NO. 1 FLYING TRAINING WING, SLAF ACADEMY CHINA BAY CELEBRATES 72ND ANNIVERSARY
3:51pm on Saturday 2nd September 2023
No. 1 Flying Training Wing, SLAF Academy China Bay celebrated its 72nd anniversary yesterday (01 September 2023).
The No. 1 Flying Training Wing was established as the first and only flying training institute of SLAF at Royal Ceylon Air Force Station, Katunayake in the same year that the Royal Ceylon Air Force was born. Being the ‘Cradle of Military Aviators’, the No. 1 Flying Training Wing has taken up the commendable and arduous task of producing aspiring military aviators for the nation for the past seven decades with the utmost prestige. No 1 Flying Training Wing inaugurated flying training with the Chipmunk aircraft in the year 1951 and had been operated with the number of aircraft down the timeline. Today the wing boasts one of the largest aircraft fleets in the SLAF with Chinese-built PT-6 and American-built Cessna 150 aircraft dedicated to basic and intermediate flying training along with Chinese-built K-8 Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft for advanced and fighter conversion flying training.
Adorning the meritorious service to the nation for 72 years, the wing organized a Community Service Project on 28 August 2023 to clean and uplift the standards of Sri Bodhirajarama Temple, China Bay. On 1 September 2023, the customary working parade reviewed by the Commanding Officer was held at the wing premises commemorating the fallen heroes. On the same day, a Pirith Chanting Ceremony was held at the main hangar premises which was presided over by the three Chief Incumbents of adjoining temples followed by a ‘Dansela’ organized by all ranks of the No. 1 Flying Training Wing for all the participants of Pirith Chanting Ceremony.
The No. 1 Flying Training Wing was established as the first and only flying training institute of SLAF at Royal Ceylon Air Force Station, Katunayake in the same year that the Royal Ceylon Air Force was born. Being the ‘Cradle of Military Aviators’, the No. 1 Flying Training Wing has taken up the commendable and arduous task of producing aspiring military aviators for the nation for the past seven decades with the utmost prestige. No 1 Flying Training Wing inaugurated flying training with the Chipmunk aircraft in the year 1951 and had been operated with the number of aircraft down the timeline. Today the wing boasts one of the largest aircraft fleets in the SLAF with Chinese-built PT-6 and American-built Cessna 150 aircraft dedicated to basic and intermediate flying training along with Chinese-built K-8 Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft for advanced and fighter conversion flying training.
Adorning the meritorious service to the nation for 72 years, the wing organized a Community Service Project on 28 August 2023 to clean and uplift the standards of Sri Bodhirajarama Temple, China Bay. On 1 September 2023, the customary working parade reviewed by the Commanding Officer was held at the wing premises commemorating the fallen heroes. On the same day, a Pirith Chanting Ceremony was held at the main hangar premises which was presided over by the three Chief Incumbents of adjoining temples followed by a ‘Dansela’ organized by all ranks of the No. 1 Flying Training Wing for all the participants of Pirith Chanting Ceremony.
