No. 2 Flying Training School RAF
| No. 2 Flying Training School | |
|---|---|
| Active | 26 Apr 1920 - 15 Dec 1933 1 Oct 1934 - 3 Sept 1939 3 Sept 1939 - 14 Mar 1942 23 Jul 1947 - 1 May 1952 1 Feb 1953 - Dec 1966 Dec 1966 - 16 Jan 1970 16 Jan 1970 - 2 Dec 1974 31 Mar 1976 - 30 Mar 1997 31 Jan 2014 - |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Base | RAF Syerston |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Verbum sat Sapienti ("A word to the wise is sufficient") |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Gp Capt John Middleton RAFR |
| Notable commanders |
Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder |
No.2 Flying Training School is a Flying Training School (FTS) of the Royal Air Force. It is part of No.22 (Training) Group that delivers flying training to the UK Air Training Corps. Its Headquarters is located at Royal Air Force Syerston, Nottinghamshire. The Royal Air Force Central Gliding School and 25 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons sit under its command. No.2 FTS is also the operating authority for RAF Little Rissington and RAF Kenley. Throughout its history, No.2 FTS has had various roles including being the first military flying school to use jet-powered aircraft throughout pilot training.
No 2 FTS was first formed in No. 3 Group RAF on 26 April 1920 from No 31 Training Squadron with a special flight attached to carry out research for the Professor of Aeronautical Services at Cambridge University. At the end of August 1921 it was transferred to No. 1 Group RAF but returned to No 3 Group on 1 July 1923. Initially equipped with Avro 504Ks and Ns for basic training it used Airco DH.9As, Bristol F2Bs and Sopwith Snipes for service training, the 504s were eventually replaced by the Avro Tutor and Armstrong Whitworth Siskins and Gloster Grebes replaced the Snipes. The school ceased operations on 29 July 1933 and disbanded on 15 December at RAF Digby, where it had moved on 30 Jun 1924.
The school reformed on 1 October 1934 in No. 23 Group RAF at its previous home of Digby, now equipped with Tutors for basic training and Hawker Harts and Furies for the service training phase. In 1936 Hawker Audaxes were added and in September 1937 the school moved to RAF Brize Norton 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 and to the end it was equipped with Harvards and Airspeed Oxfords.
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