Royal Air Force Cranwell or more simply RAF Cranwell (ICAO: EGYD) is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England, close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. Among other functions, it is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which trains the RAF's new officers and Aircrew. The motto, Altium Altrix, meaning "Nurture the highest" appears above the main doors of the Officers Mess.[4] RAF Cranwell is currently commanded by Group Captain Joanne Campbell.[5]

RAF Cranwell
Near Cranwell, Lincolnshire in England
College Hall at Royal Air Force College Cranwell
Alitum Altrix (Latin for 'Nurture the Winged')[1]
RAF Cranwell Shown within Lincolnshire
Coordinates	53°01′49″N 000°29′00″W
Type	Training station
Area	700 hectares (1,700 acres)[2]
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	No. 22 Group (Training)
Condition	Operational
Website	https://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcollegecranwell/
Site history
Built	1916 (1916)
In use	1916–1918 (Royal Naval Air Service) 1918 – present (Royal Air Force)
Garrison information
Current commander	Group Captain Joanne Campbell
Occupants	RAF College Cranwell Central Flying School HQ No. 3 Flying Training School No. 45 Squadron No. 57 Squadron No. 703 Naval Air Squadron (operates from RAF Barkston Heath) HQ No. 6 Flying Training School East Midlands Universities Air Squadron No. 7 Air Experience Flight See Based units section for full list.
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: EGYD, WMO: 03379
Elevation	67.7 metres (222 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 09/27 2,082 metres (6,831 ft) asphalt/concrete 01/19 1,462 metres (4,797 ft) asphalt/concrete 08N/26N 761 metres (2,497 ft) grass 08S/26S 761 metres (2,497 ft) grass
Source: UK MIL AIP Cranwell[3]

History

The history of military aviation at Cranwell goes back to November 1915,[6] when the Admiralty requisitioned 2,500 acres (10 km²) of land from the Marquess of Bristol's estate.[6] On 1 April 1916, the "Royal Naval Air Service Training Establishment, Cranwell" was officially born.[6]

In 1917 a dedicated railway station was established for the RNAS establishment on a new single track branch line from Sleaford, the train being known as The Cranwell Flyer.[7]

With the establishment of the Royal Air Force as an independent service in 1918, the RNAS Training Establishment became RAF Cranwell.[8] The Royal Air Force College Cranwell was formed on 1 November 1919 as the RAF (Cadet) College.[9]

Role and operations

Royal Air Force College

Cranwell is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which overseas all RAF phase 1 Training. The RAF Officer Training Academy (RAFOTA) is the sub organisation of the RAFC which trains the RAFs new officers on a 24-week modularised initial officer training course (MIOTC), after which they are dispersed to their Phase II training for specific branch instruction. It is thus the RAF equivalent of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst or the Britannia Royal Naval College.[10]

RAF Recruitment

The station is home to the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC), where all applicants to the RAF as Officers or non-commissioned aircrew, are put through a rigorous selection process.[11]

Headquarters Central Flying School

HQ CFS has been located at RAF Cranwell since 1995 when it moved from RAF Scampton. The Central Flying School currently trains all RAF QFI flying instructors.[12]

No. 3 Flying Training School

Cranwell is home to the headquarters of No. 3 Flying Training School (No. 3 FTS). The school provides elementary flying training for fixed wing and multi-engine student pilots from the RAF and Fleet Air Arm through No. 57 (Reserve) Squadron and No. 703 Naval Air Squadron. The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) operates the Grob Prefect T1 in this role. Although nominally based at Cranwell, elementary training largely takes place at nearby RAF Barkston Heath.[13] After elementary training, aircrews streamed to fly multi-engine aircraft and rear-seat roles are trained by No. 45(R) Squadron, which operate five Embraer Phenom 100.[14]

On 16 January 2018, the Skyes Building was opened at Cranwell by Air Marshal Sean Reynolds, the Deputy Commander Capability and Senior Responsible Owner of the UKMFTS. The building acts as a UKMFTS operational support building and is used to train new RAF pilots. It was named after Air-Vice Marshal Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes, a British military officer and politician who served during the First World War.[15]

Air Cadets

Since the mid-1990s, Cranwell has been home to Headquarters, Air Cadets, and the Air Cadet Organisation's Adult Training Facility.[16]

Based units

The following notable flying and non-flying units are based at RAF Cranwell.[17]

Royal Air Force

• No. 22 Group (Training) RAF
  • RAF College Cranwell
    • Royal Air Force Officer Training Academy (RAF OTA)
    • Recruiting and Selection
    • Tedder Academy
  • Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering (DCAE)
    • Officer Training
  • Central Flying School
    • Central Flying School Headquarters
  • No. 3 Flying Training School
    • No. 3 Flying Training School Headquarters
    • No. 45 Squadron – Embraer Phenom T1
    • No. 57 Squadron – Grob Prefect T1
  • No. 6 Flying Training School
    • No. 6 Flying Training School Headquarters
    • East Midlands Universities Air Squadron – Grob Tutor T1
    • No. 7 Air Experience Flight – Grob Tutor T1
• Royal Air Force Air Cadets Headquarters
• No. 2 Group (Air Combat Support) RAF
  • No. 8 RAF Force Protection Wing
    • No. 5 RAF Police Squadron
    • RAF Police Specialist Investigations Branch (North)
• No. 38 Group (Air Combat Service Support) RAF
  • RAF Music Services
    • The Band of the Royal Air Force College
    • The Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
• RAF Air Warfare Centre
  • Air Warfare School
• Other RAF Units
  • RAF Disclosures

Civilian

• RAF Cranwell Flying Club
• Cranwell Gliding Club

See also

• List of Royal Air Force stations
• Cranwell Light Aeroplane Club
• RAF Harlaxton – satellite airfield of Cranwell during the 1940s and 1950s

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore. 1981. Action Stations Vol.2: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands ISBN 978-1-85260-405-9

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RAF Cranwell.

• Official website
• Cranwell Gliding Club
• UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Cranwell (EGYD)

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