First formation (1920) No. 2 Flying Training School (FTS) was formed at
RAF Duxford in
Cambridgeshire as part of
No. 3 Group on 26 April 1920, from No. 31 Training Squadron. The school had a special flight attached to it to carry out research for the Professor of Aeronautical Services at
University of Cambridge. At the end of August 1921 the school was transferred to
No. 1 Group, but returned to No. 3 Group on 1 July 1923. Initially equipped with
Avro 504K's and Ns for basic training, it used
Airco DH.9As,
Bristol F.2B's and
Sopwith Snipes for service training. The 504s were eventually replaced by the
Avro Tutor, whereas
Armstrong Whitworth Siskins and
Gloster Grebes replaced the Snipes. The school moved to
RAF Digby in
Lincolnshire on 30 June 1924, but ceased operations on 29 July 1933 and disbanded on 15 December of that year.
Second formation (1934) The school reformed on 1 October 1934 as part of
No. 23 Group at its previous home of RAF Digby, now equipped with Tutors for basic training and
Hawker Harts &
Furies for the service training phase. In 1936,
Hawker Audaxes were added and in September 1937 the school moved to
RAF Brize Norton in
Oxfordshire, 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. To that end it was equipped with
Harvards and
Airspeed Oxfords. With the outbreak of the
Second World 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 the UK. It was therefore decided to convert the SFTSs to (Pilot) or (Observer) Advanced Flying Units. These units would concentrate on training 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 (1947) On 23 July 1947, No. 20 FTS at
RAF Church Lawford was re-designated No. 2 FTS and on 6 April 1948 it moved to
RAF South Cerney in
Gloucestershire. 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 re-designated as
Central Flying School (Basic) on 1 May 1952.
History of 20 FTS No. 20 FTS was formed on 10 July 1940 at
RAF Cranborne in
Southern Rhodesia as
No. 20 Service FTS and disbanded there during April 1945. The unit was reformed at Church Lawford, England as 20 FTS on 3 April 1945 but was renamed 2 SFTS on 4 September 1946.
Fourth & Fifth formations (1953 and 1970) 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 re-formed on 1 March 1953 at
RAF Cluntoe in Northern Ireland, with Prentices and Harvards. It moved to
RAF Hullavington in
Wiltshire on 1 June 1954, equipped with
Percival Provosts and
Chipmunks. In 1955, it became the first school in the world to offer
ab-initio training on jet aircraft when it introduced the
Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.1 to a selected group of students. The experiment led the way to the introduction of the Jet Provost to all RAF flying training schools. On 18 November 1957, the school moved to
RAF Syerston in
Nottinghamshire and in December of that year was renamed
No. 2 (Basic) Flying Training School, 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 (1976) On 31 March 1976, the school was reformed as
No. 2 (Advanced) Flying Training School at
RAF Ternhill in
Shropshire, to provide advanced training to helicopter pilots. On 8 October 1976, it moved to nearby
RAF Shawbury to become No. 2 FTS once again, where it took over control of the
Central Air Traffic Control School RAF as well as continuing to train helicopter pilots and crewman at both basic and advanced levels. On 30 March 1997, No. 2 FTS was disbanded and was replaced at Shawbury by the
Defence Helicopter Flying School, which now trains helicopter pilots for all three British armed services.
Seventh formation (2014) The school reformed at RAF Syerston on 31 January 2014 and took control of the RAF's
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS) and the Central Gliding School (CGS), previously part of
No. 3 Flying Training School. In April 2014, three months after reforming, all gliding operations were 'paused' due to
airworthiness concerns with the
Grob Viking T1 conventional glider and
Grob Vigilant T1 motorglider. Almost two years later, on 10 March 2016, the
Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced it would relaunch and drastically reduce gliding provision within the
Air Cadet Organisation. The MOD's relaunch was heavily criticised. The nationwide fleet is to be reduced to 73 Viking TX1s and 15 Vigilant T1s, from a former total of 146 aircraft. The VGS listed below disbanded between 2016 and 2018. Headquarters No. 2 FTS was heavily criticised for not communicating the plans to withdraw the Vigilant T1 from service and the restructuring resulting in closure of many volunteer gliding squadrons. Criticism was also voiced with respect to its retention policy of volunteer personnel, management of its contracted maintenance organization, failure to achieve continued airworthiness management organisation approval 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. During 2017,
No. 621 VGS & No. 637 VGS at
Little Rissington, No. 644 VGS at
Syerston and No. 645 VGS at
Topcliffe returned to flying. By February 2019, seven VGS had returned to flight (
No. 621 ,622, 632, 637, 644, 645, and 661). The remaining three squadrons,
No. 614, 615 and 626, are awaiting return to flight, but continue to train cadets on ground school elements and Part Task Trainers. No. 621 VGS and No. 637 VGS were disbanded in 2024 and replaced by a reformed No. 612 VGS at Little Rissington. ==Role and operations==