(FSS) Flying Selection Squadron
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(FSS) Flying Selection Squadron
Met an ex member of FSS, Swinderby yesterday who said it was the best, most cost effective Training System the RAF ever had. Anyone out there who was a staff member or knew how it worked?
I'm sure he won't mind me quoting him, but Dan Winterland posted this on another thread:
The Flying Selection Squadron was formed for flying grading in about 1978 aimed for pilots who had done less than 30 hours flying (i.e hadn't done a RAF flying scholarship or held a PPL). The candidates did a 14 hour course with tests at 7 and 14 hours. Unlike the Navy course, they didn't go solo. In 1985, it was decided to give the students a 65 hour course which included solo time, IF, nav and formation. They then went to Cranwell to do the short course the graduate students from UASs did. This was some 30 hours shorter than the full basic course, all flown on the JP5. In about 1988, the experimental long course on the Chipmunk was made official and the unit was renamed the Elementary Flying Trining Squadron. The course had reduced to 54 hours and the students went on to any of the three FTSs, but still doing the short course. The last course was in early 1993 and I could check my logbook to see who was the last taildragger trained student. But I can confirm that I was the last QFI in the RAF to train on a taildragger.
A former colleague told me he passed FSS by hardly looking out of the window at all. He just watched the stick as the instructor demo'ed something, then replicated the movements.
He subsequently became a FJ display pilot, though he was looking out of the window by then.
He subsequently became a FJ display pilot, though he was looking out of the window by then.
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Yep ... Mk1a Outer ... silver 
Surprised that the head could be turned wearing that modern clobber ... especially in the front cockpit of a Chipmunk
Certainly the old Mk2 with it's G Bar weren't supposed to be used in a Chipmunk ISTR.
Surprised that the head could be turned wearing that modern clobber ... especially in the front cockpit of a Chipmunk
Certainly the old Mk2 with it's G Bar weren't supposed to be used in a Chipmunk ISTR.
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 30th Jun 2013 at 09:55.
An intriguing photo indeed - the second variant of the Red/White/Lt Grey scheme, but with red wingroot panels (they should be grey with this scheme).
Last edited by Dora-9; 30th Jun 2013 at 11:31.
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Subsequent conversations with QFIs who had been on the staff during both incarnations of the unit revealed that they, unsurprisingly, far preferred the EFTS version. FSS forced them to assess only, with no time for any actual instruction.
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I'll also take a punt on John Lloyd, and the chap 5 in from the left looks a lot like Ron Powell, subsequently boss of ULAS. Not sure if he spent any time at Swinderby though...
I went through FSS as a student in 1983. Monkey-see, monkey-do with little/no teaching at all. It seemed to me to be a way to weed out those who had managed to slip through OASC but were never going to master flying.
Cheap & fun. Only ground-looped the old girl on trip 14!
My Friend Fred Has Hairy Balls!
Cheap & fun. Only ground-looped the old girl on trip 14!
My Friend Fred Has Hairy Balls!