University Air Squadrons

There are 14 University Air Squadrons spread throughout the UK, each one linked to several universities within 50 or so miles of its airfield. They were set up as early as 1925 by Lord Trenchard, the 'Father’ of the modern Royal Air Force and they provide free flying as well as opportunities for adventurous and leadership training for selected undergraduates. In addition, the Air Experience Flight embedded within each UAS provides flying experience for Air Cadets and members of the Combined Cadet Force.

Eligibility

To join a UAS you must become a member of the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Membership entitles you to fly in military aircraft of the RAF and you must also satisfy age, educational, and nationality requirements. Broadly speaking this means you need to be:

· Older than 17½ years on joining the UAS and, if you have aspirations to join the RAF as a pilot, younger than 24 years old on entry into Officer Training after your graduation.

· A full time undergraduate with at least 2 A2 level passes or equivalent, studying for a recognized degree with at least 3 academic terms remaining before graduation.

· A citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or of the Republic of Ireland. (For entry to into the Flying Branches, nationality is restricted to British or British/Dual nationals only.)

(Detailed criteria are published in PAM(AIR) 198 available any AFCO)

Status

As an undergraduate, your first priority is to study, get your degree and enjoy university life, with all the advantages that undergraduate status implies. Membership of the University Air Squadron falls into 2 categories:

· Sponsored University Bursars (UBs).

· Volunteer Reservists (VRs).

UBs are sponsored students, selected by the Directorate of Recruiting and Selection (DofR&S) as being suitable for Officer Training and a career in a particular Branch of the RAF. Whilst at University they are enlisted as Officer Cadets (OCs) and receive a bursary of up to £6000 on the understanding that they will, on satisfactory completion of their degree studies and UAS training, join the RAF for at least a short term commission (minimum 6 years for ground Branches or 12 years for flying).

VRs are non-sponsored Officer Cadets (OCs) of the RAFVR and as such are eligible only for attendance pay (over £37 per day) and travel costs. They have no formal commitment to join the RAF and can leave (or be dismissed) the squadron at any time.

Flying

Students selected for the UAS may choose to fly if they wish. Generally, up to 10 hours per student per year is likely to be available, although there may be the opportunity to fly more than this if others elect not to take up their allocation. There is a UAS Flying Training Syllabus, which students can choose to follow if they wish and it includes some solo flying for those who reach a satisfactory standard. Alternatively, they may choose only to fly air experience sorties or, indeed, they may elect not to fly at all. For those who choose to learn to fly, the instructors may be full-time RAF officers, or part-time volunteers, but all of them will be qualified flying instructor graduates of the RAF’s Central Flying School. The current UAS aircraft is the Tutor, manufactured by Grob GMbH of Germany.

Ground Training

All students, whatever their preferred Branch, are expected to undertake ground training. Ground training takes place on one evening per week in term time and there is also a requirement to complete two weeks of continuous training each year, usually during the annual summer camp. The minimum period of Ground Training is 40 hours in year 1, 30 hours in year 2 and 20 hours in year 3, (plus the summer camp) in order to qualify for an annual tax-free training ‘bounty’ of between £120 and £170. Provision is also made for OCs to gain first hand experience of the typical work of officers in the various Branches of the RAF during individual summer vacation attachments.

Sport and Adventurous Training

Sport is an integral part of service life and 38 sports are recognized by the RAF, 32 of them receiving funding from Service sporting bodies. So it is in the UASs. Inter-sqn competitions take place throughout the year and for gifted students there are various sources of financial assistance for people of national sporting standards. Adventurous Training in the UK and overseas is a key element of a comprehensive package of leadership training and personal development.

Cold weather survival, rock-climbing, diving, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, ski touring, trekking, mountain biking and abseiling are all activities in which students have become involved, though many of these activities will require a not inconsiderable personal contribution, especially if overseas travel is involved. If you already have experience in a particular field, there are even opportunities for you to qualify to lead your own expeditions.

Commitment

Membership of a UAS as a VR does not commit you to joining the RAF. However, you need to be a good time manager to fit in the one evening per week in term time for ground training and the occasional half day or so if you want to learn to fly, not forgetting your continuous period of training during vacations. If you are medically fit enough to drive, you will probably meet the UAS medical standards but you will need to be physically fit – or at least be prepared to get and stay fit - enough to pass the standard RAF fitness test for your age group. One thing is certain though; the sqn will become a much more important part of your life than you imagined and you will gain far more from it than any other aspect of your time as a student. Go on! Check the website of your UAS.

Joining a UAS

Recruitment to the UASs is carried out every year at the Freshers’ Fair and during the Autumn term. After a preliminary filtering interview you may be invited for a selection interview conducted at the University. Successful candidates interviewed in October can be attested members of the VR and flying by December with no absolute commitment to join the RAF.

Links to the University Air Squadrons

Joining the RAF

Many patriotic students are so attracted by the flying and the lifestyle, that they apply for RAF sponsorship either through the UAS or through the Careers Information Service. This necessitates a visit to the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) at The RAF College Cranwell. Successful students may be offered a bursary worth £3000 pa (maximum £6000 total) in exchange for a commitment to take at least a Short Service Commission (12 years for aircrew, 6 years for Ground Branches) after graduation. Entry to a Permanent Commission guarantees pensionable employment for 16 years. If you don’t want to commit yourself until after you leave university, you can still apply for Direct Graduate Entry following exactly the same application and selection procedures. Pay rates for a Flying Officer, your rank on graduation from Initial Officer Training, are currently £28,216 – £31,188 pa rising to the minimum rank of Flight Lieutenant (£36,160 – £43,002 pa).

(Full details of the Bursary scheme are in PAM(AIR) 296 available from any AFCO)