By Victor Simz

Training in the Zambia Air Force 


The Zambia Air Force (ZAF) has always recognised that its most valuable resource is its people. Aircraft and bases mean little without skilled, disciplined men and women to operate them. From independence to the present day, the ZAF has invested heavily in education, training, and professional development, ensuring that every officer, airman, and airwoman has the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to protect Zambia's skies.

Training has been delivered through a network of specialised schools, each contributing to the growth of the Force's capability.

Zambia Air Force Academy (ZAFA)

📍 Livingstone
The origins of ZAFA lie in the Officer Cadets Training Unit (OCTU), established in 1980 at ZAF Livingstone. Before this, cadets were trained at the Military Training Establishment of Zambia (MILTEZ) in Kabwe.

The first OCTU course graduated in the same year, commissioning Zambia's own officers to lead the Air Force into the future. By 1985, the OCTU was officially renamed the Zambia Air Force Academy (ZAFA), which today remains the premier institution for commissioning officers.

Suggested Visuals: Graduation parade photos, officer cadet uniforms, academy crest.

Flying Training School (FTS)

📍 Livingstone → Mumbwa → back to Livingstone
The Flying Training School was founded on 1st August 1965 at ZAF Livingstone with six Canadian-built Chipmunk DHC-1 aircraft. Over time, the fleet was modernised:

  • 1970 – Italian Siai Marchetti SM-260 replaced the Chipmunks.

  • 1977 – Swedish Saab Scania MF-5 aircraft replaced the Marchettis.

In 1974, the school moved to ZAF Mumbwa, and later returned to Livingstone in 1992.

In the early years, instructors came from the Royal Rhodesian Air Force and Royal Air Force, later joined by Italians and Yugoslavs. By 1977, Zambian pilots themselves had become instructors, a symbol of true professional independence.

From producing just 2–3 pilots per intake in the 1960s and 70s, the school expanded to train up to 25 pilots per course, cementing its place as the cradle of Zambia's military aviators.

Other Training Institutions

The Zambia Air Force also established a network of schools across the country, each serving a specialised purpose:

  • Helicopter Training School (HTS) – preparing rotary-wing pilots for mobility and support roles.

  • Ground Training School (GTS) – focusing on theory, procedures, and ground operations.

  • Technical Training School (TTS) – developing engineers and technicians to keep the fleet airworthy.

  • Air Defence School (ADS) – training personnel in radar operations and anti-aircraft defence.

Together, these schools ensured that ZAF's personnel were trained not only to fly and fight but also to maintain, protect, and command the Air Force as a modern, professional institution.

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