From Observers to Navigators

Canadian pilots in the Royal Flying Corps

Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...

 (RFC) learned rudimentary navigation during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, but separate observer schools were not introduced until 1918. Right up until the outbreak of World War II there was still no category of air observer in the Royal Canadian Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...

 (RCAF).

World War II

Royal Canadian Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...

 specialty navigator training started in March 1942 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...

  1 Air Navigation Schools (1 ANS) moved to Rivers, Manitoba from Trenton, Ontario in November, 1940, and 2 ANS started in Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick in 1941. The two Air Navigation Schools, 1 ANS and 2 ANS, amalgamated on May 11, 1942 to form Central Navigation School. In early 1944 two other schools, 2 ANS and 3 ANS (re)opened. Central Navigation School disbanded on September 15, 1945.

Post War

Central Navigation School was re-formed at Summerside, P.E.I., on August 1, 1951, and then moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1954.

In August 1967, CNS and Central Flying School (CFS) joined as Central Flying and Navigation School (CFNS) training both flying and navigation. In November 1968 navigator training was again separated from flying training, and became the specialty of the Canadian Forces Air Navigation School (CFANS).

In the early 21st century, CFANS expanded its role to include the training of Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators (AESOP).

Present

On June 26, 2009 CFANS adopted the name of the Canadian Forces advanced pilot training school, 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School

1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School

The lineage of 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School can be traced back through previous similarly named Canadian military pilot flying schools - No. 1 Service Flying Training School The lineage of 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (1 CFFTS) can be traced back through previous similarly...

(1 CFFTS), inheriting the histories of both advanced flying training and navigator training.