Department-provided airfield services

2. 17 The Department provides the airfields and associated facilities such as air traffic control and refuelling. It has experienced difficulties providing these on training sites. For example, runway resurfacing at RAF Cranwell meant less elementary flying training between June and November 2018, and Ascent had to amend its training programme. Similar issues were also experienced at RAF Valley, affecting advanced jet training.

2.18 The Department does not have enough air traffic controllers at RAF Cranwell, RAF Shawbury and RAF Valley, where training hours have been reduced as a result. In addition, at RAF Barkston Heath, where 11 of the 23 MFTS elementary flying training aircraft are based, poor air traffic controller availability has meant restricted or no flying hours one day per week. The Department told us it expects improvements during 2019 after recently contracting for a new provider of air traffic control services.

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Figure 11

Military Flying Training System (MFTS) aircraft availability, April to June 2019

Aircraft availability has been below expected levels

Note

1 Basic jet training has not yet been fully introduced. The number of Texan aircraft required per day will increase to eight once training operating fully. Aircraft are currently being used to train instructors.

Source: National Audit Office analysis of Ascent data
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