Zac Lofthouse

Managing complex projects, acquiring new capabilities and enhancing his professional engineering skills is all part of the job for recently promoted Aeronautical Engineer Flight Lieutenant Zac Lofthouse.

Growing up in Kingaroy, being a member of the swimming club, and riding his bicycle for training and charity, is a long way from where Zac Lofthouse finds himself nowadays.

Beginning his fitting and turning apprenticeship while at high school, through the Kingaroy campus of Queensland’s Wide Bay Burnett TAFE, Zac completed his apprenticeship as a fitter machinist in the agricultural industry.

Today Flight Lieutenant Zac Lofthouse is an embedded engineer, through a focused industry placement, supporting the Australian Defence Force’s Hawk fighter jet maintenance program undertaken by BAE Systems Australia, at RAAF Base Williamtown.

Managing complex projects, acquiring new skills and experiences and developing his professional engineering skills is building his Air Force career as an aeronautical engineer.

“I developed an interest in the Australian Defence Force when I moved from Kingaroy to Cairns to expand my trade skills,” said FLTLT Lofthouse.

“As a contractor I worked on naval vessels at HMAS Cairns and really enjoyed manufacturing parts in the large engineering workshops.

“My then fiancé, now wife, encouraged me to undertake further study, a no brainer really as Mum is a TAFE teacher and Dad is the Deputy Principal at Kingaroy State High and study is a given, so we moved to Brisbane where I commenced my engineering degree.

“The idea of working on aircraft really appealed and following a Trade Fair Day at university, I decided to continue my undergraduate degree with the ADF,” he said.

FLTLT Lofthouse today works at BAE Systems Australia under RAAF Number 78 Wing Headquarters in the LIF (Lead-In Fighter) Project Team. The LIF Project entails the in-service support of the Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter through operational maintenance and supply chain management.

“My Air Force experience has been much wider than just one aircraft though,” said FLTLT Lofthouse.

“During my five year career I have already had exposure to the Air Mobility Group’s heavy lift aircraft and the Mechanical Equipment Operations Maintenance Section at RAAF Base Amberley and today I am working on the same base as the Air Force’s 5^th generation Joint Strike Fighter F35A’s,” he said.

FLTLT Lofthouse will complete a Master’s degree in Project Management at the Australian Defence Force Academy to continue his Air Force career.

Read Zac's story: https://news.defence.gov.au/people/journey-skills-education-and-applica…