On 1 December 1960, 16 Army Light Aircraft Squadron was formed at RAAF Amberley from the disbanded 16 Air OP Flight and 1 Army Aviation Company. Six Cessna from 16 Air OP Flight and eleven Bell 47G2 Sioux helicopters made up the original aircraft in the squadron which included a training and an operations flight. Initially the CO and the Chief Flying Instructor were from the RAAF, as was the entire servicing crew. Except for a few administrative personnel the remainder were Army. The scale and variety of the support provided for the Army were considerably increased together with the output of trained Army pilots. Army units and formations, both Regular and CMF, continued the process of learning how to make better use of this resource.

At the same time preparations were well in hand to form the Australian Army Aviation Corps. This was done on 1 July 1968 with a Corps strength of 106 officer pilots. Since then officers and other ranks trained in aviation trades other than flying duties have been absorbed into the Corps.

Read the History of the Australian Army Aviation Corps