the elementary flying training role. Aircraft and support are provided by a civilian contractor, Ascent Flight Training, as part of the UK Military Flying Training System contract. Ascent also provides a significant proportion of the instructional staff, the Air Traffic Control service is provided by NATS Solutions Ltd, Affinity provide engineering personnel and other Station support personnel are provided by NBC and the MoD. Although the school trains Fleet Air Arm crews, it is under the command of the RAF's No. 3 Flying Training School, based at nearby RAF Cranwell. 703 Naval Air Squadron 703 NAS trains Fleet Air Arm pilots destined to fly both rotary (AgustaWestland Merlin and AgustaWestland Wildcat) and fixed wing aircraft (Lockheed Martin F-35B II Lightning and BAE Hawk). Helicopter students graduate to No. 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS) at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, whereas fast jet students move onto No. 4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley in Anglesey. Relief Landing Ground Barkston Heath acts as a Relief Landing Ground for the flying training activities at RAF Cranwell, which is four minutes flying time away. Based units The following flying units are based at RAF Barkston Heath. The station is also regularly used as relief landing ground by aircraft based at nearby RAF Cranwell. Royal Air Force No. 22 Group (Training) RAF No. 3 Flying Training School / Defence Elementary Flying Training School No. 57 Squadron – Grob Prefect T1 See also List of Royal Air Force stations References Citations Bibliography Bruce Barrymore Halpenny Action Stations: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands v. 2 () Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . External links Royal Navy – Elementary Flying Training UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Barkston Heath (EGYE) Royal Air Force stations in Lincolnshire Airports in England Airfields of the IX Troop Carrier Command in the United Kingdom South Kesteven District Airports in the East Midlands