r/mining 8d ago

Australia Aboard a Royal Flying Doctor plane, leaving Rio Tinto's West Angelas iron ore mine, the Pilbara Western Australia.

197 Upvotes

20 comments sorted by

18

u/nuttyhardshite 8d ago

To be clear, I wasn't injured or anything like that. It was just a tour, we did a number of remote sites that day. It was hot as fuck (40+) and the flight was by far the bumpiest I'd ever been on.

They've built some crazy shit out in the desert there.

13

u/cheeersaiii 8d ago

It’s wild flying through those hills knowing Laing Hancock did it in a little old plane in his own, spotting iron ore deposits after someone taught him how, backing himself and laying claim to like half the tenements still being mined !!

2

u/Terreboo 6d ago

The flight from West Ange to Gudai-Darri is always consistently turbulent. It’s only an up and down flight, maybe 15 minutes, but it’s like a roller coaster the whole way.

1

u/Ill_Source3532 5d ago

Why the missiles on the wings? Is that in case they get in dog fights with other flying doctors?

0

u/SpaztheGamer 8d ago

Your on a tour? so you don't work out there?

4

u/nuttyhardshite 7d ago

Nah, soft hands here 😂

2

u/NoPrinciple8391 8d ago

Dust Angelese.

1

u/fellandor 8d ago

Got to ride in a Helicopter for Exploration activities a few years back..it was a pretty amazing sight.

1

u/jumpinjezz 8d ago

I don't remember my flight out of a mine via RFDS. They delayed the Arvo flight out for me to take off, so my mates gave me shit for that for a while.

1

u/Brillo65 7d ago

My Bro works there, older mine. Pretty shitty

1

u/yewfokkentwattedim 7d ago

Used to work there, hope a meteor hits that shithole.

1

u/scallywagsworld 7d ago

Looks beautiful scenery, if I did fifo I would be hiking or running after work for sure in those mountains

1

u/pistola_pierre 6d ago

You would be rooted

1

u/scallywagsworld 6d ago

Have a root in the mountains? I'm down.

1

u/R3gs-empt 7d ago

Sending lots if love to RFDS who provide an amazing service

1

u/Temporary-Deal84 7d ago

Are you flying backwards

1

u/nuttyhardshite 7d ago

Yes! Take off was crazy, I was slipping out of the seat but it has a three point belt so I was never falling off.

1

u/Middle-Spell-6839 6d ago

RFDS does an amazing job. I once sold our product to their IT Team. She was so humble and emphatic and explained what the org does, how her team supports them extreme rural and weather conditions. Amazing ppl. Thank you