The PC-21 will be used as a ‘day-one
trainer’ for the RAAF, replacing both the
PC-9 and CT-4B with one aircraft type
and three will be used by the Aircraft
Research and Development Unit (ARDU)
at RAAF Base Edinburgh, near Adelaide
in South Australia.
Out of the 42 aircraft for pilot training,
22 will be stationed at East Sale and 20
at RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia
with No 2 Flying Training School (FTS).
Those aircraft will also be used by the
service’s aerobatic display team, the
Roulettes.
The rst six PC-21s arrived at East
Sale last August, eight quali ed ying
instructors (QFIs) having converted to
the PC-21 out of a current pool of 77.
When AIR 5428 is fully up and running, a
total of 84 QFIs sourced from the army,
navy and air force will be ying the
PC-21 from bases across the country.
The more immediate challenge for
the Air Training Wing rests with getting
enough QFIs converted to the PC-21
before the rst student intake in January
2019 under the new pilot training
system. Tan, who rst ew the PC-21 in
2007, was one of a handful of RAAF QFIs
who travelled to Pilatus’ manufacturing
base in Stans, Switzerland, in January
last year for initial conversion to type.
The course comprised a two-week
ground school and then six weeks of
ight training. ‘It’s de nitely a journey
of discovery — we’re fortunate to have
a very experienced cadre of pilots,’ said
Tan, who has hours on the Hawker
Siddeley HS748, PC-9 and the PAC
CT-4B Airtrainer. ‘We have ex-Roulettes
pilots and three of us have been
Roulettes leaders.’Simulators —
the key to success
Once fully operational, 165 students
will be put through the pilot training
system each year. Each will have access
to a basic simulator known as a cockpit
procedural trainer (CPT) and, when
ying the PC-21, a mission debrie ng
system (MDS). The latter incorporates a
cartridge-removable memory module
(RMM) that provides a synchronized
post- ight replay of audio, video
and avionics data recorded during
the mission.The MDS allows trainee pilots to
essentially debrief themselves straight
after a sortie, highlighting speci c areas
in which they excelled and those that
require improvement. QFIs will then give
further feedback.
‘It’s essentially a god’s eye view of
the ight map,’ Tan says of the MDS.
‘Students can see everything that was
happening inside the cockpit and
they have HUD video that shows them
outside. But you still need an instructor
that can facilitate that type of learning
and the use of those di erent devices.’Right: Offi cer
commanding the
Air Training Wing
and former AIR
5428 aviation
training transition
offi ce director Gp
Capt Dennis Tan.
RAAF
Below: PC-21s
fl y over the
new facilities
at RAAFB East
Sale. The initial
training courses
on the type are
scheduled to
begin early next
year. Lockheed
Martin Australia
is delivering 49
PC-21s, plus
seven fl ight
simulators,
learning aids,
courseware and
support for an
initial seven-year
term. The type will
also re-equip the
RAAF’s Roulettes
aerobatic team,
its fi rst PC-21
having broken
cover during
March 2018.
RAAF/
Flt Lt Ash KissockFORCE REPORT // RAAF TRAINING
70 May 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
68-71 RAAF PC-21 C.indd 70 20/03/2018 10:58