The Australian Defence Force Basic Flying Training School (BFTS) was located in Tamworth in northern

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. It was run by BAE Systems Flying Training Academy, which conducted tri-service flight screening and basic flying training for the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Fo ...

(ADF) aircrew from the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

(RAN) and the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

(RAAF) using CT-4 Airtrainer aircraft. BFTS was raised in response to the RAAF and RAN beginning all-through training on the

Pilatus PC-9 The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop training aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Designed as a more powerful evolution of the Pilatus PC-7, the PC-9's first flight was made in May 1984 afte ...

in December 1992. in 1993, Headquarters Training Command Detachment A was raised in Tamworth consisting primarily of civilian instructors. Army students were trained here as the PC-9 course was not appropriate. The detachment also screened prospective military pilots at this time. BFTS was officially reformed in 1999 and quickly began tri-service training. The training preceded streaming into single service flying training, with RAAF and RAN pilots having moved to No. 2 Flying Training School (2FTS) at RAAF Pearce, Western Australia while Army pilots undertook further training at the Australian School of Army Aviation in

Oakey, Queensland Oakey is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. The Museum of Army Aviation is located at Oakey Airport. Geography The town is situated on the eastern side of the Darling Downs and the Toowoomba Region l ...

. All flying training was conducted by the ADF with the provision of aircraft and support services from BAE Systems Tamworth. Flying instructors were from all three branches of the ADF with several civilian flying instructors from BAE. The school formed part of

Air Training Wing RAAF Air Training Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) unit responsible for providing basic training for the force's pilots and aircrew, and training instructors. It also oversees the RAAF Museum. Structure Air Training Wing forms part of th ...

. In 2015, BAE Systems lost a contract bid to

Lockheed Martin Australia Lockheed (originally spelled Loughead) may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Lockheed Corporation, a former American aircraft manufacturer * Lockheed Martin, formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta ** Lockheed Mar ...

for the ab-initio training of pilots. Training was transitioned to No. 1 Flying Training School (1FTS) on the

Pilatus PC-21 The Pilatus PC-21 is a turboprop-powered advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit. It is manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. Development In November 1997 Pilatus flew a modified PC-7 Mk.II in order to test improvements for ...

. The drawdown of training in Tamworth began in 2018 and the final ADF course graduated from BFTS in February 2019. In the years of operation, the school trained approximately 4000 military and flight screening students and operated over 280 000 flight hours. Flying training for the ADF is now conducted at 1FTS.

Aircraft

Notes

References

* Military education and training in Australia Military units and formations disestablished in 2019 Military units and formations established in 1993 {{Australia-mil-stub