User:OneCable/1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School

The lineage of 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (1 CFFTS) can be traced back through previous similarly named Canadian military pilot flying schools - No. 1 Service Flying Training School (No. 1 SFTS), 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS), and the Flight Instructor School (FIS).

Although military pilot training in Canada dates back to early years of the 20th century, the modern RCAF/CAF pilot training organization got its start in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) with the formation of Service Flying Training Schools one of which, No. 1 Service Flying Training School (No. 1 SFTS) at Camp Borden, Ontario, eventually evolved into 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (1 CFFTS). Other trades used the number 1 in their school names, but these schools were distinguished by their particular trade, i.e. No. 1 Air Observer School and No. 1 Air Navigation School. Pilot training schools were distinguished by the use of the word “Flying” in the school’s name.

1 (Flying Training School) FTS was formed on the 16th of September, 1945 at Centralia, Ontario, as a pilot training school which, on July 11, 1952 started training pilots using the deHavilland Chipmunk aircraft. The school trained Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pilots until the school disbanded on March 6, 1957.

1 FTS was reactivated on 31 Aug 1965. On 23 Jul 1970 it combined with the Flight Instructor School (FIS) to become 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (1 CFFTS) with the role of advanced pilot training. On 9 Nov 1970, 1 CFFTS flying instructors converted to the CF5 tactical fighter trainer and on July 22nd 1 CFFTS moved to Cold Lake, Alberta. At this time, pilot candidates could expect to advance from 3 CFFTS to 2 CFFTS, then finish at 1 CFFTS, mimicking the RAF pilot training philosophy adopted by the RCAF of three separate stages of pilot training – elementary, intermediate and advanced.

On 10 Sep 1977 1 CFFTS was renamed 419 (Tactical) Fighter Training Squadron carrying on 1 CFFTS’ historic role of advanced pilot training.