Affinity Flying Training Services Ltd (Affinity) has received a circa £65million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) for the operation of four additional Texan T-6C aircraft over a 12-year period. The addition and operation of the new aircraft will provide increased training support......
On 11th August, Iain Chalmers, Managing Director, was delighted to welcome Tom Hammoor, President of Textron Aviation Defense, and senior colleagues from Wichita, at RAF Valley to discuss support for the Texan T Mk1...
On Friday 23rd July, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills Gillian Keegan visited Affinity Flying Services Ltd’s hangar at RAF Valley, along with Virginia Crosbie, Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn. Virginia and Gillian met with Iain Chalmers, Managing Director and Accountable......
Youngsters from the William Alvey Primary School in Sleaford paid a visit to Affinity Flying Services Limited on Tuesday 6th July 2021. As part of the Education Business Partnership (EBP), Affinity Flying Services Limited chose to sponsor the William Alvey School in Sleaford, and the......
Phenom Qualified Flying Instructor Flt Lt Nigel Johnson and his good friend Dean Maratty of the RAF Air Safety Investigation Team have successfully completed their epic challenge of completing 9 triathlons in 9 days, covering a total of 1,000 miles. They are aiming to raise......
Following the success of the Lincoln Knights sculpture trail in 2018, the Lincoln BID have reignited the initiative with sculptures in the form of an Imp, an image synonymous with Lincoln. The walking route trail was launched at the city’s famous Cathedral Quarter on Friday......
Mal Craghill and Martin Wintermeyer, two RAF Tornado veterans, are three-quarters of the way through the first leg of their Tornado Tribute Tour of England, a 690-mile fundraising bike ride from Cornwall to Tyne and Wear in tribute to those killed in the Gulf War......
Following the success of the Lincoln Knights sculpture trail in 2018, the Lincoln BID have reignited the initiative, and this time the sculptures are in the form of an Imp, the image synonymous with Lincoln. The walking route trail will see a trail of over......
On Friday 28th May 2021, Dr Caroline Johnson MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham visited Affinity Flying Training Services based at RAFC Cranwell. Affinity is responsible for delivering the fixed-wing training aircraft for the UK MOD’s Military Flying Training System programme (MFTS). Affinity has three......
At Affinity we believe in supporting our local communities, and after a turbulent year we know how important it is to support those in need. Each year we ask our employees to nominate a charity that means something to them and is close to their......
This year commemorates and celebrates the centenary of No 3 Flying Training School (3FTS) at RAFC Cranwell and in its honour a portrait has been commissioned by aviation artist Ronald Wong named ‘100 Years – Duty Carried out’. The painting aims to capture the essence......
Today Affinity celebrate 5 years in operation. In February 2016, Affinity and the MOD signed the Fixed Wing Training Package Contract in support of the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS). We had an ambitious goal of delivering all aircraft by November 2018, and with......
This year has been a difficult one for us all, but for some it has been made even more difficult due to limited access to local food banks, support groups and community help. There have been lots of amazing volunteering groups who have gone out......
Fantastic to see the four Texan T1 aircraft land at RAF Valley this morning. The four Texan T1 basic training aircraft have arrived at their new home RAF Valley. The additional aircraft reflect an expansion of the capacity of the UK Military Flying Training System......
History was made at RAF Valley recently with the first student pilot graduating from Basic Flying Training in the new Texan T1 aircraft. RAF Valley is now home to two-thirds of fast jet pilot training for the RAF and RN. First up is Basic Flying......
At the end of June, our teams took part in the Big Brew Up to raise money for SSAFA as part of Armed Forces Week. SSAFA are the Armed Forces charity which has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885.......
To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day on the 23rd June, we spoke to two of our female colleagues at Cranwell who are part of the Engineering and Operations team at Affinity Flying Services. Louise, one of our Shift leader/Aircraft technicians leads a team of......
Across our sites this week we joined forces with a number of Military and Ascent personnel to pay tribute to the wonderful work the NHS, carers and keyworkers are doing to protect us from COVID19....
At Affinity we believe we have the power to work for good in the communities we serve. We believe in supporting these communities. Each year we ask our employees to nominate a charity that means something to them and is close to their heart. At......
Under a landmark partnering programme with the MoD, Affinity Flying Services supplies and contracts to Ascent to support three fleets of aircraft within the Military Flying Training System. The UKMFTS is a modern, collaborative and streamlined flight training solution replacing separate fixed-wing and rotary training......
On the 4th February, Iain Chalmers, Affinity Managing Director lectured to the Royal Aeronautical Society MoD Boscombe Down branch. The lecture covered how Affinity supports the UK Military Flying Training System and how we are looking at developing engineers as they embark on their career......
