Airtrooper The rank of ' Airtrooper ' abbreviated ' Atpr ' is a private rank , the first rank awarded to a soldier of the British Army Air Corps ( AAC ) . Army Air Corps . The Army Air Corps ( AAC ) Soldier needs a good standard of education although no formal qualifications are required . Airtroopers are educated and trained to have the ability and motivation to work on their own initiative . AAC soldiers will be trained in a wide range of skills providing a number of military and civilian vocational qualifications . The AAC provides battlefield helicopters and some fixed wing aircraft for the Army , the main roles being attack of enemy armour , surveillance and target acquisition . AAC Groundcrew need to be able to work as part of a team , and on occasion as an individual , and may be expected to defend Forward Operating Base s ( FOB ) and Forward Arming Refuelling Points ( FARP ) , they also refuel and re - arm the helicopters and provide the essential communications to the aircraft and other Army units . AAC Groundcrew work with a number of different types of helicopters including the , Lynx , Bell 212 , Gazelle and Apache . They are also required to perform a number of other responsibilities within this employment , from helicopter troop drills , fire , crash rescue and helicopter rigger marshalling . There are a number of Light Goods Vehicles ( LGV ) utilised by the AAC , of which all Groundcrew will be trained to drive and service , including Landrovers , Osh Kosh 22000 litre Refueller Vehicle and the Detachable Rack Operating Platform Systems ( 15 tonne flatbeds ) . Training . Basic training . All Army Air Corps Groundcrew are trained to be soldiers first during their Basic , or Phase 1 training . Initially recruits attend basic training which is called Phase 1 training either as Junior Entry ( JE ) Soldiers at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate , or Army Training Regiment ( ATR ) at Bassingbourne , or as Standard Entry ( SE ) Soldiers at ATR Winchester for Males and ATR ( P ) for Females . The following subjects are taught at all the training facilities : Drill , Weapon Training , Field Craft , Map Reading , First Aid , Chemical , Biological , Radiological , and Nuclear ( CBRN ) formerly ( NBC ) Nuclear , Biological and Chemical Defence and Physical Fitness . In addition JE Soldiers get additional training in Military Education , Finance , Security , Military Law and Literacy / Numeracy Skills . There is also an opportunity to carry out Adventure Training and Community Projects . Trade training . Having successfully completed Phase 1 training , recruits move to the School of Army Aviation , Middle Wallop , Hampshire to begin aviation employment training , or Phase 2 training . This begins with a three week induction course , including B Vehicle ( car ) theory , practise and tests and an in - depth insight to the AAC . On successful completion of this module , and airtrooper will then complete the additional three trade specific modules : Groundhandling skills . The Groundcrewman ' s course lasts three weeks . Communication skills . The class - three Signaller ' s course is four weeks long . Aircraft Refuelling / Hazardous Materials training . This three - week course qualifies an Aircraft Refueller Operator . On successful completion of these trade modules an Airtrooper will be loaded onto an LGV course at the Defence School of Transport ( DST ) , Leconfield , in Humberside . This course takes between 10 – 12 weeks where the Airtrooper will be taught to drive and maintain LGVs employed in the AAC . At the end of these courses the Airtrooper will be qualified as an AAC Soldier Class 3 , ready to be posted to his / her first Regiment . Joining a Regiment . On completion of Phase 2 training , Airtroopers are posted to a Regiment in either UK or Germany . Later there may be opportunities to serve in an Independent Squadron / Flight in a variety of locations both home and abroad including ; Brunei , Canada , Germany or Belize . Once in a Regiment an Airtrooper will be allocated to a Squadron and carry out the ground duties for which he / she have been trained . Squadrons also carry out overseas training to Kenya , Canada , USA , Norway and many other European countries . Prospects . The AAC career development programme is designed to deliver the training and education an Airtrooper needs to take on the challenge of increased responsibility and future promotion . All soldiers will receive an annual Confidential Report ( CR ) with a mid - year performance appraisal . Airtroopers will have the opportunity to discuss these reports with regards to career options . Airtroopers will be exposed to considerable challenges and will learn to get the very best out of themselves and others . British Army - Be the Best : With thanks