Oakey Army Aviation Centre is situated approximately from the town centre of
Oakey in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It provides a training establishment for
Australian Army Aviation
Australian Army Aviation (AAAvn) is a corps of the Australian Army. It was formed on 1 July 1968, although it has a history dating back to 1911, when the Minister of Defence at the time, Senator George Pearce, decided there should be a flying s ...
, and also hosts the
Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establish ...
's
"Cougar" 126 Squadron. The Defence name for the facility is Swartz Barracks, named for prominent politician, Army Aviation advocate, and ex-POW Sir
Reginald Swartz
Sir Reginald William Colin Swartz KBE (14 April 1911 – 2 February 2006) was an Australian Liberal Party politician who was Minister during the governments of Sir Robert Menzies, Harold Holt and John Gorton. In particular, he is best known as ...
.
History
The base was constructed in 1943 by the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
as RAAF Base Oakey. It was a training facility, for No.6 Aircraft Depot and an overflow aircraft maintenance depot for
RAAF Base Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airbase located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland in Australia and southwest of Brisbane CBD. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron (operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet), N ...
. It stored surplus aircraft after the war.
In July 1968, the Australian Army Aviation Corps was formed, with the Department of Civil Aviation aerodrome at Oakey transferred to Army control in July 1969 for the Corps base.
The 6 Aviation Squadron (Reconnaissance) relocated from
RAAF Amberley
RAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military airbase located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland in Australia and southwest of Brisbane CBD. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron (operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet), N ...
. Army Aviation units were raised, including the Headquarters Army Aviation Centre to control the airfield, and the Army Aviation Centre Base Squadron.
By the end of 1973, the remainder of
1st Aviation Regiment had relocated, including the School of Army Aviation formed from the Training Squadron, and the 5 Base Workshop Battalion of the
Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME; pronounced Raymee) is a corps of the Australian Army that has responsibility for the maintenance and recovery of all Army electrical and mechanical equipment. RAEME has mem ...
(RAEME) to provide fleet maintenance.
173 General Support Squadron and 171 Command and Liaison Squadron were formed at Oakley.
During the period up to the early 1990s, aircraft types operating from the base included
Bell OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine single-rotor military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was produced by the American manufacturer Bell Helicopter and is closely related to the Model 206A ...
,
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...
,
Sikorsky S-70A-9 Black Hawk
The Sikorsky S-70 is an American medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the United States Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, UH-60 ...
,
Pilatus Porter
The Pilatus PC-6 Porter is a single-engined STOL utility aircraft designed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. First flown in 1959, the PC-6 was produced at Pilatus Flugzeugwerke in Stans, Switzerland. It has been built in both piston engine- ...
, and
GAF Nomad
The GAF Nomad is a utility aircraft produced by the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) of Australia in Melbourne.
Supported by the Australian Government, design work began in the mid-1960s, and it made its maiden flight on 23 July 1971.
Despi ...
.
In 1998, the Army Aviation Training Centre (AAvnTC) was formed at Oakey to command the School of Army Aviation (SAA), the
Australian Defence Force Helicopter School
The Australian Defence Force Helicopter School (ADFHS) was an Australian Defence Force unit responsible for training helicopter pilots. It was formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1998.
History
The school was established at RAAF Base Fairbairn in Can ...
, later renamed the Army Helicopter School (AHS) and the
RAEME
The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME; pronounced Raymee) is a corps of the Australian Army that has responsibility for the maintenance and recovery of all Army electrical and mechanical equipment. RAEME has mem ...
Aircraft Maintenance School, later renamed the Rotary Wing Aircraft Maintenance School (RAMS).
In 2001, the Army Helicopter School was moved from
RAAF Fairbairn
Fairbairn (), formerly RAAF Base Fairbairn, is a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base, located in Australia's national capital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Over the years the name of the establishment, and t ...
to Oakey.
In 2004, the Iroquois helicopters from the 1st Aviation Regiment at Oakey were moved to the
5th Aviation Regiment in Townsville.
During 2005–06, the
1st Aviation Regiment moved its Headquarters, technical and logistic support squadrons and other elements to Robertson Barracks in Darwin. In 2006, a disbandment parade was held at Oakey for the last independent RAEME Workshop.
In 2007,
Boeing Australia
Boeing Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, or simply Boeing Australia, is Boeing's largest subdivision outside the United States. Established in 2002, the company oversees its seven wholly owned subsidiaries, consolidating and co-ordinating Boeing’s ...
was given the Army Aviation Training and Training Support (AATTS) contract, and commenced providing pilot, aircrew and technician training for the Kiowa and Black Hawk helicopters and operational fleet maintenance. In 2010, a new expanded contract was awarded to include most facets of the military rotary wing flying training for Kiowa, Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters.
In 2009, the
173rd Aviation Squadron ceased operations at Oakey, transferring the unit's
Beechcraft King Air
The Beechcraft King Air is a line of American utility aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The King Air line comprises a number of twin-turboprop models that have been divided into two families. The Model 90 and 100 series developed in the 1960s ...
350s to the
RAAF
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
.
In 2010, with the realignment of the Army Chain of Command, the base units of the Army Aviation Training Centre came under the control and responsibility of the Army Forces Command. In 2021, the Army Aviation Training Centre transferred from Forces Command to the newly established
Army Aviation Command.
