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#3
27-05-10, 06:49 PM
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2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2CFFTS) – “The Big 2”
What is 2 CFFTS and what is its history? 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School was formed 16 September 1945 at the RCAF Station in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, originally as No. 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS). Following four months of operation it was reduced to "care and maintenance" status, but was reformed in December 1950, at the RCAF Station in Gimli, Manitoba. At Gimli, "The Big 2's" role was to provide flying training for students from Canada and other NATO countries. In 1953, with the introduction of an Advanced flying syllabus using the new T-33 Jet Trainer, 2 FTS moved to the RCAF Station in Moose Jaw. While the Advanced course flew the new jet trainer, 2 FTS continued to fly the Harvard as a basic trainer, graduating 2,058 students from a number of six-month courses prior to the retirement of the aircraft. Following their graduation from 2 FTS, students proceeded to the Advanced Flying Schools prior to receiving their wings. 1964 marked the entry of 2 FTS into the jet age with the introduction of the Canadair CT-114 Tutor, operated by "A", "B" and "C" Flights as a basic trainer. Dragon ("D") Flight flew the T-33 Advanced Trainer, upon which students completed their training to wings standard. In 1970, the one-base training scheme ended and "The Big 2" reverted to a Basic Flying Training School. Advanced Training was carried out by 1 AFTS at Gimli and later at Cold Lake, and in 1974 the "T-Bird" was retired from the training role. When the CF-5 was found to be an unsuitable replacement, the Tutors of the recently redesigned 2 CFFTS were pressed into additional service as advanced trainers. Following the retirement of the Tutors as trainers in 2000, the "Big 2" continues to train pilots as part of the NATO Flying Training in Canada program with the CT-156 Harvard II and CT-155 Hawk aircraft. The Big 2 has a long and proud tradition of producing the best pilots possible, an achievement signified by its motto: "The Best in the West". www.forces.gc.ca
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"There truly exists but one perfect order: that of cemeteries. The dead never complain and they enjoy their equality in silence." - “There are things we know that we know,” “There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know.” Donald Rumsfeld, before the Iraqi Invasion,2003. Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese. 
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#5
03-06-13, 04:43 PM
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No 2 FTS Gimli
Jacket badge from 2 FTS. 1951/52
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