TNAG-0538-FCO40-633-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 175

CONFIDENTIAL

3RD DRAFT

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 March 1975. In October 1973 all aircrew training, other than

pilot, was combined at RAF Finningley.

19. The past two years have seen the following training aircraft

developments:-

2.

b.

C.

the Varsity 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, is under consideration;

the Gazelle helicopter came into service in April 1973

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, replacing the Chipmunk, started in

September 1973 and is now almost complete;

d. 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

CONFIDENTIAL