University Air Squadron

University Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training, force development and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities. These units exist to provide a taste of life in the Service and to give experience to their members in preparation for taking up a career as an officer in one of the RAF's many branches.

Members are expected to attend training nights, usually on a weekly basis, as well as attending several annual training camps. The flying syllabus of 31 sorties loosely follows Elementary Flying Training (EFT), and allows a student to achieve some ten to fifteen hours of flying per year. The flying training is supplemented with ground training and adventurous training, both in the UK and abroad.

The UASs are part of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). Many are parents to Air Experience Flights (AEF) which provide experience of flying to Air Cadets. Most students hold the rank of Officer Cadet, which has the status and privileges - but not the rank - of an Officer. Some may obtain commissions in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, in the rank of Acting Pilot Officer. Medicine and dentistry students, on obtaining a Cadetship, are commissioned into the RAF in the rank of Pilot Officer, and are offered a salary; following graduation Cadets will be promoted to Flying Officer while their medical training continues, prior to commencing Initial Officer Training.

On the run-up to World War II the squadrons were an important source of pilots for the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Cadets who were already members of the RAFVR were called up for active service in the middle of studying for their degrees.

Most UAS training is a cut-down version of EFT and focuses on training the student to various levels of solo standard.

Successful completion of the Core Syllabus qualifies the student pilot for the award of the Preliminary Flying Badge, or 'Budgie Wings' as they are sometimes called. However, each student is expected to reach solo standard before the end of their second year on the squadron. This has become one of the criteria for granting a student member a third year of membership.

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