Aussie chopper pilot makes it to the top
 

The new Chief of the Defence Force, to replace Gen Peter Cosgrove, is Air Marshal Angus Houston of the RAAF - the first air force pilot to hold this spot.

Angus trained on Hueys after pilots course and was in the helicopter side until the early 80s when rank took him away - and then the army took away the choppers anyway.

Good onya, Angus, stick it to those Knuckleheads who always sneered at lesser mortals.:ok:

Whole heartedly agree, however must point out that Angus is a failed Knucklehead!

Despite that he is certainly a great guy and the best person for the job. :ok:

I don't think he is the first RAAF Officer to become CDF.

Terminology, Bloggs!

Back in the olden days the top job was CDFS, the Chief of the Defence Force STAFF.

Since the job became CDF a few years back, Angus is the first blue-suiter.

And one of my fellow 21 Academy Course-mates, AVM Roxley McLennan, is looking good to step into the CAF slot. But AVM Geoff ShepShepShepherd (those who know him will understand this) is also a contender.

I also send Congratualtions!

Ascend, he stayed with helicopters up until about 1990 I think, as he was one of the instructor's on my Black Hawk course in 1989 - and a good one too. I think he was the last OC of 9 SQN RAAF and subsequently became the first OC of the newly formed A SQN 5 Aviation Regiment which was Army unit formed to take over the battlefield helicopter role. The only RAAFie to be an Army unit OC I think.

Angus Houston distinguished himself with the transfer of the battlefield helicopter capability from the RAAF to the Army. At the time when there were lots of RAAFies that were understandably bitterly dissapointed at losing the capability (and so would all of us be at Rotorheads if we were told we couldn't fly helicopters again!). Angus rose above that inter service rivalry and never let this creep into his efforts to transfer his considerable knowledge and experience, despite some less than gracious learning efforts displayed by the Army personnel. Indeed, if it had not been for the persistant efforts of Angus and a few notable others (Mick Stone, Graham Chalmers, Warren Duff, and several non Vietnam era guys) Army might have totally missed the operational utility, airmobile, and gunship methodology developed by the RAAF over more than 25 years and the Vietnam War.

This sense of the overall good of Australian Defence Forces, as opposed to the tribalism of one particular service will see him do a great job as CDF. Congratulations.

Congratulations Angus. :ok:

The best man won for a change. How did the gov't manage to get it right? :E

Ascend,
Agree entirely, but I'm not sure about his aerody 1 results! :O

I would have loved to have seen him flying formation when his twitch started to the right.