h awk ▁conversion ▁courses ▁conducted ▁by ▁this ▁unit ▁last ed ▁for ▁six ▁months , ▁and ▁involved ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 1 0 ▁hours ▁of ▁flying ▁in ▁T A - 4 G s ▁and ▁A - 4 G s . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁pil ots ▁became ▁familiar ▁with ▁flying ▁the ▁type ▁and ▁pract ised ▁combat ▁miss ions ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁air - to - air ▁ref u elling ▁from ▁other ▁Sky h aw ks ▁using ▁bud dy ▁fuel ▁t anks . ▁They ▁were ▁also ▁required ▁to ▁complete ▁about ▁ 1 0 0 ▁sim ulated ▁car rier ▁land ings ▁at ▁Al bat ross ▁before ▁landing ▁a ▁Sky h awk ▁on ▁board ▁Melbourne . ▁ ▁After ▁Mel b ourn es ▁ref it ▁was ▁completed , ▁the ▁ship ▁put ▁to ▁sea ▁with ▁Sky h aw ks ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁her ▁air ▁group ▁typically ▁compr ised ▁four ▁Sky h aw ks ▁from ▁ 8 0 5 ▁Squadron , ▁six ▁S - 2 ▁Track ers ▁operated ▁by ▁ 8 1 6 ▁Squadron ▁and ▁eight ▁of ▁ 8 1 7 ▁Squadron ' s ▁W esse x ▁anti - sub marine ▁hel ic op ters . ▁The ▁mix ▁of ▁aircraft ▁carried ▁varied ▁from ▁time ▁to ▁time . ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁Melbourne ▁made ▁regular ▁deploy ments ▁throughout ▁the ▁Pacific ▁region ▁to ▁exercise ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁and ▁US ▁Navy . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁ 8