IN PICTURES 90 years of RAF pilot training marked at Linton

NINE DECADES of military pilot training was celebrated yesterday when Tucanos from RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire, flew in formation over York Minster.

The 90th anniversary of Number 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS) is being marked by a series of events and at Linton during a families day featuring the Red Arrows, Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Moran, Air Command Commander-in-Chief, met student pilots and Weapon Systems Officers and who are destined to become the future mainstay of the RAF and Royal Navy’s fast-jet force.

In the evening a formal dinner was held in the Officers’ Mess.

1 FTS is the world’s oldest independent military flying training academy and was formed on 29 July 1919 at Netheravon in Wiltshire to train ‘ab inito’ pupils and ‘Airmen Pilots’

Back then the course lasted twelve months. Two ran concurrently and each had a compliment of 36 pupils. The first half of the course was spent on Avro 504Ks followed by advanced training on Bristol Fighters and DH9As.

In 1957, and after a peripatetic existence - including a wartime move to India due to the intensity of enemy activity - 1 FTS moved to RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Initially its role was to teach Royal Navy fixed-wing pilots using Piston Provost and Vampire aircraft.

The Jet Provost was introduced in 1960 and was replaced by the Shorts Tucano in 1992.

RAF and RN students now spend almost a year at Linton flying the Tucano before going on to the Hawk at RAF Valley in Anglesey. Training is completed at operational conversion units and the whole process takes about three years.

History was made on 10 May 1990 when the first women pilots flew their first solo flights.

Linton Station Commander, Group Captain Mike Longstaff, said: “Number 1 Flying Training School has a long, proud and illustrious history. Today we not only celebrate its past achievements but we also look forward to the challenges that the new Military Flying Training System will bring over the next few years.”

1 FTS operates 54 Tucano aircraft from RAF Linton-on-Ouse with relief landing grounds at Church Fenton, Dishforth and Topcliffe.

Pictures

Image 1 (large size) The Red Arrows help celebrate 90 years of Number 1 Flying Training School at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

A formation of nine Tucanos from RAF Linton-on-Ouse flies over York to celebrate 90 years of Number 1 Flying Training School.

Image 2 (large size)

Tiger Moth pilots notes

Image 3 (large size)

1920s Armstrong Whitworth Atlas flown by 1 FTS

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The senior course in 1929 at 1 FTS

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1928 Hawker Hart flown by 1 FTS

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1960s Jet Provost flown by 1 FTS

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De Havilland 9A the first aircraft flown by 1 FTS, seen in First World War livery

No 1 Flying Training Schol badge with the motto‘Terra marique ad caelum’ – ‘By land and sea to the sky,’ which reflects it’s service wide role.