RAAF Base Pearce

2 FTS (Flying Training School) : Pilatus PC-21

The RAAF acquired 49 Pilatus PC-21 two-seat single-engine turboprop aircraft assembled by Pilatus at Stans, Switzerland and delivered from 2017 to 2019. Lockheed Martin manages training, Pilatus provides the PC-21s and through-life support, while Hawker Pacific provides maintenance. The PC-21s replaced the 67 Pilatus PC-9/A aircraft delivered from 1987 to 1992, which were all retired by December 2019, when the final PC-21 was delivered.

Pilots conduct five months of ab initio training with 1 FTS at East Sale, including 250 hours of theory instruction, 30 hours simulator instruction and 40 hours of flying in the PC-21. Graduates from Pilot Basic Course can be streamed to the following:

• Rotary Wing Pilot Training – Army pilots are posted to HMAS Albatross, Nowra for helicopter training. 
• Further single-pilot fixed wing training – Navy and RAAF trainees are posted to 2FTS at RAAF Base Pearce for the 30-week Pilot Intermediate Course – more advanced training on the PC21, focused on single-pilot, formation and low-level navigation.  
• Upon graduating the Pilot Intermediate Course at Pearce:
  • Navy pilots are posted to Nowra for helicopter training.
  • RAAF pilots will be streamed towards becoming a Fast Jet Pilot (FJP), in which case they will need to complete Pilot Advanced Course, or be streamed to be a Fixed Wing Pilot (FWP), in which case they will need to complete a Fixed Wing (e.g. C-17, P8 etc.) Operational Conversion.  
• Remote Pilot Training. In the future, Pilot Basic Course will also lead to Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA) training (location to be determined). 

The PC-21s are allocated as follows:

• 42 PC-21s for pilot training:
  • 26 aircraft to No.1 Flying Training School (1FTS) at East Sale, Victoria – also used by the RAAF Roulettes Display Team and wearing Roulettes livery (A54-019 to 044)
  • 16 aircraft to No.2 Flying Training School (2FTS), at Pearce, Western Australia (A54-001 to 016).
• 4 PC-21s for 4 Squadron, at RAAF Williamtown, NSW, for use in the Forward Air Control (FAC) (A54-046 to 049)
• 3 PC-21s for the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) at RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia (A54-017, A54-018, A54-045).

While manufacturer serial numbers (MSN) are consecutive, the aircraft were not built consecutively, as five PC-21s for France were built between Australian aircraft on the production line. Updated 27 Jan 2020.

79 Squadron : BAE Systems Hawk Mk.127 LIF (Lead In Fighter)

The BAE Systems Hawk 127 is used for initial or lead-in fighter training to prepare aircrew for operational conversion to the F/A-18 Hornet fighter.

With the Macchi MB-326H nearing the end of its service life and lacking the performance and avionics to be a lead in fighter trainer, in June 1997 a contract was signed with BAE Systems to supply 33 Lead-in-Fighter 127 Hawk aircraft, together with training devices and logistics support.

34 Hawk Mk.127 LIFT have been built for the Royal Australian Air Force. The first (A27-01) made its maiden flight in December 1999. 12 were built  by BAE Systems at Warton in the UK and a further 22 were assembled by BAE Systems in Australia at RAAF Williamtown, NSW. A27-28 was the last Australian-built Hawk to be delivered to the RAAF, in August 2001.

Republic of Singapore Air Force

130 “Eagle” Squadron : Pilatus PC-21

In November 2006, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training and Support to operate the RSAF Basic Wings Course and Pilatus supplied 19 PC-21 trainers under the contract. The type replaced the SIAI-Marchetti S-211 jet trainer.

The first six PC-21s were delivered to RAAF Pearce in April 2008 aboard an Antonov Airlines Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft. The PC-21 replaced the SIAI-Marchetti S-211 jet trainer in the Republic of Singapore Air Force from June 2008. Callsigns used include EAGLE, CYCLONE, LIGHTNING, MONSOON, STORM. Updated 27 Jan 2020.