No. 1 Flying Training School

No. 1 Flying Training School
Jet Provost Mk3A Situated at No1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire. Used for conversion training to jet propulsion from the 1960's through to 1990's
Active	23 Dec 1919 - 1 Feb 1931 1 Apr 1935 - 7 Mar 1942 18 Jun 1947 - 25 Feb 1948 1 Dec 1950 - 20 Apr 1955 1 May 1955 - present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Part of	RAF Air Command
Base	RAF Linton-on-Ouse
Motto	Latin: Terra Marique ad Caelum (Translation: "By Land and Sea to the Sky")
Aircraft	Short Tucano

No 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS) is the oldest military pilot training school in the world.^[1][2]

History

First formation

No. 1 Flying Training School (FTS) was officially formed on 23 December 1919 by renaming the Netheravon Flying School^[3], which had been formed on 29 July 1919^[4] at Netheravon in Wiltshire, England, out of the 2nd incarnation of No. 8 Training Squadron,^[5] which in its turn had been formed on 15 May 1919 out of No. 8 Training Depot Station, all at Netheravon.
During this part of its service life 1 FTS and its predecessors flew aircraft such as the Airco DH.9A, the Avro 504, the Bristol F.2 Fighter, the Sopwith Snipe.
No. 1 FTS was disbanded on 1 February 1931, part of its tasks (the training of FAA officers) had since 15 February 1928 already been taken over by RAF Leuchars.^[3]

Second formation

No. 1 Flying Training School reformed at and from RAF Leuchars on 1 April 1935,^[3] training Royal Navy officers for the Fleet Air Arm. On 26 August 1938 the unit was reloacated to RAF Netheravon and on 1 September 1939 it was renamed No. 1 Service Flying Training School,^[3] but disbanded on 7 March 1942,^[3] when its airfield was needed for Army Cooperation Command^[3]
Aircraft flown in this period were Fairey IIIFs, Hawker Harts, Westland Wapitis, Hawker Hinds, Hawker Audaxes, de Havilland Tiger Moths, North American Harvards, Fairey Battles and Miles Masters

Third formation

No. 1 Flying Training School was reconstituted briefly post-war by the renaming of no. 17 FTS on 18 June 1947 at RAF Spitalgate.^[3] The school had relieve landing grounds at RAF Folkingham between 28 July 1947 and August 1947 and after that at RAF Bottesford, but disbanded on 25 February 1948.^[3]
Aircraft flown in this period were the de Havilland Tiger Moth and the North American Harvard

Fourth formation

No. 1 Flying Training School was reformed once again on 1 December 1950 at RAF Oakington with North American Harvard T.2Bs. On 31 October 1951 the school had completely moved to RAF Moreton-in-Marsh and had been given Percival Prentice T.1s, but disbanded once again on 20 April 1955.^[3]

Fifth formation

On 1 May 1955 No. 22 FTS at RAF Syerston was renamed to No. 1 FTS and flew Provosts, Chipmunks and Vampires. On 18 November 1957 the school moved to RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire,^[1] where it was equipped initially with Vampire T.11 jets and Percival Provost aircraft.^[2] and from 1961 the BAC Jet Provost. From 1 April 1995 1 FTS took over the CFS Tucano and 6 FTS Tucano elements, including 72 (Reserve) Squadron and 207 (Reserve) Squadron. The school marked its 90th anniversary in July 2009 with a flypast of Tucano aircraft over York Minster and other events at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.^[6]

Training

No. 1 FTS is still stationed at RAF Linton-on-Ouse with the purpose of the basic training of jet pilots and navigators for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.^[1]

Aircraft

The school uses 78 two seat, turboprop, basic trainer Short Tucano T.1.^[7]

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Harris, R (2007-10-27). "Military pilot training academy prepares to celebrate its 50th year". The Press (Newsquest Media Group). http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1791197.0.military_pilot_training_academy_prepares_to_celebrate_its_50th_year.php. Retrieved 2007-10-27. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "RAF Linton-on-Ouse - Station History". http://www.raf.mod.uk/raflintononouse/aboutus/history.cfm. Retrieved 2007-10-28. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 134.
4. ^ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 193.
5. ^ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 276.
6. ^ "Tucanos fly over York Minster to mark 90th anniversary of No 1 Flying Training School based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse". York Press (Newsquest Media Group). 10 July 2009. http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4485194.Tucano_flypast_marks_RAF_Linton_on_Ouse_pilot_training_school_s_90th_anniversary/. Retrieved 2009-07-13. 
7. ^ "RAF - Stations". http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/stations.cfm?selectStation=9E092569-B85C-C947-0822B95023DEBDE9. Retrieved 2007-10-28. 

Bibliography

• Sturtivant, Ray with John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912. Staplefield, West Sussex, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.

External links

• Flying Training Schools, Air of Authority.