Air Service Training
Air Service Training LtdAST
Contents
History
In January 1931, the Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Reserve School, formed by J. D. Siddeley to provide aviation training for both civil and military pilots, moved to the former Avro facility at Hamble from Whitley, near Coventry, and became Air Service Training Ltd. (AST). The directors were Air-Marshal Sir John F. A. Higgins, J. D. Siddeley, S.W. Hiscocks, F. P. Scott, and Group-Capt. K. J. F. Barton, who was also Commandant of the School. The School was officially opened on 25 June 1931 with Flt.Lt. H. F. Jenkins as the Chief Instructor. In 1934 an engineering school was formed and, in the same year, AST became part of the Hawker Siddeley group. Flight and engineering training continued up until 1940, when AST became a Civil Repair Organisation (CRO) specializing in Spitfire repairs.
AST resumed civil training in 1947 and the CRO became the AST Aircraft Division, undertaking a variety of civil conversion design and modification. The company submitted a design to Specification T.16/48, eventually won by the Percival Provost. Later, in 1953, the company developed the C.4 high speed gunnery target, limited production of which was undertaken by Brooklands Aviation Ltd.
In 1960, AST was taken over by Airwork Ltd, becoming Airwork Services Training. After a management buy-out in 1988 the Bricom Group of Companies were formed and AST became responsible to the main Board via Bristow Helicopters Limited.
In November 1991, as a result of another management buy-out Air Service Training Limited became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bristow Helicopter Group Limited. With the closure of the AST Flying college, the Aeronautical Engineering College became a wholly owned subsidiary of Perth College UHI in September 1996, when the newly formed company name was changed to Air Service Training (Engineering) Limited.
Company References
- Flight 27 Feb 1931
- Flight 6 Mar 1931
- Flight 5 Jun 1931
- Flight 3 Jul 1931
- Flight 22 Jun 1956
- https://www.airservicetraining.co.uk/about-us/history-of-ast
Project Data
| Project No | Type No | Name | Alternative Name(s) | Year | Spec (Requirement) | Status | Qty | Description | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not Identified | 1948 | T.16/48 (OR.257) | Proj | 0 | 2S, 1E low wing trainer | 2 | |||
| C4 | 1953 | WD1/RDL3 | Prdn | 6 | High speed towed target | 1,3 |
Project References
- Sitting Ducks and Peeping Toms, Michael I. Draper (Air Britain Historians, 2011)
- Teach for the Sky, James Jackson (Hikoki, 2021)
- Flight 2 Sep 1955
Production Details and Type Description
Details unknown
High speed gunnery target capable of being towed at speeds up to Mach .9. The airframe consisted of a metal shell with a Sebalkyd resin filling The 25 ft. span wing consisted of a delta shaped centre section, boiunded by swept fins, outboard of which were swept rectagutar fins. A fixed tricycle undercarriage was fitted.
At least 6 built by Brooklands Aviation Ltd, numbered 1 to 6.
Total Air Service Training Production0
Page Revision History
Revised at Version 2.0.0- Expanded company history.
- C.4 details added here rather than Brooklands.