Chief Petty Officer Chris Moran was happy to see the queues of young and older people lined up outside the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) helicopter flight emulator display at the 14th Eden Whale Festival.

He is just one of the Naval Aviation Prospects Scheme (NAPS) team tasked with promoting the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm within Victoria and NSW.

CPO Moran said: “Most people think of the air force when it comes to flying in the defence of our country.

“So it can come as a surprise to find out that the RAN has a Fleet Air Arm based at HMAS Albatross in Nowra.”

HMAS Albatross is the largest operational naval establishment and its only air station. Its primary task is to support the navy’s three air squadrons that in turn provide air support to the fleet.

Aircraft operated by the three air squadrons currently include the AS350 Squirrel helicopter, the S-70 B Seahawk helicopter and the SK50 Westland Sea King helicopter.

The ageing fleet of Sea King helicopters will be replaced by six advanced new MRH-90 multi-role helicopters in 2011. A dramatic promotional banner of the coming MRH-90 provided the backdrop to the display at the wharf.

The MRH-90s are part of the Government’s plans to acquire a fleet of at least 24 new naval combat helicopters, as outlined in the 2009 Defence White paper.

Lieutenant Richard Foster was also on hand over the Whale Festival weekend, helping aspiring sailors to ‘virtually’ land a helicopter onto a navy warship.

Wearing 3D goggles and holding batons or wands to guide the helicopter onto the flight deck, the ‘wannabes’ found the task challenging and quite a few helicopters crashed and burned.

“The emulator is a cross between a home computer and a simulator. It gives people a taste of what it’s like to land a helicopter onto a flight deck at sea. It’s a great way to promote naval aviation and that’s what we’re about,” Leut. Foster said.

“We travel within NSW and Victoria telling people about the fleet air arm which has a hell of a future ahead of it,” he said.

Anyone interested in finding out more about a career in the fleet air arm can contact the Naval Air Station at Nowra on 4424 2653.