RAAF Base Pearce is the winner of the prestigious 2001 Hawker Siddeley Award in recognition as the most proficient RAAF base during the calendar year.

The award is the highest accolade for a RAAF base and RAAF Pearce Base Commander Wayne Johnston is proud of his team and thrilled that Pearce has picked up the award in recognition of its efforts during 2001.

'It is a very special feeling when your team is selected as the best RAAF base in the country,' Group Captain Johnston said.

'The RAAF Base Pearce team has provided a magnificent level and quality of support to ADF operations during an incredibly busy year. The team has provided service with a level of cooperation, team spirit and professionalism that far exceeds expectation.'

He added that RAAF Base Pearce boasts the honour of providing 'best practice' models for the rest of the RAAF in a number of areas, including energy management, environmental management and safety and emergency management.

'Not only are standards high but the rate of effort by flying units at Pearce last year made Pearce the busiest RAAF base in the country with around 160,000 aircraft movements,' said GPCAPT Johnston.

The Hawker Siddeley Award was initially presented to the RAAF in 1976 to mark its 50th birthday and to commemorate the close association that the service has with the Hawker and de Havilland aircraft associations.

By FLGOFF Harriet Pointon