News Article

IN PICTURES: 90 years of RAF training marked at Linton

A History and Honour news article

7 Aug 09

The 90th anniversary of military pilot training was celebrated recently with various events at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire, the home of the Number 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS).

A De Havilland Tiger Moth

A De Havilland Tiger Moth of No 1 Flying Training School in 1931
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Among the celebrations was a Families Day featuring the Red Arrows and Tucanos from RAF Linton which flew in formation over nearby York Minster.

Click here to see more pictures relating to the 90th anniversary of the school.

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 complement 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 Royal Naval 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.





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