No. 6 Flying Training School RAF is a Flying Training School (FTS) within No. 22 (Training) Group of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

that delivers flying training to

University Air Squadrons University Air Squadrons are training units under the command of No. 6 Flying Training School RAF of the Royal Air Force and their main role is to attract students into careers as RAF officers. Primarily its goal is achieved through offering b ...

and Air Experience Flights.

History

The school was formed by renaming No. 39 Training School RAF at

RAF Spitalgate Royal Air Force Spitalgate or more simply RAF Spitalgate formerly known as RFC Grantham and RAF Grantham was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station, located south east of the centre of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England fronting onto th ...

on 26 April 1920 under No. 3 Group RAF, using

Avro 504 The Avro 504 was a First World War biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the war totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind tha ...

Ks and other aircraft until moving to

RAF Manston Royal Air Force Manston or more simply RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site was split between a commercial airport Kent International Airpo ...

on 21 September 1920 under control of the

School of Technical Training RAF A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...

. The school was disbanded on 1 April 1922. The school was reformed on 1 April 1935 upon No. 23 Group RAF. After moving from

RAF Netheravon The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) ...

, the school became the first flying unit at

RAF Little Rissington RAF Little Rissington is an RAF aerodrome and RAF station in Gloucestershire, England. It was once home to the Central Flying School, the Vintage Pair and the Red Arrows. Built during the 1930s, the station was opened in 1938 and closed in ...

in August 1938 with

Hawker Audax The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...

es, Hawker Furies,

Hawker Hart The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...

s and

Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA ...

s. It was renamed to No. 6 Service Flying Training School on 3 September 1939 and

North American Harvard The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and other air forces ...

s joined. The School's Advanced Training Squadron used various airfields for armament training such as

RAF Penrhos RAF Penrhos is a former Royal Air Force airfield located near Penrhos, Gwynedd and west of Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales, in the community of Llanbedrog. It was operational from 1 February 1937 to 21 October 1946 for armament training, air o ...

and

RAF Warmwell Royal Air Force Warmwell or more simply RAF Warmwell is a former Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London. During the Second W ...

. The School's Initial Training Squadron used

RAF Kidlington Kidlington is a major village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, between the River Cherwell and the Oxford Canal, north of Oxford and 7 miles (12 km) south-west of Bicester. It remains officially a village despite its size. The ...

, RAF Windrush,

RAF Chipping Norton Royal Air Force Chipping Norton or more simply RAF Chipping Norton is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England. It was operational from 10 July 1940 to 1945 and returned to agricultural use ...

and

RAF Hullavington RAF Hullavington was a Royal Air Force station located at Hullavington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. The station opened in June 1937 and was predominantly used for various training purposes. It closed on 31 March 1992 when it was transfe ...

Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Seco ...

s joined from November 1940 and the unit was disbanded by being redesignated No. 6 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF on 1 April 1942.

No. 6 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF

The unit was formed at Little Rissington under 23 Group and used Ansons, Oxfords, Harvard and

Blackburn Botha The Blackburn B.26 Botha was a four-seat reconnaissance and torpedo bomber. It was produced by the British aviation company Blackburn Aircraft at its factories at Brough and Dumbarton. The Botha was developed during the mid 1930s in response t ...

s. The unit used multiple airfields such as RAF Windrush,

, RAF Akeman Street and RAF Moreton Valence as relief landing grounds along with

RAF Honiley Royal Air Force Honiley or RAF Honiley is a former Royal Air Force station located in Wroxall, Warwickshire, southwest of Coventry, England. The station closed in March 1958, and after being used as a motor vehicle test track, it has been sub ...

and RAF Chedworth for detachment locations. It became 6 SFTS on 17 December 1945. The unit was reformed back to No. 6 SFTS at RAF Little Rissington on 17 December 1945 with Harvards, Ansons and

Miles Magister The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft designed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was affectionately known as the ''Maggie''. It was authorised to perform aerobatics. The Magister ...

s. From 30 April 1946, 6 FTS was based at

RAF Ternhill Royal Air Force Tern Hill or RAF Tern Hill was a Royal Air Force station at Ternhill in Shropshire, England, near the towns of Newport and Market Drayton. The station closed in 1976, with the technical and administrative site transferring t ...

equipped with North American Harvards and de Havilland Tiger Moths and unit was renamed back to 6 FTS on 14 May 1947. The school received

Percival Prentice The Percival Prentice was a basic trainer of the Royal Air Force in the early postwar period. It is a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Front seating was in a side-by-side configuration with a rear seat provided. Desi ...

s in late 1948; from July 1953

Percival Provost The Percival P.56 Provost is a basic trainer aircraft that was designed and manufactured by British aviation company Percival. During the 1950s, the Provost was developed for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a replacement for the Percival Prentic ...

