No. 1 Flying Training School RAF

No. 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS) is the oldest military pilot training school in the world.

First formation
On 23 December 1919, 1 FTS was officially formed by renaming the Netheravon Flying School, which had been formed on 29 July 1919 at Netheravon in Wiltshire, England, out of the 2nd incarnation of No. 8 Training Squadron, which in its turn had been formed on 15 May 1919 out of No. 8 Training Depot Station, all at Netheravon. During this part of its service life 1 FTS and its predecessors flew aircraft such as the Airco DH.9A, the Avro 504, the Bristol F.2 Fighter, the Sopwith Snipe. 1 FTS was disbanded on 1 February 1931, part of its tasks (the training of FAA officers) had since 15 February 1928 already been taken over by RAF Leuchars.

Second formation
The second incarnation of 1 FTS occurred at RAF Leuchars on 1 April 1935, tasked with training Royal Navy officers for the Fleet Air Arm. On 26 August 1938, the unit returned to its birthplace, at RAF Netheravon, and on 1 September 1939 it was renamed No. 1 Service Flying Training School, but disbanded on 7 March 1942, when Netheravon was required for Army Cooperation Command use. Aircraft flown in this period included the Fairey IIIF, Hawker Hart, Westland Wapiti, Hawker Hind, Hawker Audax, de Havilland Tiger Moth, North American Harvard, Fairey Battle and Miles Master.

Third formation
Post the Second World War, 1 FTS was briefly reconstituted by the renaming of No. 17 Flying Training School on 18 June 1947 at RAF Spitalgate. The school had Relief Landing Grounds at RAF Folkingham between 28 July 1947 and August 1947 and RAF Bottesford after that, but disbanded again on 25 February 1948. Aircraft flown in this period were the de Havilland Tiger Moth and the North American Harvard

Fourth formation
RAF Oakington saw the fifth incarnation of 1 FTS, wen it was reformed once again on 1 December 1950 with the North American Harvard T.2B. On 31 October 1951 the school had completely moved to RAF Moreton-in-Marsh and had been given Percival Prentice T.1s, but disbanded once again on 20 April 1955.

Fifth formation
On 1 May 1955 No. 22 Flying Training School at RAF Syerston was renamed to 1 FTS and flew the Percival Provost T.1, de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 and de Havilland Vampire T.11, moving to RAF Linton-on-Ouse on 18 November 1957. Initially equipped with Vampire T.11 and Provost trainers, 1 FTS re-equipped with the BAC Jet Provost T.3 from 1961. The unit's tie to the Jet Provost continued with the Jet Provost T.4 and the pressurised Jet Provost T.5, until 1989 with the introduction of the Shorts Tucano T.1.

From 1 April 1995, 1 FTS absorbed the Central Flying School (CFS) and No 6 Flying Training School (6 FTS) Tucano elements, including No. 72 (Reserve) Squadron RAF (72 (R) Sqn) and No. 207 (Reserve) Squadron RAF (207 (R) Sqn).

The school marked its 90th anniversary in July 2009 with a flypast of Tucano aircraft over York Minster and other events at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

1 FTS is currently stationed at RAF Linton-on-Ouse with the purpose of the basic training of pilots and navigators for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, flying 78 Tucano aircraft.