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.
History
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.
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.
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
Aldergrove Flying Station, also known previously as JHC FS Aldergrove, is a British military base located south of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, Northern Ireland and northwest of Belfast, and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is som ...
was disbanded in 1996.
In 1999, the
Grob Tutor T.1 began to replace the Bulldog.
On 10 March 2016,
Julian Brazier, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence), announced the return of 13 AEF and a new 14 AEF.
Role and operations
The
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
(RAF) Air Experience Flights (AEF)
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
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aeroplane" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and gl ...
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
The Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets (GVCAC) was a voluntary uniformed Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, youth organisation in the United Kingdom for girls aged between 11 and 20. It was a registered charity, and a member of NCVYS, The ...
(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).
Current flights
*
No. 1 Air Experience Flight RAF –
MoD St Athan
*
No. 2 Air Experience Flight RAF –
MoD Boscombe Down
*
No. 3 Air Experience Flight RAF –
MoD Boscombe Down
*
No. 4 Air Experience Flight RAF –
Glasgow Airport
*
No. 5 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Wittering
*
No. 6 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Benson
*
No. 7 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Cranwell
*
No. 8 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Cosford
*
No. 9 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Leeming
*
No. 10 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Woodvale
*
No. 11 Air Experience Flight RAF –
RAF Leeming
*
No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF –
Leuchars Station
*
No. 13 Air Experience Flight RAF –
Aldergrove Flying Station
Aircraft
Previously operated:
*
Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1
*
Beagle Husky
*
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10
File:DHC 1 Chipmunk.jpg, Chipmunk T.10 in RAF colours
File:G-BZMD.jpg, Bulldog T.1 in RAF colours
File:Woodvale08 019.JPG, 10 AEF Grob Tutor and hangar at RAF Woodvale
File:Grob G 115E EA-3.JPG, No. 8 Air Experience Flight Grob Tutor in flight
References
{{reflist
External links
RAF Air Experience Flights
*
Royal Air Force education and training
Air Cadet organisations
British Cadet organisations
Youth organisations based in the United Kingdom