KUALA LUMPUR: FROM its humble beginning in 1964 with just a handful of instructors and six T.51 Hunting Percival Piston Provost training aircraft, the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s 1 Flying Training College has grown into a modern, state-of-the-art facility, churning out military pilots for the air arm.
On Saturday, the college in Kepala Batas, Kedah will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a host of programmes.
Highlights include a flypast of all the aircraft in the RMAF inventory, including the Boeing F/A-18D Hornet strike fighter from No. 18 Squadron based in Butterworth, the MiG-29N Fulcrum air defence fighter from No. 17/19 Squadron homeported in Kuantan, and its latest multirole combat aircraft, the Sukhoi Su-30MKM interceptor from No. 11 Squadron, operating out of Gong Kedak, Terengganu.
The static display will include the trainer aircraft previously operated by the college, including the Provost and its successor, the Scottish Aviation Bulldog.
The main event is the visit by the facility’s luminaries: former commanding officers of the college. This includes its first commanding officer (CO), Squadron Leader John F. Woodard, who was seconded from Britain’s Royal Air Force to oversee the setting up of the training centre, and the college’s first Malaysian CO, then-Squadron Leader and later, General Tan Sri Sulaiman Sujak.
In 1967, Sulaiman became the first Malaysian chief of the RMAF, a position he held until 1976.
The college’s current CO, Colonel Yee Yit Hong, said the college hoped former staff and instructors would attend the function this Saturday.
“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the former academic staff, instructors and COs to get together and witness their legacy as we move into the ‘Air Force Next Generation’ transformation programme initiated by the chief of the Air Force, General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud.
“We hope they will make the journey
to RMAF Alor Star to catch up with old friends and colleagues and see how their embryonic efforts fifty years ago have grown into a world-class teaching and training facility, rivalling some of the best in the region.”
Those interested in knowing more about the programmes may contact Lieutenant-Colonel Khairol Muzambi at 019-7572452.