Historical Periods
Both men and women have been taught to fly from the earliest days of aviation right up to the present day.
The aircraft have changed and the methods of teaching have progressed with the experience of pupils learning to fly varying over time.
For those serving in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force the way in which they have been taught to fly has been greatly influenced by when they learnt.
Click on the links below to learn more about pilot training during particular time periods.
- Historical Periods: Pioneering Years
- Historical Periods: First World War flying training
- Historical Periods: Inter-War flying training
- Historical Periods: Second World War flying training
- Historical Periods: Post-War flying training 1946-1969
- Historical Periods: Modern flying training 1970-present
Can you help?
We would like to add first-hand accounts of flying training to the Museum’s Archive collection. Did you learn to fly during the Post-War or Modern period? If so, we would love to hear from you. If you’d like to help do email us: askcollections@rafmuseum.org