NORTHUMBRIAN UNIVERSITIES AIR SQUADRON (NUAS) & NO 11 AIR EXPERIENCE FLIGHT (11 AEF)

NUAS began life in 1941 as Durham University Air Squadron, operating Tiger Moths from RAF Woolsington (now Newcastle Airport). It moved to RAF Ouston in 1974 and re-equipped with Chipmunk T10s. The name was changed to Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron in 1963 when Newcastle University was established, and following a move to RAF Leeming in 1974 it converted to the Bulldog TMK1. The aims of NUAS are threefold: to continue to be an integral part of current RAF training; to attract entrants of good calibre and learning into the service; and to promote interest in the RAF at universities. NUAS caters for some 60 students recruited from Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, Northumbria and Teesside.

No 11 AEF formed alongside Durham UAS at RAF Ouston in 1958, operating Chipmunk T10s. It moved with NUAS but retained its Chipmunks until 1995 when, as a result of Defence Cost Studies, it became a flight of the UAS and shared an enlarged fleet of 7 Bulldogs. Its task is to provide air experience to just over two thousand ATC and CCF cadets located in Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire.

In February 2001, along with NUAS, 11 AEF converted to a reduced fleet of 5 Tutor aircraft.