Award provides perfect send-off

2FTS Instructor of the Year Flight Lieutenant Craig Chaseling receives an inscribed pewter mug from Doug Burton, of the WW2 Flying Instructors Association. Photo by CPL Kirsty Chambers.

Flying instructor Flight Lieutenant Craig “Chas” Chaseling’s soon-to-be-completed tour of duty at No. 2 Flying Training School has been capped off with the 2FTS Instructor of the Year award.

FLTLT Chaseling received the award at the recent Military Flying Instructors Reunion at RAAF Base Pearce.

“Receiving the award in front of more than 300 past and present flying instructors was a very humbling experience,” he said. “It’s an honour to receive recognition for work done over the past 12 months and the last four years.”

The 2FTS Instructor of the Year award was inaugurated in 1978 to recognise outstanding contributions made by a Qualified Flying Instructor to pilot training at 2FTS.

The award, which is well respected among QFIs, is based on peer recognition of significant contribution and achievement by a 2FTS QFI throughout the year.

FLTLT Chaseling started working at 2FTS in 1999 as a ground instructor of aerodynamics before undertaking the Flying Instructors Course at CFS in early 2000 and then returning to 2FTS as a QFI.

He believes that the greatest reward for a QFI is seeing students graduate as this represented the contribution that instructors were making to the Air Force.

• By FLGOFF Nigel Harrington

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