The Central Navigation School was a training school of the Royal Air Force for

air navigation The basic principles of air navigation are identical to general navigation, which includes the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft from one place to another. Successful air navigation involves piloting an air ...

History

It was formed on 14 August 1942 at

RAF Cranage Royal Air Force Cranage or more simply RAF Cranage is a former Royal Air Force station operated during the Second World War. It was located just to the North of Middlewich, Cheshire, England. History The site at Cranage was chosen for use as ...

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

, north of Middlewich, formed out of No. 2 School of Air Navigation, in

No. 25 Group RAF No. 25 Group RAF is a former Royal Air Force group. It was initially active between 1918 and 1919. It reformed during 1937, remaining active throughout the Second World War, disbanding again in 1948. It reformed a second time during 1951 and disba ...

. It moved to RAF Shawbury on 11 February 1944. On 28 October 1944 it became known as the Empire Air Navigation School RAF, returning to the original name on 31 October 1949. From 10 February 1950 to 11 February 1963, the school was known as the Central Navigation and Control School RAF, when the School of Air Traffic Control was added to it, in

No. 21 Group RAF No. 21 Group RAF is a former Royal Air Force group that existed from April-July 1918; 1926-1934, a redesignation of No. 1 Group RAF; after which it was merged into Inland Area; and from 1938 to 1955.Air of AuthorityGroup nos 21 -29 accessed June 2 ...

, rejoining 25 Group in 1955. From 1963, the

Central Air Traffic Control School The School of Air Operations Control (SAOC) is the UK's training establishment for all military air traffic controllers (ATCs), sited at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. History In 1950, the Central Navigation School joined the School of Air Traffic ...

remained at RAF Shawbury.

References

1942 establishments in the United Kingdom Air navigation Education in Cheshire Education in Shropshire Educational institutions established in 1942 Military organizations established in 1942 Training establishments of the Royal Air Force {{RAF-stub