No. 3 Flying Training School RAF
| No. 3 Flying Training School | |
|---|---|
| Active | 26 Apr 1920 - 1 Apr 1922 2 Apr 1928 - 3 Sept 1939 3 Sept 1939 - 1 Mar 1942 17 Dec 1945 – 9 Apr 1947 9 Apr 1947 - 31 May 1958 15 Sept 1961 - Dec 1966 Dec 1966 - 26 Apr 1984 1 Feb 1989 - present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Base | RAF Cranwell |
| Aircraft |
Beechcraft Super King Air Grob Tutor T1 |
No. 3 Flying Training School is a Royal Air Force military training school, which manages elementary flying training for all three Armed Forces in the UK and also for the training of all non-pilot aircrew for the RAF and is home to the CFS Tutor Squadron.
Although the school is nominally based at RAFC Cranwell, only the multi-engine pilots fly from this aerodrome, with the Navy and Army elements based at the nearby RAF Barkston Heath and the remaining trainee pilots based at RAF Wittering.
No 3 FTS was first formed at Scopwick (later renamed RAF Digby) on 26 April 1920 from No 59 Training Squadron in No 3 Group. It was transferred to No 1 Group on 31 Aug 1921 but disbanded on 1 April 1922
The school reformed at RAF Spitalgate near Grantham on 1 April 1928, equipped with Avro 504Ns and Armstrong Whitworth Siskins, which were later replaced by Avro Tutors, Armstrong Whitworth Atlases and Hawker Harts
On 16 August 1937 the school relocated to RAF South Cerney, becoming No 3 Service Flying Training School on 3 September 1939, where it remained until being redesignated No 3 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit on 1 March 1942. By the outbreak of war the school was operating Harts and Airspeed Oxfords but on 24 June 1940 it became a Group II school, specialising on twin engined training using Oxfords. During this part of its life, the school used a number of relief landing grounds including Stormy Down, Bibury, Long Newnton and Wanborough. With the end of the war No 3 (P) AFU was redesignated No 3 SFTS again on 17 December 1945 and was now equipped with Harvards. On 24 April 1946 the school moved to RAF Feltwell and on 9 April 1947, its title reverted to No 3 FTS and continued to operate from here until 31 May 1958 by which time it was using the Percival Provost T Mk 1.
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