Flying duty codes.

[l.garey]

There is currently a thread asking about flying training duty codes in WWII. Centaurus posted a list (copied below) of RAAF codes of the 1950s from AP3225. As my question relates to this response, which is post-war, I thought it advisable to start a new thread. I have checked my logbook for the 1960s and find some differences from those given by Centaurus, so I wonder if anyone has AP3225, or any other source, to see if these codes changed over the years. Or maybe the RAAF had a different set of codes.

To quote Centaurus:
From my RAAF Log book 16 April 1952.
Sequences of Instruction as per A.P. 3225
1. Familiarisation
2. Preparation for flight.
3. Air Experience.
4. Effects of Controls.
5. Control of aircraft on the ground.
6. Straight and level.
7. Climbing and Descending.
8. Stalling.
9. Turning.
10. Spinning,
11. Take off and climb downwind position.
12. Approach and landing.
13. First solo.
14. Consolidation Period.
15. Instrument/Weather Procedure.
16. Low flying.
17. Forced landings.
18. Aerobatics.
19. Night Flying.
20. Pilot Navigation.
21. Formation Flying.

My first few flights were 4 to 9, so that would figure. But I see that I did 10 on my 4th flight. I wonder at spinning so early. Then afterwards there was a lot of 12,13, which I recall to be circuits. My first solo was also 12,13, with no special code for that great event. 18 would figure for aerobatics. I think 22 was formation. 19 was instrument flying. 20 was night.

So does anyone have such lists? And do these codes still apply today?

Thanks, Laurence

[JW411]

1960/61; No.6 FTS Piston Provost

Very similar but only goes from 1 -18.

[Chris Scott]

Hi l.garey,

I was civilian-trained from scratch in the UK at A.S.T. Perth (Scone) 1966 (see eponymous thread), and I did spinning from a glide on my fourth flight, having done stalling from a glide on the same flight. The codes used by the school were 10G and 8G respectively. My first take-off and landing came on the fifth flight (school codes 11 & 12).

[binbrook]

In RAF training in the 50s stalling (8) and spinning (11), both underlined in red in the logbook, were taught before first solo (13). At some point common sense prevailed and spinning was covered after solo consolidation as part of the introduction to aeros. Another exercise must have been added as well because C & L, which had been 11 and 12, became 12 and 13. Anyone know what?

[l.garey]

Thanks for your replies so far. Following my question about these codes, I went back to my logbooks. I had forgotten that I had transcribed my RAF flights into my civilian logbook, using words rather than numbers. It transpires that, at least when I trained in the early 1960s, the following were used:
4-9: familiarisation and basic handling
10: stalls
11: spins
12,13: circuits (take-off and landing)
14: I could not find
15: steep turns
16: low flying
17: forced landing
18: aerobatics
19: instrument flying
20: night flying
21: navigation
22: formation flying

So in a way I answered my own question, but I wonder how changes were made over time, and whether there were variations according to unit and aircraft type.

Are numerical codes still in use in the RAF?

Laurence