1st RAN Pilot Trainee Graduates from RAAF Base East Sale

In a first for the Australian military, Acting Sub-Lieutenant Natika Dunn has become the first Royal Australian Navy (RAN) trainee to graduate with wings from 1 Flying Training School at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base East Sale.

“Being able to complete all my training on the east coast provided a quicker training pipeline, giving us continuous training throughout and support from the same instructors the whole way through,” Acting Sub-Lieutenant Dunn said.

Dunn was part of a joint graduation of Navy and Air Force pilots from Course 278 ADF Intermediate Pilots Course, marking a significant milestone in the progression of paralleled pilot training schools in Victoria and Western Australia.

“For the first time, a Royal Australian Navy pilot has completed their entire Intermediate Flying Training here at 1 Flying Training School, something that has been traditionally shared by 1FTS and 2FTS at RAAF Base Pearce in WA,” Commander Fleet Air Arm Commodore Matthew Royals said.

As part of the RAAF’s enhanced training capability introduced in 2024, RAAF and RAN pilots are receiving training on both the East and West Coasts of Australia. “This integrated approach is a key aspect of Air Force delivering on National Defence Strategy objectives to build a more agile, scalable and integrated training system to ensure successful growth of the ADF,” a Defence release said.