# Air Experience Flight

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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
An '''Air Experience Flight''' (AEF) is a training unit of the [Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)](/source/Royal_Air_Force_Volunteer_Reserve_(Training_Branch)) whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to cadets from the [Air Training Corps](/source/Air_Training_Corps) and the [Combined Cadet Force](/source/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.<ref name="rafweb"/> All were equipped with the [de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk](/source/de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-1_Chipmunk) T.10 trainer. An exception was No. 5 AEF, which also operated a single [Beagle Husky](/source/Beagle_Husky) (''XW635'') from 1969 to 1989.<ref name="xw635">{{cite web|title=Beagle D-5/180 Husky aircraft|url=http://www.airliners.net/search/linkhere.php?id=1100771|work=airliners.net|accessdate=7 September 2010}}</ref><ref name="ukserials-xw">{{cite web|title=UK Serials (XW)|url=http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=XW|work=ukserials.com|publisher=UK Serials Resource Centre|accessdate=7 September 2010}}</ref>

In the mid-1990s they were merged with co-located [University Air Squadron](/source/University_Air_Squadron)s (UASs), the Chipmunks being replaced by the existing UAS [Scottish Aviation Bulldog](/source/Scottish_Aviation_Bulldog) T.1s.  No. 13 AEF at [RAF Aldergrove](/source/Joint_Helicopter_Command_Flying_Station_Aldergrove) was disbanded in 1996.<ref name="rafweb"/>  In 1999, the [Grob Tutor](/source/Grob_G_115) T.1 began to replace the Bulldog.<ref name="rafweb">{{cite web|title=RAFVR Units |url=http://www.rafweb.org/RAFVR1.htm |work=Air of Authority |accessdate=7 September 2010 |date=25 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508002204/http://www.rafweb.org/RAFVR1.htm |archivedate=8 May 2009 }}</ref>

On 10 March 2016, [Julian Brazier](/source/Julian_Brazier), Parliamentary Under-Secretary ([Ministry of Defence](/source/Ministry_of_Defence_(United_Kingdom))), announced the return of 13 AEF and a new 14 AEF.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-03-10/HCWS605|title=Air Cadet Aviation Relaunch:Written statement – HCWS605 |work=MoD|accessdate=10 March 2016}}</ref>

== Role and operations ==
The [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) (RAF) Air Experience Flights (AEF)<ref name="RAF-08102015">{{Cite web |year=2015 |title=Royal Air Force news – 6 Flying Training School |url=http://www.RAF.MoD.uk/news/archive/6-flying-training-school-08102015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012054010/http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/6-flying-training-school-08102015 |archive-date=12 October 2015 |website=www.RAF.MoD.uk |publisher=[Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) |access-date=22 June 2022 }}</ref> are co-located with [University Air Squadron](/source/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](/source/aerobatics) to eligible members of [Royal Air Force Air Cadets](/source/Royal_Air_Force_Air_Cadets) (RAFAC), otherwise known as the [Air Training Corps](/source/Air_Training_Corps) (ATC), along with the RAF section of the [Combined Cadet Force](/source/Combined_Cadet_Force) (CCF-RAF), and other air-minded youth groups such as [Air Scout](/source/Air_Scout)s and the [Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets](/source/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](/source/No._9_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) ( 9AEF) and [No. 11 Air Experience Flight](/source/No._11_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) (11 AEF) at [RAF Leeming](/source/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](/source/No._6_Flying_Training_School_RAF) (6 FTS).<ref name="RAF-08102015" /><ref name="Cranwell-6FTS">{{Cite web |title=RAF College Cranwell – No 6 Flying Training School |url=https://www.RAF.MoD.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-college-cranwell/#no-6-flying-training-school |access-date=23 September 2021 |website=www.RAF.MoD.uk |publisher=[Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) |location=[RAF Cranwell](/source/RAF_Cranwell), Lincolnshire, England}}</ref>

==Current flights==
*[No. 1 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._1_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [MoD St Athan](/source/MoD_St_Athan)
*[No. 2 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._2_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [MoD Boscombe Down](/source/MoD_Boscombe_Down)
*[No. 3 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._3_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [MoD Boscombe Down](/source/MoD_Boscombe_Down)
*[No. 4 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._4_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [Glasgow Airport](/source/Glasgow_Airport)
*[No. 5 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._5_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Wittering](/source/RAF_Wittering)
*[No. 6 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._6_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Benson](/source/RAF_Benson)
*[No. 7 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._7_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Cranwell](/source/RAF_Cranwell)
*[No. 8 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._8_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Cosford](/source/RAF_Cosford)
*[No. 9 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._9_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Leeming](/source/RAF_Leeming)
*[No. 10 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._10_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Woodvale](/source/RAF_Woodvale)
*[No. 11 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._11_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [RAF Leeming](/source/RAF_Leeming)
*[No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._12_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [Leuchars Station](/source/Leuchars_Station)
*[No. 13 Air Experience Flight RAF](/source/No._13_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) – [Aldergrove Flying Station](/source/Aldergrove_Flying_Station)

==Aircraft==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Aircraft !! In fleet 
!Order
!Notes
|-
| [Grob Tutor T.1](/source/Grob_G_115) || 88<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2020|title=UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations 2020|website=Gov.uk|accessdate=10 December 2020|date=10 September 2020|publisher=Ministry of Defence|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031011717/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2020 |archive-date=31 October 2020 }}</ref>
|0
|RAF "Tutor" designation with flight stick instead of yoke.
|}
Previously operated:
*[Scottish Aviation Bulldog](/source/Scottish_Aviation_Bulldog) T.1
*[Beagle Husky](/source/Beagle_Husky)
*[de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk](/source/de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-1_Chipmunk) T.10
<gallery>
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](/source/No._10_Air_Experience_Flight_RAF) Grob Tutor and hangar at [RAF Woodvale](/source/RAF_Woodvale)
File:Grob G 115E EA-3.JPG|No. 8 Air Experience Flight Grob Tutor in flight
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/what-we-do/flying-and-gliding/air-experience-flights/ RAF Air Experience Flights]

*
Category:Royal Air Force education and training
Category:Air Cadet organisations
Category:British Cadet organisations
Category:Youth organisations based in the United Kingdom

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Air Experience Flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Experience_Flight) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Experience_Flight?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.