VT Aerospace - A History Of Military Flight Training

Airwork started its association with Royal Air Force (RAF) flying training in 1936. Before, during, and after World War II Airwork operated many of the RAF Elementary Flying Training Schools, a tradition it has retained up to the present day with the RAF Light Aircraft Flying Task (LAFT).

The Airwork Company opened Heston Airport, Middlesex for Aero Clubs and private aeroplane owners in 1928. In 1936 Airwork opened No. 11 RAF Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School at Perth, Scotland under contract to the Air Ministry. The company built new hangars, classrooms, accommodation and provided aircraft in the form of the legendary DH82 Tiger Moth.

In the war years the Airwork sites at Gatwick, Staverton, Renfrew and Loughborough had a wide variety of Air Ministry contracts. These ranged from the manufacture of Lancaster wings and modifications on Bostons through to the preparation, maintenance and repair of Whitleys, Corsairs, Hellcats, Liberators and Mustangs. By the end of the War the 6,000 Airwork staff had successfully trained 35,000 ab initio pilots, fulfilled a number of modification contracts and repaired over a thousand aircraft.

In the post war period Airwork moved back to Heston. However, Heston's days were numbered as Heathrow was developed and it relocated to Langley Bucks in 1947. Airwork resumed a flying training role providing elementary, RN grading, Volunteer Reserve (VR) and University Air Squadron (UAS) flying training at a number of airfields in the UK, initially using Tiger Moths until the 1950's when the Chipmunk came into service.

By 1959 Airwork had moved its Head Office to its present location at Hurn, Christchurch. Throughout in the 1960's Airwork continued elementary and UAS flying training including training pilots of the Army Air Corps at Middle Wallop and Royal Navy flying grading at Plymouth Airport. The 1970's saw the introduction of the Bulldog, which gradually replaced the much-loved Chipmunk.

Airwork was awarded a contract in 1984 for the operation of No.1 Flying Training School RAF Linton-on-Ouse. It was then equipped with the Bulldog and Jet Provost. The Jet Provost was replaced by the Shorts Tucano in 1989 and these aircraft have been supported by us since 2002 under the Tucano Total Support Programme (TTSP).

Shorts Brothers of Belfast, which had itself been purchased by Bombardier in 1989, acquired Airwork in 1993 and it became known as Bombardier Defence Services Limited. In 1998 it won the RAF's pathfinder PFI the LAFT. VT Group acquired the business in June 2000.

Currently, VT Aerospace is contracted to provide over 70,000 flying training hours each year to the existing Military Flying Training System through the LAFT contract, TTSP and RN Flying Grading.

Under LAFT, VT Aerospace provides a flying training support service capable of delivering up to 50,000 flying hours for Elementary Flying Training (EFT) and Air Experience Flying at the UAS. The service includes all engineering and logistics support. It is delivered at 12 sites around the UK with 94 company owned Grob 115E Tutor aircraft, the aircraft which replaced the Bulldog.

In the TTSP contract we maintain over 70 Tucanos, providing guaranteed aircraft availability of 99.5% of the customer's sorties, for the delivery of over 20,000 flying hours each year to meet the annual task at RAF Linton on Ouse. VT Aerospace also sponsors both the RAF Tucano and Tutor display teams.

Since the 1950s, we have provided a complete flying grading service for the Royal Navy's 727 NAS at Plymouth. Our Qualified Flying Instructors use 5 Grob 115E's and provide some 3,000 flying hours each year.

Looking to the future VT Aerospace intends maintaining it's pre-eminence in military flying training. VT Aerospace has teamed with Lockheed-Martin and as 'Ascent' hopes to have a key role as the MoD's Training System Partner (TSP) shaping the new UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS). This programme covers all aircrew training from the period after selection until the student moves onto his or her operational type.

VT Aerospace is also pursuing the maintenance contract of the French Air Force Airbase 709 at Cognac, near Bordeaux. This has many similarities with the TTSP RAF Linton-on-Ouse contract, except that the aircraft employed is the EADS Socata TB30 Epilson, which is used to deliver ab initio, grading, and intermediate flying training. The Epsilon is also used by the 'Cartouche Dorées' display team.

The UK and the Air Forces of a number of other nations, are facing tough choices with smaller, but more capable fleets, funding pressure and new threats. In this environment training inevitably comes under scrutiny and new ideas are needed.

As a pioneer in contracterised military flying training, with a pedigree going back to 1936, VT Aerospace feels able to offer cost effective turnkey solutions based on positive training outcomes. Our experience in contracterisation can allow Air Forces to skip a generation in training provision and make substantial savings in the process.

What to know more?

Contact adrian.thomson@vtplc.com