Training

Flying Training

As a student on the University Air Squadron, the opportunity is open for you to learn to fly. Unlike on the previous UAS system, where there was a distinction between students selected as aircrew and those selected as ground crew, everyone has the chance to try flying, but there is no obligation to learn. Students can either chose to follow the structured 30 hour syllabus, or if they do not wish to learn to fly, they can experience the excitement of flying through Air Experience flying.

The new approach to flying adopted by the UAS's is intended to relieve the pressure felt by the students who operated on the old 60 hour Elementary Flying Training syllabus, where students were required to fly at least once a week, over the course of their time on the squadron.

The new syllabus covers aircraft handling, circuit procedures and navigation, and although at first it may seem a daunting task, the rewards and satisfaction of flying the aircraft solo are exhilarating! If you have completed a Flying Scholarship or have a Private Pilots License, the handling techniques that you already have will be useful no doubt, but you will find the flying within a military environment more demanding and extremely rewarding, particularly in the early stages of the course.

Adventurous Training

Although a large emphasis exists on the flying training, adventurous training plays an important role on the squadron. With much of the local training expeditions being organised by the students, the opportunities are limited only by what the RAF can provide, and in recent years, students have had the opportunity to experience:

• Rock Climbing,
• Walking and Navigation,
• Canoeing/Kayaking,
• Mountain Biking,
• Sailing,
• White Water Rafting,
• Diving,
• Skiing,
• & much more...

The latter two on the list have generally been organised as part of major expeditions over one or two weeks, and although staff members have been key to the organisation and logistics of the expedition, much of planning was delegated to student members, ensuring that the students would get exactly what they wanted to gain out of the expedition.

What the RAF can provide to UAS students are Joint Service courses in Adventurous Training (JSAT), which in-turn can lead to students gaining qualifications to then lead their colleagues in such activities as parachuting, rock climbing, walking and mountaineering and various other activities. Some of these qualifications are transferable and can be used to gain civilian qualifications, for example the Single Pitch Award in rock climbing. Indeed, gaining these qualifications is sometimes vital to students being able to compete in events.

Adventurous Training has a lot to offer student members and as well as kindling an adventurous spirit, fitness, team work and camaraderie are also developed, all of which are key skills that would prove useful in