Transition To Future Aircrew Training Program Underway

The Royal Canadian Air Force is transitioning to the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program, and it noted a milestone on Monday September 15, when the first two Grob CT-102B Astra II basic training aircraft arrived at 15 Wing Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan.

The 15 Wing is the principal location for basic pilot training for the RCAF. It will receive three more Astra IIs by the end of this year with the full complement of 23 anticipated over the coming months.

The CT-102B Astra II will be the primary basic flight training aircraft for the RCAF under a 25-year, $10 billion FAcT program that is operated by SkyAlyne, a partnership between KF Aerospace and CAE.

Public Affairs Officer Capt. Jean Doyon explained that the aircraft still need to go through months of testing, certification, inspections, and crew training before commencing actual operations. As such, the formal unveiling and announcement ceremony will be held in the late fall.

The aircraft is a Grob G 120TP modified with advanced avionics, higher performance capabilities, and more powerful turboprop engines over its predecessors. It represents a significant technological advancement for basic flight training.

The 15 Wing will also receive 19 Pilatus PC-21 advanced trainers, designated as CT-157 Siskin II trainers, beginning in fall 2026. Pilot trainees will progress to the advanced trainers after basic training in the Astra II.

Scott Greenough is a 25-year veteran RCAF pilot, former commandant of Moose Jaw’s 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School, and now the director of the NATO Flying Training with CAE. He characterized the new aircraft as state-of-the-art platforms that will serve the program for many years.

FMI:  www.canada.ca/