Country United Kingdom Branch Air Cadet Organisation Garrison/HQ RAF Benson | Allegiance Royal Air Force Role Training | |
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Active 8 September 1958 – present | ||
No. 6 Air Experience Flight (6 AEF) is one of twelve Air Experience Flights 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.
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History
Formed on 8 September 1958 at White Waltham Airfield, 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.
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 Courtenay, 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.