No. 2 Flying Training School RAAF

No. 2 Flying Training School RAAF
No. 2 FTS Pilatus PC-21 in 2018
Active1952–68 (No. 1 AFTS)
1969–current (No. 2 FTS)
AllegianceAustralia
BranchRoyal Australian Air Force
RoleAdvanced flying training
Part ofAir Training Wing
Garrison/HQRAAF Base Pearce
Motto(s)"Seek the Heights"[1]
AircraftPilatus PC-21

No. 2 Flying Training School (No. 2 FTS) is the main flying training school of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Formed under its present name in 1969, it is located at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia. The unit operates a fleet of Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainers. No. 2 FTS traces its origins to the post-war re-establishment of the Air Force's original cadet training unit, No. 1 Flying Training School (No. 1 FTS), at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria, in 1947. Following reorganisation of aircrew training in 1951–52, No. 1 FTS was renamed No. 1 Applied Flying Training School (No. 1 AFTS), and began specialising in advanced flight instruction on CAC Wirraways. It relocated to RAAF Base Pearce in 1958, where it converted to De Havilland Vampire jet trainers. In January 1969, the school was reformed as No. 2 FTS, having the previous year begun replacing the Vampires with Macchi MB-326Hs. The Macchis were themselves replaced by the PC-9 beginning in 1989.