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

Members are expected to attend training nights, usually on a weekly basis, as well as attending an annual training camp. The flying syllabus of 31 sorties loosely follows Elementary Flying Training (EFT), and allows a student to do approximately ten to fifteen hours of flying per year. This is supplemented with ground training, and adventurous training both in this country and abroad.

They are considered part of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). Many UASs 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.

Just prior to World War II they were an important source of pilots for the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Already members of the RAFVR, they were called up for active service in the middle of studying for their degrees.

Units and Base Locations

• Birmingham UAS / 8 AEF at RAF Cosford
• Bristol UAS / 3 AEF at Colerne Airfield
• Cambridge UAS / 5 AEF at RAF Wyton
• East Midlands UAS / 7 AEF at RAF Cranwell
• East of Scotland Universities' Air Squadron / 12 AEF at RAF Leuchars
• Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron / 4 AEF at Glasgow International Airport
• Liverpool UAS at RAF Woodvale
• London UAS at RAF Wyton
• Manchester & