The MRH-90 helicopters from 808 Squadron left Nowra on Thursday morning, flying to Brisbane to join another aircraft from the squadron aboard navy’s new Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship, HMAS Canberra.

The full extent of the damage to the island nation from Cyclone Winston is slowly coming to hand.

The category five storm made landfall on Fiji's main island of Viti Levu on Saturday, with winds reaching 300 kilometres an hour, making it the biggest cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Nowra squadron has been a hive of activity since the disaster and that effort intensified on Wednesday after confirmation Tuesday night it would be sending helicopters to aid in the humanitarian effort.

After a full squadron effort the aircraft and equipment were ready by late Wednesday afternoon.

Commanding officer of 808 Squadron, Commander Mike Waddell said 22 personnel would be joining the 18 already embarked on the flight on HMAS Canberra.

“The crews will be taking part in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” he said.

“They could be doing anything from carrying people around, medevacing people who may be injured and need to be taken to hospital, carrying stores, food and things like that. We will no doubt be helping take ashore all the engineering gear that will be taken over to help rebuild.”

He said the personnel were expected to be sailing on Canberra within the next couple of days.

“The crews will face some confronting images,” he said.

“Our crews and aircraft have been involved in this sort of work before and yes it can be quite confronting.

“It’s not pleasant but the good thing is you feel you are doing a good job. Doing something very worthwhile.

“We will provide all the assistance we can to our people, particularly when they get back, as they will see some stuff that will be quite confronting.

”This is nothing new for the base, HMAS Albatross personnel have been involved in such efforts many times.

“It can be one of the best parts of the job.”

He said MRH-90 was perfectly designed for the role.

“It replaced the old Sea King which was also perfect for this,” he said.

“The MRH-90 has really come a long way. It has had its issues in the past but it is doing fantastically at the moment.

“It will also be the first hit out for Canberra, actually going out doing an operation, so I’m sure they are looking forward to that as well.”

Lieutenant Commander Steve Brown, who will pilot one of the helicopters is not knew to humanitarian work, having previously flown in Vanuatu. after Cyclone Pam.

He also undertook a number of tours in Afghanistan with the Royal Navy.

“This is part of what we do,” he said.

“Hopefully, we can get up there and make a difference. It is something we can do.

“It will also be a chance to further develop the aircraft and the capabilities of HMAs Canberra.”

It was almost bitter sweet for LCDR Brown, whose wife sarah celebrated her birthday the day the crews flew out.

“Sorry Sarah, happy birthday, but duty calls.”

Another experienced aviator, who is part of the team, is Royal Navy pilot Lieutenant Owen Camplisson, who is on a three year exchange with the RAN.

“This is the first time I have flown a humanitarian operation,” said the veteran of five tours of Afghanistan.

“This is certainly a bit different. Hopefully we can go and help those less fortunate than ourselves and help them through this difficult time.”

It is also a tough time for the lieutenant, whose young son will celebrate his first birthday next week.

“I’ll miss that, we had a small, early celebration last night (Wednesday),” he said.

“Hopefully when he is older he will understand.”