Aviation training on all time high

LCDR Tony Milsom (front) with his whole team at RAAF East Sale.

By LCDR Tony Milsom

The regular presence of Navy personnel at RAAF Base East Sale in Victoria is not normally news.

Navy officers and sailors have received various courses of training from the School of Air Navigation, Central Flying School, School of Air Traffic Control and the School of Photography almost continually since about 1958.

However, with 29 Navy members currently on staff or under-training here our numbers have not been this strong since the early 80’s.

One of the reasons for our current strength of numbers has been the arrival of the ten members of No.47 Basic Observer Course, equally the largest ever Observer course to start at SAN since No.2 way back in 1974.

Another contributor has been the arrival of the eleven members of 01/03 Basic Photography Course, of which eight are Navy. Finally, in support of these courses we have a staff of six Qualified Observer Instructors, three Pilots, one POPH and one LSCSO.

The AVNFEG has recently implemented an Observer category ‘Get Well’ program, [see page 12. Ed] and as such we can expect to see consistently high numbers of junior officers attempting the Basic Observer Course for several years yet to come.

This will ensure a continued and strong Navy commitment to Aviation training at RAAF Base East Sale.

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