From Tayyare School to 111-Year-Old Air Force Academy

Some time after 1903, when the first successful powered flight in the history of world aviation took place, studies on aviation began in the Ottoman Empire in 1909 and the first military aviation organization was established on June 1, 1911. On February 17, 1912, the Tayyare Commission, formed under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Colonel Süreyya İLMEN, assessed the need for the establishment of an air school due to the high cost of pilot training abroad. It proposed the establishment of a "Tayyare Mektebi" (Air School) and Aviation Center to the administrators and its proposal was accepted. The Tayyare Commission decided that Yeşilköy-Şenlikköy was suitable due to the direction of the wind, the condition of the land and its proximity to the railroad, and it was decided to establish the first aviation training institution "Tayyare Mektebi". Attempts to establish the first airfield and school of the Air Force began. In order to continue aviation education with national opportunities and to train expert staff, "Yeşilköy Tayyare Mektebi" was opened on July 3, 1912 in the region where the Air War School is located today and started its activities as the first aviation training institution and Lieutenant Colonel Mehmet Cemal was appointed as the director. Thus, with the foundations of the Air Force Academy, the Turkish army had its own aviation main center to train pilots, navigators, mechanics and other aircraft class aviation personnel needed by the Turkish army. The School Directorate had a great impact on the development and strengthening of aviation with its 24 staff, including the commander and clerk corporal, and contributed greatly to the institutionalization of the aviation organization. With the opening of the school, military aviation activities accelerated, the number of personnel increased and air divisions began to be established in a short time. 

With the establishment of the Yeşilköy Aeroplane School, the first official company organization was established on September 25, 1912, and aircraft company cadres were formed in the troops, and active continental missions began. During this period, the first regulation on basic flight training in the field of aviation was prepared, and it was aimed to admit students to the school, which had a teaching period of 3 months, in 3 cycles each year, and to train 15-20 pilots in each cycle and 45-60 pilots annually. Initially, it was deemed sufficient to train only pilots and navigators, but in the following period, mechanics were started to be trained for aircraft maintenance and repair as of 1913. 

On May 21, 1914, in order to reorganize and develop the air school, the French Plt. Lt. Capt. Marki de Mezeyrac de Goys was promoted to the rank of Major and appointed as the Director of the Yeşilköy Air School, becoming the first teacher to teach at the school. After Plt.Lt.Bn.Marki de Mezeyrac de Goys returned to his country on August 5, 1914, Lt.Bn.Abdüllatif was appointed as the director on August 6, 1914. On December 3, 1914, the Tayyare School, in addition to training pilots, carried out the formation, production, repair, central storage and distribution of air units, and Plt. Fesa, Yusuf Kenan, Salim, Mithat and Fazıl were assigned as flight instructors. On February 3, 1915, German Lieutenant Erich Von Serno was promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed as the director of the School of Aeronautics, and Cavalry Lieutenant Şakir FEVZİOĞLU, who received pilot training in Germany, was appointed as his assistant. With the arrival of German teachers to the school, pilot training came under the influence of the German school. Due to its duties, the School of Aeronautics was transformed into "Yeşilköy Aeronautical Station" on October 12, 1916.

With the occupation of Istanbul, the School of Aeronautics was transferred to Maltepe Airfield on March 1, 1919. Since the square was not suitable, pilots and navigators could not make flights and started to lose their flying skills, it was decided to open a Tayyare School and repair workshop in Eskişehir on June 13, 1920. The change in the organizational structure of the Air Force during the years of the War of Independence also affected the training of the School of Aeronautics, and with the evacuation of Adana by the French on October 20, 1921, the School of Aeronautics was transferred from Eskişehir to Adana on November 20, 1921, and Plt.Bnb.Salim İLKUÇAN was appointed as the director on March 22, 1922. The School of Aeronautics was transferred to Konya on July 5, 1922 and again to Adana on August 8, 1922 due to Konya's height above the sea and the weather being unsuitable for flying for most of the year. On September 9, 1922, with the liberation of Izmir, it was moved from Adana to Izmir-Seydiköy (Gaziemir) on September 17, 1922. Within the scope of the experiences gained during the National Struggle, a circular was issued for the application of officers and non-commissioned officers who wished to become pilots in order to abolish the distinction between pilots and navigators and to enable non-commissioned officers and civilians to become pilots. The aim was to ensure that the officers and junior officers in the units become pilots through pilot training. Around 300 Sb / NCOs. Despite the high number of applicants, 30 candidates were admitted to the school due to the lack of training aircraft, instructor pilots and training facilities. In this context, pilot training was conducted in 4 categories. Firstly, it was aimed to provide former pilots, who took a long break from flying for various reasons, with the qualification of military pilots by increasing their skills through training flights. Secondly, it was planned to make pilots out of the junior officers through pilot training, thirdly, it was planned to make pilots out of officers from the Land Forces who were willing to become pilots through academic and pilot training, and fourthly, it was planned to make pilots out of non-commissioned officers who wanted to become pilots. During the Republican period, 333 pilot non-commissioned officers served in the Air Force, with Plt. Petty Officer Vecihi Hürkuş, who was the most knowledgeable and experienced, serving as chief instructor, and Basri Alev, İhya and Mükerrem as teachers. 

