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Coupled with the new system, pilot training tasks have been
redeployed within the Royal Air Force Training Command and
substantial economies have resulted, partly because the number of
stations in use has been reduced. RAF Oakington closed in December
1974; RAF Church Fenton will be reduced to a relief landing ground by
31 March 1975. In October 1973 all aircrew training, other than
pilot, was combined at RAF Finningley.
20. The past two years have seen the following training aircraft
developments:-
a. the Varsity fixed-wing aircraft and the Sioux
helicopter have been phased out from the pilot training role. With a reduced future
requirement for such aircraft, multi-engine flying
training has been temporarily suspended.
When it is
resumed on a smaller scale, training may be by civil contract. The future of the Jetstream, as a replace- ment for the Varsity in the multi-engine pilot training role is under consideration;
b. the Gazelle helicopter came into service in April 1973
C.
d.
and is being used in the Royal Air Force for the
training of instructors of the three Services;
the re-equipment of the university air squadrons with the Bulldog fixed-wing training aircraft, replacing the Chipmunk, started in September 1973 and is now almost complete;
the proposal contained in the Statement on the Defence
Estimates 1973 (Cmnd. 5231), that the Argosy should
be used to replace the Varsity in the rear crew
training role, has been reconsidered.
Developments
in synthetic ground training aids have shown that
VI-6
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