Australian Defence Force Basic Flying Training School

The Australian Defence Force Basic Flying Training School (BFTS) is located in Tamworth in northern New South Wales. It is currently run by BAE Systems Flying Training Academy, which conducts tri-service flight screening and basic flying training for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircrew from the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) using CT-4 Airtrainer aircraft. This training precedes streaming into single service flying training, with RAAF and RAN pilots moving to No. 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS) at RAAF Pearce, Western Australia while Army pilots undertake further training at the Australian School of Army Aviation in Oakey, Queensland. All flying training is conducted by the ADF with the provision of aircraft and support services from BAE Systems Tamworth. Flying instructors are from all three branches of the ADF with several civilian flying instructors from BAE. The school forms part of Air Training Wing RAAF.