NASA CATA Final end for what remains
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Queensland
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NASA CATA Final end for what remains
Visited Cessnock last week. I was there in Blue Flight 1979. I noticed worksite fencing up around the old academy buildings which have been vandalised over recent years. Apparently what's left is about to be demolished over coming months after which it will all be gone. I snuck in through the fencing and had a walk around the old buildings mess, rec-room and hallways etc including my old dorm room even. Was always a bit of controversy about the place back in its day but my training and the foundation I gained there has seen me enjoy a wonderful and safe career in aviation for near 40 years. I think most people have fond memories of wherever they started out eh...
I didn't have a camera back in those days so the only pic I ever got from the place was one the folks took at my graduation. If anyone has some pics from around the time of Blue Flight 79 I'd love to see some. Feel free to message me. Would love to hear what anyone from Blue Flight 79 is up to.
I didn't have a camera back in those days so the only pic I ever got from the place was one the folks took at my graduation. If anyone has some pics from around the time of Blue Flight 79 I'd love to see some. Feel free to message me. Would love to hear what anyone from Blue Flight 79 is up to.
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In 1967 in Australia a private aviation facility was established to train pilots, primarily with airlines in mind. It was located at a place called Cessnock in NSW Australia. The course was 9 months full time and cadets lived onsite. There were several intakes of cadets at various stages of the course on site at any time.
Each groups of cadets was refered to as a flight of a particular color e.g, blue flight 79. Flights generally had about a dozen cadets. The course was the first integrated pilot course in Australia and at the time very progressive. From memory you had to complete the course or risk it all as most of the training wasn’t recognised outside the facility. Pilots completed 150 hrs of flying, gained a private, then commercial licence, class 4 (NVFR) rating and multi engine endorsement. From memory there were around 32 ground course exams for which you only got 2 chances or bombed the whole course. Most of the ground instructors were ex airline or atc guys. Flying instructors were often ex cadets whe returned to work there after becoming instructors and gaining adequate experience.
Aircraft used were Cherokees, Warriors and later Tomahawks. Arrows were used for CSU endorsements and a Travalair or Seneca for twin endorsements. The academy also used a couple of GAT trainers. Vetting of cadets in the first instance, and clever use of the GATS for initial sequences before you started in actual aircraft often meant cadets solo’d in only several hours.
After each group of cadets completed their course a graduation cermonony was held on the parade ground, often with guests from Qantas etc. The facility operated until the late 80s I think. Originally it was called the Nationwide Aviation Space Academy (NASA) later the name was changed to a more appropriate Civil Aviation Training Academy (CATA).
My post is really only relevant and of significance to ex cadets of which there are quite a few in here who may have been interested.
Each groups of cadets was refered to as a flight of a particular color e.g, blue flight 79. Flights generally had about a dozen cadets. The course was the first integrated pilot course in Australia and at the time very progressive. From memory you had to complete the course or risk it all as most of the training wasn’t recognised outside the facility. Pilots completed 150 hrs of flying, gained a private, then commercial licence, class 4 (NVFR) rating and multi engine endorsement. From memory there were around 32 ground course exams for which you only got 2 chances or bombed the whole course. Most of the ground instructors were ex airline or atc guys. Flying instructors were often ex cadets whe returned to work there after becoming instructors and gaining adequate experience.
Aircraft used were Cherokees, Warriors and later Tomahawks. Arrows were used for CSU endorsements and a Travalair or Seneca for twin endorsements. The academy also used a couple of GAT trainers. Vetting of cadets in the first instance, and clever use of the GATS for initial sequences before you started in actual aircraft often meant cadets solo’d in only several hours.
After each group of cadets completed their course a graduation cermonony was held on the parade ground, often with guests from Qantas etc. The facility operated until the late 80s I think. Originally it was called the Nationwide Aviation Space Academy (NASA) later the name was changed to a more appropriate Civil Aviation Training Academy (CATA).
My post is really only relevant and of significance to ex cadets of which there are quite a few in here who may have been interested.
Last edited by Kowolski; 25th Sep 2018 at 09:51. Reason: minor
Sounds as though it was the Hamble of Australia......!!!
