No. 2 Flying Training School RAF

No. 2 Flying Training School
Active 26 Apr 1920 - 15 Dec 1933
1 Oct 1934 - 3 Sept 1939
3 Sept 1939 - 14 Mar 1942
23 Jul 1947 - 1 May 1952
1 Feb 1953 - Dec 1966
Dec 1966 - 16 Jan 1970
16 Jan 1970 - 2 Dec 1974
31 Mar 1976 - 30 Mar 1997
31 Jan 2014 -
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Base RAF Syerston
Motto(s) Latin: Verbum sat Sapienti
("A word to the wise is sufficient")
Commanders
Current
commander		 Gp Capt John Middleton RAFR
Notable
commanders		 Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder

No.2 Flying Training School is a Flying Training School (FTS) of the Royal Air Force. It is part of No.22 (Training) Group that delivers flying training to the UK Air Training Corps. Its Headquarters is located at Royal Air Force Syerston, Nottinghamshire. The Royal Air Force Central Gliding School and 25 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons sit under its command. No.2 FTS is also the operating authority for RAF Little Rissington and RAF Kenley. Throughout its history, No.2 FTS has had various roles including being the first military flying school to use jet-powered aircraft throughout pilot training.

History

First formation

No 2 FTS was first formed in No. 3 Group RAF on 26 April 1920 from No 31 Training Squadron with a special flight attached to carry out research for the Professor of Aeronautical Services at Cambridge University. At the end of August 1921 it was transferred to No. 1 Group RAF but returned to No 3 Group on 1 July 1923. Initially equipped with Avro 504Ks and Ns for basic training it used Airco DH.9As, Bristol F2Bs and Sopwith Snipes for service training, the 504s were eventually replaced by the Avro Tutor and Armstrong Whitworth Siskins and Gloster Grebes replaced the Snipes. The school ceased operations on 29 July 1933 and disbanded on 15 December at RAF Digby, where it had moved on 30 Jun 1924.

Second formation

The school reformed on 1 October 1934 in No. 23 Group RAF at its previous home of Digby, now equipped with Tutors for basic training and Hawker Harts and Furies for the service training phase. In 1936 Hawker Audaxes were added and in September 1937 the school moved to RAF Brize Norton to move it away from the likely area of operations in the event of a war. By August 1939, basic flying training was being carrying out at civilian run Elementary and Reserve Flying Training Schools and the FTSs were concentrating on the service flying phase of training and to the end it was equipped with Harvards and Airspeed Oxfords.

With the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 the school’s title was changed to No. 2 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) and on 24 June 1940 it was reclassified as a Group II school concentrating on twin engined training with Oxfords. By 1942 the Commonwealth Air Training Plan was in full swing and most aircrew were being trained up to SFTS level in Canada, South Africa or Southern Rhodesia before arriving in or returning to Britain so it was decided to convert the SFTSs to (Pilot) or (Observer) Advanced Flying Units. These units would concentrate in training the personnel arriving from overseas in the techniques and conditions of flying in a blacked-out Northern Europe. As a result, No 2 SFTS became No 2 (Pilots') Advanced Flying Unit on 14 March 1942.

Third formation

On 23 July 1947 No 20 FTS at RAF Church Lawford was redesignated No 2 FTS and on 6 April 1948 it moved to RAF South Cerney. It was equipped with de Havilland Tiger Moths and Harvards but in June 1949 the Tiger Moths were replaced by Percival Prentices. However, the school did not last long as it was redesignated Central Flying School (Basic) on 1 May 1952.

Fourth & Fifth formations

Scottish Aviation Bulldog of No.2 FTS RNEFTS displayed at RNAS Yeovilton in 1973

As a result of the Korean War there was an increase in demand for pilots and No 2 FTS reformed on 1 March 1953 at RAF Cluntoe in Northern Ireland with Prentices and Harvards. It moved to RAF Hullavington on 1 June 1954, now equipped with Percival Provosts and Chipmunks but in 1955 it became the first school in the world to offer ab-initio training on jet aircraft when it introduced the BAC Jet Provost T Mk 1 to a selected group of students. The experiment led the way to the introduction of the Jet Provost to all RAF FTSs. On 18 November 1957 the school moved to RAF Syerston and in December became No 2 (Basic) FTS until it disbanded on 16 January 1970. However, the same day the Primary Flying School at RAF Church Fenton was renamed No 2 FTS. Equipped with Chipmunks, a Bulldog section was added in 1973 which operated as the Royal Navy Elementary Flying Training School (RNEFTS). No 2 FTS disbanded on 2 December 1974, although the RNEFTS transferred to the control of No 1 FTS at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

Sixth formation

On 31 March 1976 the school was reformed as No 2 (Advanced) FTS at RAF Ternhill to give advanced training to helicopter pilots. On 8 October 1976 it moved to RAF Shawbury to become No 2 FTS once again and where it took over control of the Central Air Traffic Control School as well as continuing to train helicopter pilots at both basic and advanced levels as well as helicopter crewmen. On 30 March 1997 No 2 FTS was disbanded and was replaced at Shawbury by the civilian operated Defence Helicopter Flying School which now trains helicopter pilots for all three British armed services. [1]

Current use

It reformed at RAF Syerston on 31 January 2014 to take control of the Royal Air Force's Volunteer Gliding Squadrons and the Central Gliding School from No.3 Flying Training School. It is commanded by a Group captain in Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS), the first full-time flying appointment given to an officer of that rank.[2]

Controversy

Three months after reforming, all gilding operations were 'paused' due to airworthiness concerns in April 2014.[3] Almost two years later, on 10 March 2016, the Written statement from the MoD drastically reduced gliding provision within the Air Cadet Organisation.[4] The Ministry of Defence's relaunch was heavily criticised.[5][6][7] The nationwide fleet is to be cut down to 73 Viking TX.1s and 15 Vigilant T.1s, from a former total of 146 aircraft. The units struck through in the following section are to close.[4]

HQ 2 FTS was also been heavily criticised for not communicating the plans to withdraw the Vigilant T.1 from service and the restructuring resulting in closure of many VGSs with its volunteer personnel.[8] Much criticism was also voiced with respect to its retention policy of its volunteer personnel, management of its contracted maintenance organization, failure to achieve Continued Airworthiness Management Organisation approval [9] during two years of non-flying, limited recovery of aircraft, and the approach for acquiring Part Task Trainers with grants from the RAF Charitable Trust.

No. 2 FTS Units

611
612
613
614
615
616
618
621
622
624
626
631
632
633
634
635 & 645
636
637
642
644 & CGS
661
662
663
664
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (Green = Viking, Blue = Vigilant)

Royal Air Force Central Gliding School (RAF Syerston)

Viking TX.1 Squadrons (Conventional)

Vigilant T.1 Squadrons (Motor Glider)

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Lake 1999, p. 104.
  2. ↑ "New Gliding School Launches for Air Cadets". Air Cadets. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Duty Holder Advice Notice" (PDF). HQ 2 FTS. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Air Cadet Aviation Relaunch:Written statement - HCWS605". MoD. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Would-be pilots grounded as Air Cadets axe half their flying squadrons". Daily Mail. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Air cadet cuts will see more than half of squadrons axed". Telegraph. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "New funding initiative for Air Cadet aircraft needed" (PDF). The Honourable Company of Air Pilots. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "Social Media Site". Facebook.
  9. ↑ "Continued Airworthiness Management Organisation Initial Approval Audit Report" (PDF). Military Aviation Authority. Retrieved 11 May 2016.

Bibliography

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