By
FLGOFF Harriet Pointon
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Change
of Squadron flight commanders at the parade to mark the
65th anniversary of RAAF Pearce and the 10th anniversary
of the RSAF Detatchment Pearce.
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Republic
of Singapore Air Force Chief Major General Lim Kim Choon,
CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston, Wing Commander Stephen Bonney
and Warrant Officer Kevin Close inspect the parade.
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CAF
Air Marshal Angus Houston briefs No. 79 Squadron maintenance
personnel during his visit to Pearce.
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Wing
Commander Gareth Neilsen, of No. 2 Flying Training School,
shows RSAF Chief Major General Lim Kim Choon the interior
of a PC-9
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PC-9s
stage a flypast in a diamond-nine formation during the base
parade
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Photos
by CPL Gary Dixon
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RAAF
Base Pearce has held a parade to mark the its 65th anniversary
as part of the Perth community and to celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the Flying Training School Detachment from the Republic of
Singapore Air Force (RSAF) at the base.
In the spirit of the joint celebration, the parade on September
4 included personnel from both the Australian and Singaporean
Air Forces in a rare display of bilateral ceremonial practices.
The parade also coincided with the 35th anniversary of the Republic
of Singapore Air Force.
CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston and his Singaporean counterpart,
Major General Lim Kim Choon, attended the parade and the morning
tea which followed. Base Commander Group Captain Peter Sapwell
described the combined celebration as very important.
“Pearce has been part of the Western Australian community
for 65 years now and that is definitely something worth celebrating.
We are Western Australia’s only operational Air Force base
and with 160,000 aircraft movements a year we are the busiest
Air Force base in the nation,” GPCAPT Sapwell said.
“The Republic of Singapore Flying Training School Detachment
contributes significantly to the RAAF Base Pearce Team and is
an important part of our base community. This celebration marks
10 years of cooperation between RAAF Base Pearce and the RSAF
and is an excellent milestone in our ongoing Defence relationships
within the region.”
The RSAF’s No. 130 Squadron has operated out of Pearce under
a Memorandum of Understanding since 1993. It has its own purpose-built
facilities, instructors and aircraft and undertakes similar flying
training to its RAAF equivalent, No. 2 Flying Training School.