In 2021, the Australian
5th Aviation Regiment and Singaporean
127 Squadron formed Multinational Task Group Chinook, with each providing 3
CH-47F Chinook (a total of 6) in support of the
2021–2022 eastern Australia floods. Aircraft flew daily sorties in support of flood affected areas such as
Lismore,
Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah ( ) is a town in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia, in the Tweed Shire, on the Tweed River. Sitting on the south eastern foothills of the McPherson Range in the Tweed Volcano valley, Murwillumbah is 848 km north-eas ...
and
Ballina by transporting food, water, personnel and construction equipment.
Units
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 Forc ...
(ADF) units currently based at Oakey include:
*Army Aviation Training Centre (AAvnTC)
*
No. 44 Wing Air Traffic Control Detachment
*
1MP Military Police (detachment, including dogs)
*Health Centre Oakey (Primary Health/Emergency Response/Crash Rescue/Aeromedical Evacuation)
*Rotary-wing Aircraft Maintenance School (RAMS)
Republic of Singapore units currently based at Oakey include:
*
127 Squadron (
CH-47D and
CH-47F
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Ch ...
)
Aircraft
The base currently utilises the following aircraft types:
*
Sikorsky S-70A-9 Black Hawk
The Sikorsky S-70 is an American medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the United States Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, UH-60 ...
*
Eurocopter EC665 Tiger
*
Boeing CH-47D/F (RSAF)
*
Eurocopter MRH-90
* Toll
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.
Design and development
Development began in the ...
Visiting types include:
*
Alenia C-27J Spartan
The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Leonardo's Aircraft Division (formerly Alenia Aermacchi until 2016). It is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's earlier G.222 (C-27A Spartan in ...
(No. 35 Squadron RAAF)
*
Agusta A109
The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to ...
*
Boeing CH-47F Chinook
*
Pacific Aerospace CT4B
* Careflight
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.
Design and development
Development began in the ...
Warbirds:
* Various
warbird
A warbird is any vintage military aircraft now operated by civilian organizations and individuals, or in some instances, by historic arms of military forces, such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the RAAF Museum Historic Flight, or the ...
types visit the airfield as part of the Army Aviation Museum Annual Fly-In.
Facilities
The base facilities include accommodation for students attending courses and single members working on the base. Other facilities include tennis courts, squash courts, basketball and netball court, football ovals, heated indoor swimming pool, equipped gymnasium, defence banking and credit union branches, and a AAFCANS kiosk (with ATM), as well as messing facilities for Soldiers, SNCO, and Officers.
Australian Army Flying Museum
The Australian Army Flying Museum reopened in September 2005 in new buildings on land adjacent to the airport, after a grant was provided by the Australian Government. Distinguished guests included national and local dignitaries, including well known aviation identity
Dick Smith. The purpose-built facility includes many historical aircraft tracing the history of the Aviation Corps in the Australian Army and back to the
Australian Flying Corps
The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was the branch of the Australian Army responsible for operating aircraft during World War I, and the forerunner of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The AFC was established in 1912, though it was not until ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Featured aircraft in the collection include
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a single-rotor single-engine light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was based on the third Bell 30 prototype, which was the company's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young. The 47 became the first he ...
,
Bell OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine single-rotor military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was produced by the American manufacturer Bell Helicopter and is closely related to the Model 206A ...
,
GAF Nomad
The GAF Nomad is a utility aircraft produced by the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) of Australia in Melbourne.
Supported by the Australian Government, design work began in the mid-1960s, and it made its maiden flight on 23 July 1971.
Despi ...
,
Pilatus PC-6 Porter
The Pilatus PC-6 Porter is a single-engined STOL utility aircraft designed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. First flown in 1959, the PC-6 was produced at Pilatus Flugzeugwerke in Stans, Switzerland. It has been built in both piston engine- an ...
, and
Cessna 180
The Cessna 180 Skywagon is a four- or six-seat, fixed conventional gear general aviation airplane which was produced between 1953 and 1981. Though the design is no longer in production, many of these aircraft are still in use as personal aircr ...
. The museum maintains a significant collection of artefacts dating from the inception of the Army Flying Corps and WWI to the present day.
The Australian Army Flying Museum
Australian Army Flying Museum (AAFM)
is a sub-unit of the Army History Unit, a direct command unit of the Australian Army Headquarters.
Airlines, facilities and destinations
Domestic
Whilst the airfield is military controlled and regulated, a small civil terminal has been maintained on the airfield for many years. The current terminal structure was built at the same time as the new buildings for the Army Flying Museum refurbishment in 2005, and shares the access road to this facility.
The airfield does not cater for Regular Public Transport (RPT) airline services, however it does provide an emergency alternative in the event of adverse weather.
Satellite sites
Associated with military training at OAAC are two satellite site airfields. Located 22 kilometres north-west is Brymaroo. Further west is Wyoming airfield. Both fields are for military use only.
See also
* List of airports in Queensland
This is a list of airports in the Australian state of Queensland.
__TOC__
List of airports
The list is sorted by the name of the community served, click the sort buttons in the table header to switch listing order. Airports named in bold are D ...
References
External links
Australian Army Flying Museum
{{Airports in Queensland
Australian Army bases
Australian Army aviation
Darling Downs
Airports in Queensland
Airports established in 1943
Cold War history of Australia
1943 establishments in Australia
Aerospace museums in Australia