sick labourer back to base for medical attention. 5.30 p.m.: Takes fresh loading of stores from flying-boat just landedon river from Port Moresby, 400 miles away. Papuan fisherman, disturbed out of their stone-age routine, do not know what to make of this "bird of skin and bone."
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