2.1 The Department considered several choices to improve core flying training. These included in-house delivery and using an external provider. The Department decided its preferred strategy was to appoint a private sector company, Ascent. The role would require Ascent to work with the Department to provide core flying training for military aircrew.
2.2 The Department identified that introducing a training provider would:
• transfer risk (for example, buying and making available enough aircraft for training);
• increase flexibility to respond to changes;
• promote continuous improvement and innovation; and
• integrate better the different stages of core training.
2.3 This part examines how far the Department's contract with Ascent will enable it to get these benefits (Figure 8 overleaf).