T.1 piston engine training aircraft replaced both types. During this period the school used RAF Akeman Street, RAF Southrop, RAF Chetwynd, RAF Sleap and RAF High Ercall. On 24 July 1961 the school moved out to

RAF Acklington Royal Air Force Acklington, simply known as RAF Acklington, is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station located south west of Amble, Northumberland and north east of Morpeth, Northumberland. The airfield was operational initia ...

where the Hunting Aircraft Jet Provost T.3 was introduced and

RAF Ouston Royal Air Force Ouston, or more simply RAF Ouston, is a former Royal Air Force station that was located near the village of Stamfordham and the village of Heddon-on-the-Wall on Hadrian's Wall near Newcastle upon Tyne. It was built as a Second ...

and

RAF Boulmer Royal Air Force Boulmer or RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland, England, and is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) Boulmer. The Schoo ...

wheir used. The school was renamed to No. 6 (Advanced) Flying School RAF during December 1966, it closed again on 30 June 1968. Hunting Jet Provost T5 XW309 V

The School reformed on 1 May 1970 at

RAF Finningley Royal Air Force Finningley or RAF Finningley was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The station straddled the historic county boundaries of both ...

, within No. 23 Group RAF as an Air Navigation School (ANS). This was an amalgamation of the Hawker Siddeley Dominie T.1 s of No. 1 ANS from

RAF Stradishall Royal Air Force Stradishall or more simply RAF Stradishall is a former Royal Air Force station located north east of Haverhill, Suffolk and south west of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Part of the site remains in use as Stradishall Traini ...

and the Vickers Varsities of No. 2 ANS from

RAF Gaydon Royal Air Force Gaydon or more simply RAF Gaydon is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Wellesbourne, Warwickshire and north west of Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. RAF Gaydon opened in 1942 and is known for its role during the ...

along with the

Airmen Aircrew Initial Training School RAF An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred as a soldier in other definitions. In civilian aviation usage, t ...

. Low-level navigation training took place on the

Jet Provost The BAC Jet Provost is a British jet trainer aircraft that was in use with the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1955 to 1993. It was originally developed by Hunting Percival from the earlier piston engine-powered Percival Provost basic trainer, an ...

from August 1970, eventually using the T.5B variant which had extra fuel capacity in the form of wingtip tanks due to the extra fuel burn at low level. This part of the school was known as the Low Level and Air Defence Training Squadron (LLADTS).

Scottish Aviation Bulldog The Scottish Aviation Bulldog is a British two-seat side-by-side (with optional third seat) training aircraft designed by Beagle Aircraft as the B.125 Bulldog. The prototype Bulldog flew on 19 May 1969 at Shoreham Airport. The first order for ...

s were added from January 1976 with

Short Tucano The Short Tucano is a two-seat turboprop basic trainer built by Short Brothers in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a licence-built version of the Brazilian Embraer EMB 312 Tucano. On 14 February 1986, the prototype conducted its maiden flig ...

s joining later. During the 1960s and 1970s all the RAF's Colleges and Flying Training Schools had their own Jet Provost aerobatics team. One of the less known and publicised display teams was flown by 6 FTS. They flew a team for five seasons between 1962 and 1966 and it was unofficially christened the "Cocks O'the North". On 14 August 1993, the LLADTS made its final farewell to the Jet Provost in the navigation training role when four aircraft staged a "dying swan" formation over the airfield. 6 FTS also played host to the Multi-engine Training Squadron (METS) and was responsible for Operational Navigation training of all RAF multi-engine pilots, using twin-turboprop

Handley Page Jetstream The Handley Page HP.137 Jetstream is a small twin-turboprop airliner, with a pressurised fuselage. The aircraft was designed to meet the requirements of the United States commuter and regional airline market. The design was later improved and bu ...

T1 aircraft. METS was granted the No. 45 (R) Squadron number plate in June 1992 before leaving 6 FTS and moving to 3 FTS at

RAF Cranwell Royal Air Force Cranwell or more simply RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England, close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. Among other functions, it is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which tra ...

in October 1995. The school was disbanded on 31 March 1996 with the closure of

. ;Structure: No. 6 FTS Basic Navigation Wing: * No. 1 Basic Navigation Training Squadron - Bulldog T.1 and Tucano T.1 * No. 2 Basic Navigation Training Squadron - Dominie T.1 * Ground School * Officer Training Squadron No. 6 FTS Advanced Navigation Wing: * No. 100 Squadron - Hawk T.1 * Air Navigation Training Squadron - Dominie T.1 * Navigation School Standards Squadron * Multi-Engine Training Squadron (No. 45 Squadron)

Reformation

On 7 September 2015, 6 FTS was reborn to command and manage the

University Air Squadron University Air Squadrons are training units under the command of No. 6 Flying Training School RAF of the Royal Air Force and their main role is to attract students into careers as RAF officers. Primarily its goal is achieved through offering ba ...

s and their associated Air Experience Flights across the UK. This role was transferred from 3 FTS due to the implementation of the Military Flying Training System. The Elementary Flying Training (EFT) units in the Royal Air Force and the other services upgraded to the Grob Prefect T.1 in 2017, while the University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights will remain on the Tutor T.1. The task of 6 FTS is also to ensure continual recruitment of UAS cadets into the Royal Air Force proper; those who do not join will have a better appreciation for the military, which they will take forward into their careers.

