Friends and family of Central Flying School (CFS) celebrated a belated 50th anniversary of the Roulette Aerobatic Team with a family open day on the flight line at RAAF Base East Sale on, September 2.
The day, originally scheduled for 2020, reunited current and former Roulette team members and their families, to recognise the significant contribution to Air Force and the wider community.
Solo aerobatic displays from a No. 100 Squadron World War II-era North American P-51 Mustang and a Central Flying School Pilatus PC-21 kept the crowd of almost 350 looking up to the skies, when not otherwise enjoying performances by the Air Force Band, multiple static displays, and an inflatable bouncing castle.
Commanding Officer of Central Flying School, Wing Commander Damien ‘Buzz’ Buswell, was proud to see the school’s hangar brimming with nostalgic former Roulette team members, their families and excitable aviation-enthusiasts of all ages.
Squadron Leader Mark Keritz, a four-year veteran of the Roulette Aerobatic Team, lead the team through the display centred over the East Sale Air Traffic Control Tower and Central Flying School hangars.
“The first Roulettes team formed in 1970 as a way to bolster recruitment efforts,” Squadron Leader Keritz said.
“We have always flown the latest training aircraft of the day, so we can show prospective pilots a bit about what the aircraft can do and what they’ll learn as a pilot in the Air Force.”
The first official Roulette Aerobatic Team display was performed over Point Cook in early December 1970 in preparation for the Air Force Golden Jubilee.
Sale Air Force Image Gallery
IF you are interested in seeing more images of the Roulettes or any other part of Air Force life, then the Air Force Image Gallery is a great place to visit.
You can even search for RAAF Base East Sale or Roulettes for more specific images.
Searching for Roulettes will show you some of the great images taken at West Sale Air Show earlier this year.
For more, visit https://images.airforce.gov.au/fotoweb/
Operations at East Sale
IF you are interested in learning more about the role of RAAF Base East Sale, flying operations and flying areas, you can visit www.defence.gov.au/aircraftnoise/EastSale.
This includes a link to the RAAF East Sale Noise Management Plan. The Defence approach to noise mitigation and Air Force ‘fly neighbourly’ policy can also be found through the ‘Understanding Noise’ site.
School of Air Traffic Control Graduates
NO 193 Air Traffic Control Course students underwent nine months of constant pressure to graduate as military Air Traffic Controllers on September 8.
The course takes a student with little aviation experience and turns them into a confident individual, ready to take on the challenge of on-the-job training with real aircraft at their first military base.
During their course, graduates have completed more than 150 hours of theory instruction, 170 hours of practical classroom instruction and more than 100 hours of simulator instruction and assessment.
What’s on at Dutson Range
DUTSON Training Area will be active during the periods listed for explosive ordnance disposal, survival pyrotechnic and field training exercises.
Photos: Contributed
Some of these activities involve demolition activities and, as such, explosions may be heard between the hours of 9am and 4pm each day.
Public recreational usage of Lake Wellington will not be affected by these exercises.
September 29-October 13: Initial Officer Training including live fire activities;
October 4: Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training;
October 14: Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training;
October 19-20: Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training, and;
October 25: Survival pyrotechnic training.
The range area is depicted on the map pictured and RAAF poster No 207, displayed on the range boundaries.
The public is reminded that it is an offence, under section 89 and 89A of the Commonwealth Crimes Act, to trespass on Defence land, and to discharge firearms on or over commonwealth land.
For more information, phone Flight Sergeant Matthew Hall on (03) 5146 7383 or 0429 402 049.
General information
ANY inquiries relating to activities at RAAF Base, East Sale should be directed to the Air Base Command Post on 5169 9892, or via email to esl.abcp@defence.gov.au.
