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	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) within No.22 (Training) Group of the Royal Air Force that delivers flying training to the Air Cadets. 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 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

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.

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.

In April 2014 all gilding operations were 'paused' due to airworthiness concerns. Almost two years later, on 10 March 2016, the Written statement from the MoD drastically reduced gliding provision within the Air Cadet Organisation. 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.

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)

• CGS provide instructor training and standardisation both from their base at RAF Syerston and on visits to Squadrons. The RAF Central Gliding School is co-located with HQ No.2 FTS and the Gliding Examining Wing of the Central Flying School.

Viking TX.1 Squadrons (Conventional)

• 614 VGS (MDPGA Wethersfield)
• 615 VGS (RAF Kenley)
• 621 VGS (RAF Hullavington) to move to RNAS Merryfield
• 622 VGS (Trenchard Lines)
• 626 VGS (RNAS Predannack)
• 644 VGS (RAF Syerston)
• 661 VGS (RAF Kirknewton)
• 662 VGS (RM Condor)

Vigilant T.1 Squadrons (Motor Glider)

• 611 VGS (RAF Honington)
• 612 VGS (Dalton Barracks)
• 613 VGS (RAF Halton)
• 616 VGS (RAF Henlow)
• 618 VGS (RAF Odiham)
• 624 VGS (RMB Chivenor)
• 631 VGS (RAF Woodvale)
• 632 VGS (RAF Ternhill)
• 633 VGS (RAF Cosford)
• 634 VGS (MOD St. Athan)
• 635 VGS (RAF Topcliffe)
• 636 VGS (Swansea Airport)
• 637 VGS (RAF Little Rissington)
• 642 VGS (RAF Linton-on-Ouse)
• 645 VGS (RAF Topcliffe)
• 663 VGS (RAF Kinloss)
• 664 VGS (Newtownards)

External links

• Flying Training Schools, Air of Authority.