RAF Valley reached a significant milestone in the delivery of military fast jet training recently with the first flight of a student pilot in the new Texan T1 aircraft. The Texan T1 is a tandem-seat turboprop aircraft, equipped with the latest digital glass cockpit and......
Sunday 22nd September saw the first ever Ride4JET commencing from RAF Cranwell. This 50/80 mile cycle challenge saw the riders tackle the country lanes of rural Lincolnshire, with the finish line back at RAF Cranwell. Hundreds of riders took part and helped raise vital funding......
TEXAN FLYING TRAINING STARTS AT RAF VALLEY Iain Chalmers, Managing Director at Affinity commented: “The arrival of students at RAF Valley to fly the Texan marks a major milestone in the UKMFTS fixed wing programme. We are delighted to be a part of such an......
Congratulations to Fg Off James Bell who on the 18th September became the 100th student to complete Elementary Flying Training on the Grob Prefect. The mixed-profile sortie consisted General Handling, Navigation and Instrument Flying around north Lincolnshire and the Trent valley, including a practice diversion......
We recently had the opportunity to host a group of graduates from our Join Venture partners KBR, at our Affinity Head Office based at RAF Cranwell. KBR partner with government and industry clients to provide purposeful and comprehensive solutions with an emphasis on efficiency and......
We recently had a fantastic opportunity to host a student from The Air League Engineering Scholarship at Affinity Flying Services, Cranwell. The scheme provides an annual programme of engineering scholarships offering one or two-week work placements with some of the UK’s leading aerospace companies or......
Few air show events can rival The Royal International Air Tattoo and this years did not disappoint. We had a busy three days and the sun eventually shone down us. Pictured below are some of the Affinity team and UKMFTS aircrew alongside the Embraer Phenom......
Over the last two months Affinity has teamed up with the Jon Egging Trust to offer a group of ten 17-year-old students from the JET Inspirational Outreach programme the opportunity to take part in a programme of Employability Workshops. The three lessons provided the students......
This year RAFC Cranwell will assist with the final selection element for the Flying Scholarships for Disabled People (FSDP). The scholarships were created in 1983 in memory of Gp Capt Sir Douglas Bader and it gives a once in a lifetime opportunity for disabled people......
For 2019, Affinity have partnered with The Jon Egging Trust (JET) to help raise awareness of the charity and help raise vital funds. The charity aim to help young people achieve their true potential. JET was set up in honour of Flt Lt Jon......
The first RAF Texan takes to the skies above RAF Valley – three years after commencing its delivery programme to the RAF, the Affinity team from Elbit Systems UK and KBR is proud to announce it is now operating three aircraft types from three RAF......
Affinity Flying Training Services Limited is delighted to announce that it has taken delivery of the 38th, and final, fixed wing aircraft to be purchased in support of the UK Military Flying Training System. The Texan T6C aircraft landed at RAF Valley on the 3rd......
Affinity are very proud supporters of the Chief of the Air Staff’s RAF100 message, particularly as he chose to film in it our hangar. With a Prefect directly behind him and a Phenom to one side, Sir Stephen Hillier delivered his piece to camera at......
Affinity are pleased to announce delivery of the fifth Embraer Phenom 100, which will be used to deliver Multi Engine Pilot Training as part of the future UK Military Flying Training System. The Phenom completed an 8,500nm journey from Embraer’s headquarters in Brazil to RAF......
A number of the Affinity team are supporting Movember this year by appearing clean-shaven on the 1st of November and cultivating their chosen moustache style until the 30th November, on which date a local winner – through mass opinion – shall be chosen. Most of......
Affinity Flying Training have taken delivery of another pair of Grob 120TP Prefects today, continuing the ramp up of aircraft delivery to the UK Military Flying Training System in partnership with Ascent Flight Training, the MODs appointed Training Service Partner. In preparation for students starting......
This afternoon Affinity’s third Embraer Phenom 100 arrived at RAF Cranwell right on schedule. The aircraft is the latest addition to the Multi Engine Pilot Training fleet that will be used by Ascent Flight Training to deliver the new UK Military Flying Training System across......
Affinity are delighted to take delivery of a further two Prefect aircraft this afternoon, continuing to build the fleet of Elementary Flying Training aircraft for Ascent Flight Training to deliver the UK Military Flying Training System. The Prefect fleet have already begun flying with Ascent,......
Affinity is pleased to announce that the second Phenom 100 aircraft has arrived in the UK this afternoon. The Phenom will be used for Multi-Engine Pilot Training as part of the UK Military Flying training System, which is managed by Ascent Flight Training in Partnership......
Affinity features on this edition’s cover of Flight International along with an article detailing the ramp up of aircraft and service provision as part of the UK Military Flying System. In a partnering approach, Affinity are providing the aircraft and servicing component to Ascent’s overall training service......