1923 - 1st April - School opens at Filton.

The school was opened at Filton on 1st April 1923, to undertake the flying training of Pilots of the Royal Air Force Reserve. It was one of four Schools opened at about this time, all of which were operated by aircraft companies - the others being De Havilland's at Stag Lane, Armstrong-Whitworth's at Coventry and Beardmores at Renfrew.

Each Reservist had to complete a minimum of 12 hours flying each year on a service type aircraft and the majority, since they had not flown since the war, were required during the first year to re-qualify on a preliminary type aircraft.

1923 - Bristol PTM's & Bristol 'Puma' Fighters in use as Training Aircraft.

The 'Bristol' School's equipment comprised, as service type, Bristol 'Fighter' Aircraft with Siddeley 'Puma' engines and P.T.M's (Bristol 'Lucifer' Preliminary Training Machine) with Bristol 'Lucifer' engines as preliminary types.

1923 - Original Instructional & Maintenance Staff.

Mr. C.F. Uwins was appointed Chief Instructor and had Mr. T.W. Campbell as his assistant, being joined later in the year by Mr. C.T. Holmes. Aircraft maintenance was in the charge of Mr. Gilbert Williams and the A.E.D. (Mr. F. Mayer) were responsible for engine maintenance.

Among early 'pupils' were Capt. Arthur S. Keep, then Test Pilot of Westlands, Kaye Don, the racing motorist, F.W. Phillips of Cornwall Aviation, R.B. Tapp, later the Senior Captain of Qantas, 'Ned' Jordan, later of Jersey Aviation Service and B.E.A. and G.T. Witcombe, who later joined the Staff in a temporary capacity as a Flying Instructor.

The majority of incidents in the early stages were the consequence of a sketchy knowledge of navigation held by many pilots at that time, which resulted in the long-suffering Instructors having to collect aircraft and their pilots, from fields in many parts of the West of England! On one occasion, a 'Fighter' took off on a Friday afternoon to do a local flight and, in spite of R.A.F. and Police search, was not traced until Saturday evening, when the aircraft was found in a field near Oxford with no trace of the pilot, who was eventually run to earth in the 'local'. The Pilot, who had landed several times before his final landing, did no further flying with the Reserve!

1924 - 'Jupiter' IV Engined Aircraft.

In 1924, Bristol Fighters with Jupiter IV engines were introduced into the School and eventually replaced the 'Puma' fighters.

Autumn 1925 - 'Ab Inito' Training Syllabus Introduced.

In the Autumn of 1925, 'Ab Inito' training of R.A.F. Reservists was commenced. This involved some 25/30 hours flying on a P.T.M. and 5 hours solo on a Fighter during the pupils first year, after which they reverted to the ordinary commitment of 12 hours+ per annum.

Among the first of these pupils was "Timber" Wood, now Blackburn's Chief Test Pilot, and H Penrose, Westland's Chief Test Pilot. During the following years many pupils, who are now high-ranking Officers in the Royal Air Force, passed through the School for initial training.

During this period too, two Turkish Officers were trained, one of whom had some adventurous trips and managed to crash two aircraft without any personal injury but to his own great personal pleasure!

1926 - Increases in Instructional Staff.

The School Instructional Staff was increased in 1926 by the addition of Mr. C.R.H. Shaw and in 1929, Mr. W.L.B. Palmer as flying instructors.

1924-1927 - Jupiter IV Development Work.

At the end of 1924, a Bristol Fighter with a Jupiter IV engine was introduced to the school and much of the routine flight development work on this engine was accomplished during normal School training flying.

1927 - Bristol Jupiter IV Advanced Training Machine.

In 1927, Bristol 'Jupiter' advanced training machines were introduced into the school. This aircraft, engined with the Jupiter IV, proved a very fine School aircraft both as regards its flight characteristics and ease of maintenance, and was in use for Reserve Training until 1933.