Current units

RAF Cosford Royal Air Force Cosford or RAF Cosford (formerly DCAE Cosford) is a Royal Air Force station in Cosford, Shropshire, just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton. History Origins RAF Cosford opened in 1938 as a joint aircraf ...

University of Birmingham Air Squadron The University of Birmingham Air Squadron, commonly known as UBAS, is a squadron within the Royal Air Force established on 3 May 1941. It is based at RAF Cosford, Shropshire, and flies a fleet of six Grob Tutors. In 2009 the squadron upgrad ...

* 8 AEF

Colerne Airfield Colerne Airfield , now known as Azimghur Barracks, is a British Army facility just north-west of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire, England. History RAF Colerne was opened on this site in 1940, and was in operation until 1976. From 1940 to 1955 ...

Bristol University Air Squadron Bristol University Air Squadron is a University Air Squadron connected to the University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a Red brick university, red brick Russell Group research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal char ...

* 3 AEF

RAF Wittering Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire i ...

* No. 115 Squadron RAF *

Cambridge University Air Squadron Cambridge University Air Squadron, abbreviated CUAS, formed in 1925, is the training unit of the Royal Air Force at the University of Cambridge and forms part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. It is the oldest of 15 University Air Squadr ...

University of London Air Squadron A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

* 5 AEF

RAF College Cranwell The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and ...

East Midlands Universities Air Squadron The East Midlands Universities Air Squadron (EMUAS) is the Nottinghamshire-centred University Air Squadron for the East Midlands. History It was formed on 26 February 1941 as University College Nottingham Air Squadron then became Nottingham Unive ...

* 7 AEF

Leuchars Station Leuchars Station is a British Army installation located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the historic town of St Andrews. Formerly RAF Leuchars, it was the second most northerly air defence station in the United Kingd ...

East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron The East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron ( gd, Sguadron Adhair Oilthighean Taobh an Ear na h-Alba), commonly known as ESUAS, is a squadron within the Royal Air Force established in 2003 as an amalgamation of "East Lowlands Universities A ...

* 12 AEF

Glasgow Airport gd, Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu , image = Glasgow Airport logo.svg , image-width = 200 , image2 = GlasgowAirportFromAir.jpg , image2-width = 250 , IATA = GLA , ICAO = EGPF , type = Public , owner = AGS Airports , hub = *eas ...

Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron A Royal Air Force University Air Squadron recruiting within Scotland, Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron (commonly known as UGSAS) draws its members from six higher education establishments within Glasgow and its surrounding are ...

* 4 AEF RAF Woodvale *

Liverpool University Air Squadron Liverpool University Air Squadron (LUAS ) is a training unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Liverpool, University of ...

Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron, abbreviated MASUAS, forms part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. MASUAS is one of fifteen University Air Squadrons that are spread out across Great Britain and it recruits from the univ ...

* 10 AEF

RAF Leeming Royal Air Force Leeming or RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 1991, it ...

Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron (NUAS ) is a unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Durham, University of Newca ...

Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron The Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron (more commonly known as YUAS) is a Royal Air Force flying training unit that currently operates out of RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, England. One of fourteen University Air Squadrons, the unit traditionall ...

* 11 AEF * 9 AEF

RAF Benson Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located at Benson, near Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line station and home to the RAF's fleet of Westland Puma HC2 support helicopters, us ...

Oxford University Air Squadron The Oxford University Air Squadron, abbreviated Oxford UAS, or OUAS, formed in 1925, is the training unit of the Royal Air Force at the University of Oxford and forms part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. OUAS is one of fifteen Universi ...

* 6 AEF

MoD Boscombe Down MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the De ...

Southampton University Air Squadron Southampton University Air Squadron (SUAS ) is a unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Southampton, University of Portsm ...

* 2 AEF

MOD St Athan Ministry of Defence St Athan or MOD St Athan (Welsh: Maes awyr Sain Tathan), formerly known as RAF St Athan, is a large Ministry of Defence unit near the village of St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, southern Wales. It was the designated site for ...

Universities of Wales Air Squadron The Universities of Wales Air Squadron is a University Air Squadron of the Royal Air Force's Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Volunteer Reserve for students from Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Swansea University, University ...

* 1 AEF JHC FS Aldergrove *

Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron is a University Air Squadron connected to the Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commo ...

* 13 AEF With the reduction in the gliding fleet, MoD have announced they intend to create No.s 13 and 14 AEFs. No. 14 should be based in Northern Ireland.

References

; Bibliography * *

External links

* {{authority control Education in Lincolnshire 06 Military units and formations established in 1920 2015 establishments in the United Kingdom North Kesteven District Organisations based in Lincolnshire Universities in the United Kingdom