The Commander, Fleet Air Arm (COMFAA) turned up at the ceremony in a vintage red Ferrari and left in a naval helicopter, signing off on a  career that spanned almost four decades.

CDRE Di Pietro handed over command to CDRE Chris Smallhorn, saying it was an emotional time.

“The navy and the Fleet Air Arm has been such a big part of my life, it was emotional to be leaving,” he said.

“I have been in a marvellous lane for the past 39 and a half years. I’m just shifting lanes.

“This is my last serious naval posting and I will leave the service officially in a couple of months.”

As for retirement, he said his naval experience lends itself to a number of opportunities.

“I will be remaining in the Shoalhaven, that’s one thing for certain,” he said.

“Throughout my career I have lived in some amazing places around the world but there is nothing like coming home to the Shoalhaven. And this is home.

“It is one of the best places in Australia to live. It is such a beautiful place. You would have to go a long way to find a better place to live in than the Shoalhaven.”

He has a number of interests outside the navy he would like to be involved with in retirement.

“I would like to be involved in some sort of philanthropy. I’m interested in renewable energy, workplace cultures, the youth, the promotion of young women in the scientific and technical fields, safety systems,” he said.

“Lots of things over 39 years have stimulated me and tickled my fancy and it will be nice to have the time to chase some of those ideas down.”

As a naval aviator, his career has been interwoven with the area, including numerous postings to HMAS Albatross.

He arrived in the Shoalhaven in January 1978, as a 18-year-old,  having recently completed pilot training in Melbourne. After undertaking further training he served aboard ships Stalwart and Melbourne.

An instructor’s course in the UK followed and he later took up a role of staff officer at the Australian High Commission in the UK.

Back in Nowra he was Commander of Aviation Operations before being made commanding officer of HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, which he described as a “terrifically broadening experience.”

Postings to Albatross including as the base’s chief of staff.

He completed his masters degrees in strategic study, has been Director general of the Navy Safety and Circulations and worked at the defence college.

Promoted to Commodore, he was posted to Washington as the Australian Naval Attache.

“That was a  great honour and experience,” he said.

He was also able to put the many things he learned and contacts made in the US to good use as the Director General of Navy Capability Plans and Engagement.

There he helped with the infrastructure planning at Albatross through the Defence Fstate Committee and the tender evaluations for the new Seahawk Romeo helicopters which are now on the ground in Nowra.

“It has been exciting as Commander, Fleet Air Arm  to be able to see that next stage of  building and work happening at Albatross,” he said.

One of his career highlights was being Australia’s co-chair with the Malaysian ADMM as part of a working group on maritime security.

“I feel I’m leaving the FAA in a very happy and healthy place. We have amazing investments in new aircraft, a $6 billion investment across the board. We have 15 of 24 new Seahawk Romeos on the ground and will receive the rest in pairs over next few months,” he said.

“This time next year they will all be here.

“That has forced an upgrade of infrastructure and facilities at the base and work is being carried out everywhere.

“It is also attracting large businesses to the Shoalhaven, which can only be good for the region as a whole.

“In about a year’s time this base will be without question the most advanced helicopter facility in the Southern Hemisphere.

“The Shoalhaven should be proud of what it has been entrusted to it by the Australian people - it is a big undertaking.

“There is no doubt the Romeos are cutting edge technology. It is just like when the Skyhawk and Trackers were first introduced.

“The Romeo is the best combat helicopter on the planet and it has been great to be able to see it brought into service.

“This is the future of naval aviation. The machines we are seeing arriving now and those to shortly arrive will be flown and fixed by people whose parents haven’t even met yet.

“The future is certainly bright. At the moment I see it getting bigger before it gets smaller.

“But we still have challenges ahead and we will meet those challenges.”

He said with the $700 million HATS (Helicopter Aircrew Training System) being built at Albatross there was further exciting times ahead.

“In the next few years all navy and army helicopter crew training will be undertaken here,” he said.