Ex-St Mary’s student sets her sights high

CHARLOTTE MEARS is flying high in her role with Army aviation.

The Cairns local has looked to the sky her whole life and was Royal Australian Air Force cadet at 104 Squadron, Aeroglen.

“I love aviation, everything I have done has been leading up to this point,” Private Mears, 20, said.

Before joining the Army in 2016, she worked for a private aviation company, based in Cairns.

Pte Mears has deployed to Papua New Guinea as a groundcrewman for the three CH-47F Chinook helicopters serving with Operation Papua New Guinea Assist 2018.

“My role involves mission planning, flight following, aircraft communication from ground to air and air to air,” Ms Mears said.

If she didn’t do her job properly, the Chinooks would not be able to talk with each other or back to base.

The 5th Aviation Regiment arrived in Mount Hagen in central PNG just two days after leaving Townsville, ready to start humanitarian relief operations the next day.

“It’s a last-minute tasking that has come together really well,” Pte Mears said.

“It’s good to see everyone move so quickly and see it organised in such a short period of time.”

Pte Mears has helped the Army’s largest helicopter to deliver thousands of kilograms of essential relief supplies to remote villages cut off from the outside world.

She had already worked with Operation Queensland Assist 2017 to help people and communities affected by Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

“It’s good doing your job for such an important purpose,” the former St Mary’s Catholic College student said.

Her next goal is to become a Chinook aircrewman.