Naval Aviation Training Group

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Crest of the Naval Aviation Group
The airport in Westerland with the facilities of the Naval Aviation Training Group at the bottom right

The Naval Aviation Training Group was a training facility of the Federal Navy for the personnel of the Naval Aviation Associations . It existed from 1963 to 1965 and from 1968 to 1997.

history

The naval aviation training group was initially set up in Eckernförde on April 1, 1963 , but was disbanded on July 1, 1965 in order to prepare a new setup at another location.

On October 1, 1968, the new Naval Aviation Training Group was established on the Schleswig Air Base of Naval Aviation Squadron 1 . In 1972 she moved to Sylt Airport near Westerland . There she took over facilities of the Air Force, including three large hangars in which the training facilities could be set up. In 1997 the Naval Aviation Training Group was dissolved. The remaining training tasks were taken over by the marine technology school in Parow , which continued to operate some of the facilities in Westerland until 2005. The Survival at Sea inspection has been subordinate to Naval Aviation Squadron 3 "Graf Zeppelin" since 1993 .

Mission and tasks

The mission of the Naval Aviation Training Group was limited to the training of technical ground personnel for aircraft of the Navy, insofar as it was not carried out by the Air Force , as well as the soldiers of the air traffic control / air handling service. At times the basic military training for the soldiers of the naval aviation service took place at the naval aviation training group. In addition, there were the courses “Survival at Sea” for all the flying personnel of the Bundeswehr and for members of the police, the Federal Border Police , the aircraft industry and allied armed forces.

The technical training for the following application series (VR) took place at the Naval Aviation Training Group, unless it was carried out for certain types of aircraft by the Air Force:

  • Aircraft weapons (VR 52)
  • Aircraft electrics (VR 53)
  • Aircraft engine (VR 54)
  • Aircraft mechanics (VR 55)
  • Flight handling (VR 58)

At the end of the 1980s, around 300 mates and 180 to 200 other soldiers were trained annually . Together with the participants in the “Survival at Sea” training, the total number of participants was around 2,750 per year. There were also around 85 civilian trainees.

organization

The sea tug Wangerooge , on which part of the “survival at sea” training is carried out. At the stern you can see the frame with which the course participants are thrown into the water.

The Naval Aviation Training Group was a training association at the battalion level , which was led by a commander with the rank of a frigate captain . She was initially under the direct control of the Naval Aviation Division and was assigned to the Naval Office in 1980 . At the end of the 1980s, the staff consisted of around 150 soldiers and 130 civil servants.

When the naval aviation training group was set up in 1968, two inspections were initially set up. In 1969 the 3rd inspection stationed at Nordholz Air Base was added for the “survival at sea” training. Because the Navy changed its training concept for crews and NCOs, two more inspections were set up in 1973. Two of the inspections in Westerland were for basic military training, the other two for professional training. In 1976 a civil training workshop with 48 places for training as aircraft mechanic was set up. In the course of further changes in training, the number of inspections in Westerland was reduced to three in 1980 and to two in 1988, while the unit “survival at sea”, now referred to as the 1st inspection, remained in Nordholz.

After that, the Naval Aviation Training Group was structured as follows:

commander

  • Headquarters and headquarters company
  • 1st inspection (Nordholz)
  • 2nd inspection
  • 3rd inspection
  • Aircraft technology area
  • Training workshop

The aircraft technology area included training facilities for training on the aircraft types Breguet Atlantic , SeaKing and SeaLynx . There was also a collection of ammunition for training weapons personnel.

literature

Web links