NSW RFS $5.6 million Aviation Centre of Excellence granted approval

The development is a first-of it's-kind for the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and will add to the organisation's flagship training academy at the Dubbo airport.

NSW RFS training and doctrine director Paul Seager, said the proposal for the Aviation Centre of Excellence was the result of the 2019/2020 NSW bushfire inquiry, which recommended that NSW increase the number of aviation roles available, and train more aviation operators.

While combatting fire by air was not a new practice to the RFS, Mr Seager said the facility would allow participants to safely train and develop skills in the field of aerial firefighting.

"Over the last 10 or more years, there's been an increased use of aviation for firefighting, and the introduction of some more specialist aircraft for aerial firefighting," he said.

"With that has come a need for more aviation roles. Things like aircraft officers, air base managers, air observers, air attack supervisors - so there's an increase demand for those roles to support additional aircrafts that are being used."

The new two-storey Aviation Centre of Excellence at Dubbo will include four new aviation training simulators, two training rooms, a kitchenette and a central control room.

It will also include 27 new accommodation rooms to cater for NSW emergency services along with interstate and international personnel who the centre will be made available to.

Currently at the existing training academy there are 97 rooms to accommodate people from across the state who travel to Dubbo for training, Mr Seager said often the facility was fully utilised and at capacity.

"As well as training NSW RFS personnel, this will provide a national training hub for interstate candidates to come for aviation training," he said.

"So while its very much an RFS facility, the training that we offer will be available to candidates across Australia as well."

Mr Seager said the second phase of the development was an "absolutely exciting opportunity" for the Dubbo region, and construction was expected to begin in early 2022.

He said local organisations were involved in progressing the estimated $5.6 million development, and a request for tenders would be issued in coming weeks.

"It's great for NSW, and it's particularly great for Dubbo," Me Seager said.

"It's a NSW government funded project, but it's being delivered in partnership with the Dubbo Regional Council who will manage the project.

"The project design was created by Barnson, a local company, and there are great opportunities for the Dubbo economy in terms of the construction phase, and continued support with the project once its commissioned."

While training was suspended at the academy in August due to the COVID outbreak in regional NSW, Mr Seager said the facility was quickly put to use to support the health response across western NSW.

"We were very quickly contacted by NSW Health to assist with the COVID response across western NSW," he said.

"The regional emergency operations centre is operating from the academy, the western NSW vaccination planning cell, Australian Defence Force health teams and RFS health support teams all operating out of the academy at the moment as well."

He said the academy would continue to be in use for the COVID operation, but when that finished would quickly pick up training in the lead up to the bush fire season.