Air Experience Flight

From Air Cadet Central Wiki

An Air Experience Flight is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to Air Cadets. These flights typically last 25 minutes per cadet per year, plus an allowance for staff continuation training.

As part of a structured syllabus of training it is usual for cadets to be offered the chance of flying the aircraft or of experiencing aerobatics. The instructors are all qualified service pilots, usually serving or retired RAF officers.

History of Air Experience Flights

Prior to the establishment of AEFs, cadet flying was a more ad-hoc affair, although during the 1940s and 1950s, Airspeed Oxfords and Avro Ansons were used specifically to fly cadets. On September 8, 1958 formal Air Experience Flights were established at 12 airbases across the UK. They were equipped with the De Havilland Chipmunk trainer who’s service with the AEFs lasted until 1996 when they were replaced with the Scottish Aviation Bulldog. In 1999 the RAF began to replace the Bulldog with the Grob 115e Tutor. Ninety of the aircraft are used by University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights across the UK.

Maintaining Air Experience Flights

The aircraft, although used by the RAF, are not owned, managed or maintained by them. Instead they carry civilian registrations and are serviced under a Private Finance Imitative (PFI) with Bombardier Aerospace Defence Services, and the MoD, buys flying hours off them.