Publication:The Fearless Times Issue 3 2009/Pegasus Flight Over Dubai City
The requirement to transfer a patient ashore for urgent medical treatment resulted in HMAS Toowoomba's Seahawk, “Pegasus”, gaining a rare opportunity to fly over some spectacular areas of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including downtown Dubai and be the first RAN helicopter to land in the airbase currently home to HQJTF 633.
Situated on the north eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the south and west, and the Sultanate of Oman to the east and north. Considered the second richest Middle Eastern country, on a per capita basis, it holds just under 10% of the world's oil reserves. Dubai is the second largest of the seven different emirates which comprise the UAE.
The Emirate of Dubai is famous for it's modern, rapidly expanding city which offers attractions such as the Burj Al Arab, the world's first seven star hotel, an indoor ski centre (situated in the middle of the desert) and the newly formed Palm Islands, reclaimed land masses extending into the Arabian Gulf.
“UAE air traffic control directed our routing through the centre of Dubai, which provided a stunning view of the city,” said LEUT Flowerdew, Pegasus Tactical Coordinator (TACCO).
After completing of the Medical transfer, Pegasus continued with a surface search mission of the Southern Arabian Gulf in support of Coalition Operations.
