An Air Experience Flight (AEF) is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to cadets from the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Force. As of 2019, thirteen AEFs are active.
The AEFs, numbered from 1 to 13, were formed across the United Kingdom in 1958, all but two forming on the same day, 8 September. [1] All were equipped with the de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 trainer. An exception was No. 5 AEF, which also operated a single Beagle Husky (XW635) from 1969 to 1989. [2] [3]
In the mid-1990s they were merged with co-located University Air Squadrons (UASs), the Chipmunks being replaced by the existing UAS Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1s. No. 13 AEF at RAF Aldergrove was disbanded in 1996. [1] In 1999, the Grob Tutor T.1 began to replace the Bulldog. [1]
On 10 March 2016, Julian Brazier, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence), announced the return of 13 AEF and a new 14 AEF. [4]
The Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Experience Flights (AEF) [5] are co-located with University Air Squadron (UAS) units; the co-located AEF and UAS units pool resources and share aircraft. Air Experience Flights provide basic flying experience, and aerobatics to eligible members of Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC), otherwise known as the Air Training Corps (ATC), along with the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF-RAF), and other air-minded youth groups such as Air Scouts and the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets (GVC-AC).
When two separate AEFs are co-located at the same airfield, such as No. 9 Air Experience Flight ( 9AEF) and No. 11 Air Experience Flight (11 AEF) at RAF Leeming, the two individual AEFs share the same fleet of aircraft. Just like the University Air Squadrons, all Air Experience Flights are currently commanded by No. 6 Flying Training School RAF (6 FTS). [5] [6]
| Aircraft | In fleet | Order | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grob Tutor T.1 | 91 [7] | 0 | RAF "Tutor" designation with flight stick instead of yoke. |
Previously operated:
The Grob G 115 is a general aviation fixed-wing aircraft, primarily used for flight training. It is built in Germany by Grob Aircraft. The E variant with a 3-blade variable pitch propeller is in service with the Finnish Air Force, the Royal Navy and Army Air Corps for Flying Grading and in the Royal Air Force as part of No. 6 Flying Training School which provides flying to both University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights to Cadets of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. As of 2020, the Tutor is still being used by the RAF for some Elementary Flying Training (3FTS) but is due to be phased out in favour of its replacement, the more advanced Prefect T1.
The Central Flying School (CFS) is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 at the Upavon Aerodrome, it is the longest existing flying training school. The school was based at RAF Little Rissington from 1946 to 1976. Its motto is Imprimis Praecepta, Latin for "The Teaching is Everlasting".
A Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS) is an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) which provides flying training in glider aircraft for Royal Air Force Air Cadets. All current operational Volunteer Gliding Squadrons operate a sole type of aircraft, the Grob G103A Twin II Acro, a conventional winch-launched tandem-seat sailplane known by its British military designation, Viking T1.
10 Air Experience Flight (AEF) is one of thirteen such units run by 6Flying Training School of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in the 1950s, along with other AEFs, to teach basic flying to members of the Air Training Corps (ATC), Combined Cadet Force (CCF) (Royal Air Force) Section. It mainly flies cadets from the local wings of Cumbria and Lancashire Wing (the North Lancashire half only as the Cumbrian half use 11 AEF at RAF Leeming, due to the distance from RAF Woodvale), Greater Manchester Wing, Merseyside Wing, No. 2 Welsh Wing and CCF contingents.
Southampton University Air Squadron is a unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Southampton, University of Portsmouth, Bournemouth University, Southampton Solent University, University of Chichester and University of Winchester. The aim of all University Air Squadrons is to allow those potential RAF officers to experience service life and to allow them to decide whether they are suited to it. There is no obligation to join up after being a member of a UAS unless an RAF bursary is successfully applied for. SUAS is parented by MoD Boscombe Down where it flies Tutor aircraft.
No. 12 Air Experience Flight (AEF) is an Air Experience Flight run by the Air Cadet Organisation of the Royal Air Force.
No. 6 Air Experience Flight is an Air Experience Flight based at RAF Benson.
Liverpool University Air Squadron is a training unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Liverpool, University of Lancaster, Edge Hill University, Bangor University and Liverpool John Moores University.
Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron is a unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Durham, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumbria University, Sunderland University and Teesside University. The idea behind all University Air Squadrons is to allow potential RAF officers to experience life in service and to allow them to decide whether they are suited to it. There is no obligation to join up, unless a bursary is successfully applied for. NUAS is parented by RAF Leeming where it flies Grob Tutor aircraft. NUAS Town Headquarters (THQ) are in Newcastle upon Tyne.
No. 9 Air Experience Flight is one of thirteen Air Experience Flights (AEFs) run by the Royal Air Force for the Air Cadet Organisation. The primary purpose of an AEF is to provide air experience to members of the Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force (RAF) Section and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets and the Air Scouts.
No. 6 Flying Training School RAF is a Flying Training School (FTS) within No. 22 (Training) Group of the Royal Air Force that delivers flying training to University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights.
No. 4 Air Experience Flight is one of thirteen Air Experience Flights (AEFs) run by the Air Cadet Organisation of the Royal Air Force. The primary purpose of the AEF organisation is to provide air experience to members of the Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force (RAF) Section and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets and the Air Scouts.
No. 5 Air Experience Flight is one of thirteen Air Experience Flights (AEFs) run by the Air Cadet Organisation of the Royal Air Force. The primary purpose of the AEF organisation is to provide air experience to members of the Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force (RAF) Section and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets and the Air Scouts.
No. 7 Air Experience Flight is one of thirteen Air Experience Flights (AEFs) run by the Air Cadet Organisation of the Royal Air Force. The primary purpose of the AEF organisation is to provide air experience to members of the Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force (RAF) Section and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets and the Air Scouts.
No. 11 Air Experience Flight is one of thirteen Air Experience Flights (AEFs) run by RAFAC of the Royal Air Force. The primary purpose of the AEF organisation is to provide air experience to members of the Air Training Corps, Combined Cadet Force (RAF) Section and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets and the Air Scouts.
The Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron is a Royal Air Force flying training unit that currently operates out of RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, England. One of fourteen University Air Squadrons, the unit traditionally recruits students from universities across the Yorkshire and Humber region and provides bursaries for those who wish to pursue a career in the Royal Air Force.
This is the structure of the Royal Air Force.
No. 13 Air Experience Flight (AEF) is an Air Experience Flight of No. 6 Flying Training School RAF, based at Aldergrove Flying Station in Northern Ireland. Sharing three Grob Tutor T1 trainer aircraft with the Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron it offers flight experiences to cadets of the Air Training Corps and the RAF elements of the Combined Cadet Force. It was established in 2019, more than 22 years after the previous Northern Ireland AEF had been disbanded.