Oakey Army Aviation Centre Oakey Army Aviation Centre is situated approximately from the town centre of Oakey in Queensland , Australia . It provides a training establishment for Australian Army Aviation , and also hosts a Singapore Armed Forces Helicopter Squadron , namely the 126 Squadron . The Defence name for the facility is Swartz Barracks , named for prominent politician , Army Aviation advocate , and ex - POW Sir Reginald Swartz KBE MBE . History . The base was constructed in 1943 by the Royal Australian Air Force as RAAF Base Oakey as a training facility and overflow aircraft maintenance depot for RAAF Base Amberley . It was later to store surplus aircraft after the war . The Army assumed responsibility for the base in 1969 and developed the facility as an Army Aviation training base , as well as the base of several Land Command operational units , primarily under the responsibility of 1st Aviation Regiment which was Headquartered at Oakey until 2005 . During the period up to the early 1990s , aircraft types operating from the base included Bell OH - 58 Kiowa , Bell UH - 1 Iroquois , Sikorsky UH - 60 Black Hawk , Pilatus Porter , and GAF Nomad . During 2002 a decision was made to close RAAF Base Fairbairn in Canberra , and with a desire amongst sections of the ADF to co - locate all Army Helicopter training , the Australian Defence Force Helicopter School ( ADFHS ) was relocated to Oakey at the start of 2003 . From 2004 , the focus of the Army Aviation Centre has been gradually moving away from Land Command operational units to a further concentration on Training Command units and the creation of a centre of excellence in training . In 2007 , Boeing Australia was announced the successful tenderer for the Army Aviation Training and Training Support ( AATTS ) contract and commenced providing non - tactical flying and technical training to Australian Army Aviation . In 2009 , the scope of this contract was expanded to include most facets of military rotary wing flying training for Kiowa and Black Hawk helicopters , with the Australian Army conducting a final six week check at the end of the Black Hawk phase . In 2009 the last remaining Land Command unit , 173rd Aviation Squadron , ceased operations at Oakey , with the forced transfer of the unit ' s Beechcraft King Air 350 to the RAAF . The unit was subsequently re - designated as a rotary wing squadron under 6th Aviation Regiment , Sydney . In 2010 , with realignment of Army Chain of Command , the base units of the Army Aviation Training Centre came under the control and responsibility of Army Forces Command . Units . During World War II , the base housed No . 6 Aircraft Depot , Royal Australian Air Force . Australian Defence Force ( ADF ) units currently based at Oakey include - Republic of Singapore units currently based at Oakey include - Aircraft . The base currently utilises the following aircraft types : Visiting types include : Warbirds : Facilities . The base facilities include accommodation for students attending courses and single members working on the base . Other facilities include tennis courts , squash courts , basketball and netball court , football ovals , heated indoor swimming pool , equipped gymnasium , defence banking and credit union branches , and a AAFCANS kiosk ( with ATM ) , as well as messing facilities for Soldiers , SNCO , and Officers . Museum of Australian Army Flying . The Museum of Australian Army Flying reopened in September 2005 in new buildings on land adjacent to the airport , after a grant was provided by the Australian Government . Distinguished guests included national and local dignitaries , including well known aviation identity Dick Smith . The purpose - built facility includes many historical aircraft tracing the history of the Aviation Corps in the Australian Army and back to the Australian Flying Corps during World War I . Featured types in the collection of aircraft include Bell 47 , Bell Kiowa , GAF Nomad , Pilatus Porter , and Cessna 180 . The museum also maintains a significant collection of artefacts dating from the inception of the Army Flying Corps and WWI to the present day . The Museum of Australian Army Flying is a sub - unit of the Army History Unit , a direct command unit of the Australian Army Headquarters . Airlines , facilities and destinations . Domestic . Whilst the airfield is military controlled and regulated , a small civil terminal has been maintained on the airfield for many years . The current terminal structure was built at the same time as the new buildings for the Army Flying Museum refurbishment in 2005 , and shares the access road to this facility . The airfield does not cater for RPT airline services , however it does provide an emergency alternative in the event of adverse weather .