RAAF Base Pearce facts for kids

Quick facts for kids RAAF Base Pearce
Bullsbrook, north of Perth, Western Australia in Australia
Lineup of PC-9 aircraft from No 2 FTS at RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce Location in Western Australia
Coordinates	31°40′04″S 116°00′54″E / 31.66778°S 116.01500°E / -31.66778; 116.01500
Type	Military air base
Site information
Owner	Department of Defence
Operator	Royal Australian Air Force
Site history
Built	1936 (1936) – 1939 (1939)
In use	6 February 1939 (1939-02-06) – present
Garrison information
Occupants	No. 2 Flying Training School No. 25 (City of Perth) Squadron No. 79 Squadron No. 453 Squadron Pearce Flight No. 3 Security Force Squadron Detachment No. 1 Expeditionary Health Squadron Detachment Pearce  Republic of Singapore Air Force No. 130 Squadron
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: YPEA
Elevation	46 metres (150 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 05/23 1,691 metres (5,548 ft) Asphalt 18L/36R 2,439 metres (8,002 ft) Asphalt 18R/36L 1,741 metres (5,712 ft) Concrete

RAAF Base Pearce is the main Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air base in Western Australia. It is located in Bullsbrook, which is north of Perth. This base is very important for training pilots from both the RAAF and the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

Pearce is the busiest RAAF base in Australia. It has the most air traffic, including flights for regular people. Even though its main job is training pilots, it is the only permanent RAAF base on the west coast. This means it also plays a big role in moving supplies and equipment. Pearce also helps manage RAAF Gingin, a smaller air base nearby that is also used for training. Air traffic controllers from Pearce go to Gingin daily to help guide planes.

History of RAAF Base Pearce

RAAF Base Pearce was built between 1936 and 1939. It officially became an air force "station" on 6 February 1939. The base was named after Sir George Pearce. He was a Senator from Western Australia. Sir George Pearce was a Senator for a long time, from 1901 to 1938. He was also the Minister for Defence several times. During his time as Minister, the first flying school for the RAAF was started.

Early Years and World War II

When the base first opened, it had two groups of planes called squadrons: Nos. 14 and 25 Squadrons. During World War II, a special training school called No. 5 Initial Training School (ITS) was set up at Pearce. This was part of a bigger plan to train pilots from different countries. New recruits started their military service at this school. They learned important basics like math, how to navigate, and how planes fly.

Special Events at Pearce

On 10 September 1950, a unique car race called the "Air Force Handicap" was held at the base. It was part of an air show. The race track used all three runways of the base. A driver named Syd Negus won the main race.

In 1964, Australia and the United States started a joint project at Pearce. They studied how disturbances in space affect radio signals.

Training and Safety Today

RAAF Base Pearce is also used by the Australian Air Force Cadets. This is a youth program where young people learn about the air force. The base is their main office and they hold training courses there.

The base also helps train special forces for safety. They practice how to handle difficult situations, like if a plane is taken over. They use a special model of a Boeing 747 plane for this training. This model plane was built in the early 1990s. It looks like a real plane but is a bit smaller. It even has fake engines and is painted like a made-up airline called Emu Airlines.

Since 1993, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has had its Flying Training Institute at Pearce. Their No. 130 Squadron RSAF uses the base to train with their aircraft.

Air Shows and Important Operations

Pearce has hosted big air shows. In 2005, the Defence Force Air Show was held there. It was the first time a United States Air Force (USAF) B-1B Lancer bomber visited Perth. The 2012 air show also featured large planes. These included a USAF B-52 bomber and a USAF KC-135 tanker. RAAF and RSAF planes also took part.

In 2014, the base became a central point for a very important search. It was the main hub for the international search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the southern Indian Ocean. Planes from six other countries used Pearce as their base for the search. These included planes from the United States, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and China.

Sometimes, people have suggested that Pearce could also become a second international airport for Perth.

RAAF Units at Pearce

Many different units are based at RAAF Base Pearce. Here are some of the main ones:

Images for kids

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  Sign for the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Flying Training School (No. 130 Squadron) at RAAF Base Pearce.

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  A Royal Air Force Avro 698 Vulcan B1A at RAAF Base Pearce in the 1970s.

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  A US Navy Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk at RAAF Base Pearce in 1982.

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  An aerial view of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighters, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and United States Navy (USN) patrol aircraft (bottom to top) parked on a ramp during exercise Sandgroper 1982. Visible are seven Dassault Mirage IIIO and one Mirage IIID of No. 77 Squadron RAAF, two Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft of No. 10 Squadron RAAF, one Lockheed P-3B Orion of No. 5 Squadron RNZAF, and two P-3B (BuNos 152733 and 153418) of Patrol Squadron VP-1 Screaming Eagles, USN.