Pakistan Army Aviation Milestones:
1947-58: army aviation pilots were trained in the UK.
1959: the Air Observation Post (AOP) was established at Chaklala.
1961: the AOP shifts to Dhamial for fixed-wing pilot training.
1964: the AOP facility was re-named Army Aviation School after helicopters joined the PAA.
1987: the Army Aviation School moves to Rahwali.
the school flies on average 12,000 hours a year, amounting to 32 flying hours a day!
each year more than 170 officers apply for a place at the Aviation School.
in the early 1970's the PA along with the PAF set about looking for an L-19 (O-1 Birddog) replacement in the basic trainer role.
the MFI-17 Saab Supporter, later known as Mushshak was selected.
1976: Saab delivered Semi-KD kits and complete KD kits to PAC-Kamra where they were assembled.
1977: PAA took delivery of Mushshak at Dhamial (now Qasim).
1993: with a need to replace the ageing Bell 47 light helicopters, a batch of Schweizwer (now Sikorsky) TH-300C's were acquired and eventually supplemented by more.
EME: responsibility for the overall maintenance of the Mushshaks and Sikorsky TH-300C at Rahwali falls upon the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) Battalion.
the Mission is to train the pilots of the tri-services and allied nations on fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.
extracted from AFM
