6 Air Experience Flight
Encyclopedia
No. 6 Air Experience Flight (6 AEF) is one of twelve Air Experience Flight
s run by the Air Cadet Organisation
of the Royal Air Force
. It was formed in the 1950s, along with the other AEFs, with the aim of teaching basic flying to members of the Air Training Corps
, Combined Cadet Force
(RAF Section) and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets
and the Air Scouts. It has been based at RAF Benson
since 1992. It is used primarily and is parented by the Oxford University Air Squadron
.
, the squadron moved to RAF Abingdon
in 1973 and then to RAF Benson
in 1992. From 26 November 1995 it was parented by London University
Air Squadron but when London UAS moved to RAF Wyton
, 6 AEF remained at RAF Benson with parenting being taken over by Oxford University Air Squadron, both units being equipped with Grob Tutor T Mk 1s.
, Oxfordshire
.
The two-seater Grob Tutor, took off from RAF Benson
in Oxfordshire
and was part of No 6 AEF's fleet of planes. Flight Lieutenant Michael Blee was a retired Wing Commander
with 38 years' service in the RAF before becoming a Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Officer at 6 Air Experience Flight in 2005, where he assumed the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He was killed in the crash along with CCF
cadet Nicholas Rice. Nicholas Rice, who was 15 years old, was a student of the Elvian School
in Reading
, and was from Calcot, Reading
, Berkshire
. RAF Benson has now been cleared to fly Air Experience Flights.
Air Experience Flight
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 or the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force...
s run by the Air Cadet Organisation
Air Cadet Organisation
The Air Cadet Organisation is the collective name for the UK cadet forces sponsored by the Royal Air Force. The organisation is subordinate to No. 22 Group RAF, with a serving RAF officer as Commandant Air Cadets. The current Commandant is Air Commodore Barbara Cooper CBE...
of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. It was formed in the 1950s, along with the other AEFs, with the aim of teaching basic flying to members of the Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
, Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
(RAF Section) and occasionally, the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets
Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets
The Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets is a voluntary uniformed youth organisation for girls aged between 11 and 20, It is also a registered charity, and by virtue of its work towards the personal and social development of young people, it is a member of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services...
and the Air Scouts. It has been based at RAF Benson
RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
since 1992. It is used primarily and is parented by the Oxford University Air Squadron
Oxford University Air Squadron
The Oxford University Air Squadron, abbreviated O. U. Air Squadron, Oxford UAS, or OUAS, formed in 1925, is the training unit of the Royal Air Force at the University of Oxford and forms part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve....
.
History
Formed on 8 September 1958 at White Waltham AirfieldWhite Waltham Airfield
White Waltham Airfield , is located at White Waltham, southwest of Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England...
, the squadron moved to RAF Abingdon
RAF Abingdon
RAF Abingdon was a Royal Air Force station near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It is now known as Dalton Barracks and is used by the Royal Logistic Corps....
in 1973 and then to RAF Benson
RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
in 1992. From 26 November 1995 it was parented by London University
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
Air Squadron but when London UAS moved to RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
, 6 AEF remained at RAF Benson with parenting being taken over by Oxford University Air Squadron, both units being equipped with Grob Tutor T Mk 1s.
June 2009 air collision incident
At approximately 2.30pm on Sunday, 14 June 2009, an RAF Grob Tutor and a civilian Standard Cirrus glider collided above Sutton CourtenaySutton Courtenay
Sutton Courtenay is a village and civil parish on the River Thames south of Abingdon and northwest of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Today:...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
The two-seater Grob Tutor, took off from RAF Benson
RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and was part of No 6 AEF's fleet of planes. Flight Lieutenant Michael Blee was a retired Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
with 38 years' service in the RAF before becoming a Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
Officer at 6 Air Experience Flight in 2005, where he assumed the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He was killed in the crash along with CCF
CCF
CCF can refer to:* 100 cubic feet, an American standard measurement of water or natural gas volume, more often written "Ccf" * Cambodian Children's Fund, charity organisation...
cadet Nicholas Rice. Nicholas Rice, who was 15 years old, was a student of the Elvian School
Elvian School
The Elvian School was an independent school in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom run by the Licensed Trade Charity as a coeducational, nondenominational Christian school. It was previously the Catholic boys' school Presentation College, Reading, until it went into administration in 2004...
in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, and was from Calcot, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. RAF Benson has now been cleared to fly Air Experience Flights.