Aviation Medicine Training - 1 Week

Combat Survival Training - 3 Weeks

Basic Military Flying Training - 26 Weeks

Military Flying Training - 40 Weeks

Pilot Basic Rotary Conversion - 14 Weeks

Pilot Advanced Rotary Conversion - 11 Weeks

Operational Flying Training - Dependent of aircraft type selection.

Successful Navy applicants undergo Pilot Training as follows:

One week at School of Aviation Medicine at RAAF Base Edinburgh, Adelaide SA.

Three weeks at the Combat Survival Training School at RAAF Base Townsville. Here students learn how to survive if/when downed in hostile/enemy territory during combat or aircraft emergencies.

The total military flying training of 92 weeks duration is conducted in two phases.

The Basic Military Flying Training of 26 weeks is conducted at British Aerospace Flight Training Australia in Tamworth, NSW. The CT4B Air Trainer is used in this phase of training.

The second phase of Military Flying Training is 40 weeks duration and is conducted at RAAF Base Pearce (Western Australia) located 45 km north of Perth.

Initial Flying Training

The initial Basic Flying Training includes ground and basic flying training for both Navy and Air Force pilot students.

Ground Training covers such things as Mathematics, Physics, Aerodynamics, Meteorology, Flight Instruments, Compasses, Morse Code transmission and reception, Aircraft Operations, Airmanship, Air Traffic Control, and Aviation Medicine. Flying Training covers such things as general day-time visual flying, night visual flying, instrument flying, and basic navigation.

Progressive Flying Tests

Flying Tests are conducted at each 25 hours of flying and includes General Flying Progress Tests and Instrument Progress Tests. Students are expected to be able to fly solo, by day, after 8-10 hours. The aircraft type flown at RAAF Pearce is the PILATUS PC-9, a twin seat, low wing monoplane. Its maximum speed of 350 knots is delivered by a single Pratt and Whitney PT6A-62 engine. The aircraft has a wingspan of 10.2m.

Advanced Flying Training

Advanced Flying Training includes Formation Flying with a greater emphasis on instrument flying and navigation than undertaken in initial flying training. On completion of flying training at RAAF Base Pearce you will be provisionally awarded with your 'Wings'.

Helicopter Training

From RAAF Base Pearce, officers move to 723 Squadron at HMAS ALBATROSS to undertake Pilot Basic Rotary Wing Conversion on AS350BA Squirrel helicopters. On completion they then conduct Pilot Advanced Rotary Conversion. Finally, they are posted to an operational squadron for Operational Flying Training - an aircraft type specific conversion.