In 1925, after a crisis broke out with Greece, the Air School was reorganized in Eskişehir while the aircraft divisions were transferred to Eskişehir. On June 29, 1925, Eskişehir Air School was opened in addition to the İzmir Air School in order to meet the increasing personnel needs of the troops with the reorganization of the "Eskişehir Airfield", and on September 21, 1925, 30 officers (Lt. Lt. Cpl.) participated in training in batches of 8 each. A 2-stage procedure was realized for pilot training, and after completing the 1st cycle in Gaziemir, the 2nd cycle continued training in Eskişehir, and Eskişehir Tayyare School gave its first pilot graduates in October 1925. 

In 1927, part of the Izmir Aeronautical School was moved to Eskişehir. In 1929, pilot training at Eskişehir Tayyare Mektebi was transformed from a course to a 2-year academic flight school and flight training was started. In the 1st year, theoretical lessons and routine flights were given, and in the 2nd year, practical flight training was given. In the same year, the remaining part of the Flight School in Izmir was transferred to Eskişehir, and the Petty Officer Air Machinist School and other courses in Yeşilköy were merged and training and flight activities were started to be carried out under a single command. In 1929, the Training Air Battalion Command with three companies was established instead of the Flight School Directorate, and the 1st Aircraft Company was organized and equipped to provide initial, 2nd Aircraft Company advanced and 3rd Aircraft Company drill flight training. In 1930, personnel were sent to France and England for flight training, and in 1932 to Italy and the USA for the first time. In 1932, with a law enacted in 1932, aviation became a separate combat class, and in 1933, after long efforts, the blue uniform was started to be worn. In 1943, the Air School, Eskişehir and Malatya Flight School were merged, and in 1947, the "Air Schools Command" was established in Eskişehir, and the "Air Machinist Non-Commissioned Officer School" and the Air Non-Commissioned Officer Preparation School in Ankara were incorporated into it, while the Air Machinist School in Diyarbakır was transferred to İzmir in 1950. 

In 1945, Major General Muzaffer GÖKSENİN, Commander of the 1st Air Force Wing, proposed the establishment of an Air War College to train aviation officers in parallel with the developments in technology. In 1948, Lieutenant Colonel Burhan GÖKSEL was assigned the task of establishing the Air War College. With the establishment of the Air War College, it was aimed to train aviation officers with high character, who adopted national and institutional values, who were loyal to Atatürk's principles and revolutions, who had the physical competence to use the modern aircraft of our Air Force in the most effective and efficient way, and who had internalized aviation as a way of life. For this purpose, the Air Schools stationed in Eskişehir were transformed into a 2-year "Air Cadet School" as a result of great preparations by the Air Force and opened with a ceremony on October 1, 1951. The Flight School, Machinist Technical School and all other educational institutions were taken under the organization of the Air Force Academy. The first commander of the Air War School, Hv.Plt.Kur.Alb.Gavsi UÇANGÖK, emphasized the importance of air superiority and stated that great strides had been made in the training of aviators since the first Tayyare School opened in 1912. On December 1, 1951, the Air Cadet School started its first class training with 58 students and on August 30, 1953, the first air officers trained by the force with its own resources graduated with the rank of 56 Ensign and joined the ranks of the Air Force. On August 30, 1953, the flag of the Air Force Academy was handed over to the school commander by Lieutenant General Fevzi UÇANER, Deputy Chief of Air Staff, on behalf of the President of the Republic. 

The Air Force Academy moved to Güzelyalı-İzmir on September 17, 1954 with the new staff and organization of the school, which was established on September 1, 1954, due to the need to enrich the academic environment and the excessive noise of the environment with the transition to jet aircraft while continuing education in Eskişehir. This date was also significant as it was the anniversary of the gathering of aviators in Izmir on September 17, 1922. The school started training on October 14, 1954 and 88 midshipmen completed their training on August 30, 1954. In 1955, the first female student started to study at the Air Force Academy for the first time, and the first female student, Leman Bozkurt ALTINÇEKÇ, graduated as an officer in 1957 and completed her jet pilot training in Eskişehir between 1958 and 1959. Şenay GÜNAY, one of the female students who entered the Air Force Academy in the same year, graduated on August 30, 1958 and became the first transport aircraft pilot. Although 24 female students graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1958, the enrollment of female students was terminated in 1960. 

The 1960s were a period of significant developments in the field of aviation in the world, and intensive studies on space began. In this context, it became imperative to restructure the Air Force Academy according to the needs of the era. It became clear that the organization to be made at the Air Force Academy needed to be supported academically first. Izmir was inadequate in this regard and faced difficulties in many respects. On the other hand, the fact that Istanbul-Yeşilköy was the birthplace of Turkish aviation, the place where the first air unit was established, the air and naval air school started its activities, the fact that it maintained its status as a center during wars, the academic support of the War Academies in Istanbul due to its formation, and the fact that there are many well-established universities, all contributed to the relocation of the Air Force Academy. In addition, the convenience of the Air High School campus, which was about to be completed in Yeşilyurt, added strength to the idea of relocation. On February 14, 1967, Istanbul-Yeşilköy, a treasure of culture and history, was identified as the ideal campus for the Air Force Academy and it was decided to move the school. 

The Air Force Academy moved to its new and modern facilities in Bakırköy-Yeşilyurt on July 21, 1967. On August 31, 1967, the school was opened with a ceremony attended by President Cevdet SUNAY and graduated its first class on August 30, 1968. In order to equip cadets with strong character, conscious discipline, sound knowledge and high physical ability, it is aimed to make them competent in general culture, military and professional aspects. For this purpose, the education period of the Air Force Academy was increased to three years on November 20, 1969, and on April 24, 1970, the transition to a three-year education system was made. On August 30, 1972, three-year students graduated with the rank of lieutenant. 

On March 7, 1974, the Air Force Academy was upgraded to a 4-year undergraduate program due to the need to raise the level of education to a higher level, restructuring according to the requirements of the age and the rapid development of Aviation and Space technology. In the 1974-1975 academic year, education started on November 1, 1974 and the first graduates were graduated on August 30, 1978. On May 11, 2000, it was granted the status of a bachelor's level university and equality with other bachelor's level universities was ensured. The head of education was restructured as a deanship and engineering diplomas were started to be given to graduates. In 2001, with the integration of academic education activities into the Turkish Education System, the "Directorate of the Institute of Aviation and Space Technologies (HUTEN)" became operational in 2001-2002 and was integrated into the European Education System in 2005. 

Until 1960, female students were admitted to the school, but 32 years later, in 1992, female students were admitted again. Throughout its history, the Air Force Academy has also demonstrated that women can perform military service alongside men, and many firsts have been achieved here. In 2001, a female cadet was the valedictorian of her semester, and they realized their goals as fliers in all aircraft types. Within the scope of the restructuring of the Turkish military education and training system, the National Defense University (MSU) was established on November 09, 2016 and the war schools were included in the MSU on November 14, 2016. The Air War College, whose organization and staff were restructured within the National Defense University, continues its education and training activities in accordance with the provisions of the amendment made in the Decree Law on August 15, 2017.

Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK's words about the army and officers: "The value of an army is measured by the value of its officers and command. An officer is not only a person who teaches the soldier the means of warfare and shows him his duty in war. He also cultivates human and national feelings and, when necessary, makes them as dangerous as weapons against the enemy. In general, good armies and good commanders are inseparable from each other." He said that the success of officers and therefore the success of armies is a whole. In this context, the Air Force Academy, where Air Cadets, who will take part in the future of the Air Force, prepare to become officers, constitutes an important mission in order to be at the right time, in the right place and as strong as necessary in the air and space power of the future. In its 111-year history since its foundation, the Air Force Academy has prioritized education and modern methods, and has played an active role in the structuring and development of the education system according to the conditions of the time. 

At the "ATATÜRK and Fliers" monument erected on October 16, 1980 at the Air Force Academy, which is the foundation and source of Turkish aviation, the following is inscribed: "Like our entire Army and Navy, our Airmen are heroes dedicated to protecting the homeland. The great nation can consider itself happy with these noble sons." In an operational environment full of uncertainties in the future, the Air Force, which is the first force to enter the field of operation and the last to withdraw against external threats, has done and will continue to do its duty to its nation in accordance with the principles and revolutions of Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK, the leaders and commanders of the Air Force. Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK said that air is important not only for breathing but also for establishing sovereignty in the air. The Air Force Academy, which was founded 111 years ago as the Yeşilköy Aeronautical School for the effective and strong protection of the Turkish skies, has done and will continue to do its duty to its nation for the sovereignty, independence and indivisible integrity of the Republic of Turkey, no matter how many difficulties it has faced from past to present. 

REFERENCES:

TATAR, Cengiz, Dr.E.Hv.Kur.Alb. "Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK and Turkish Aviation", Galeati Publishing, 2021.

YALÇIN, Osman, "Air School in the History of the Turkish Air Force and the Transition Process to the Military Academy", dergipark.org.tr website.

www.msu.edu.tr website.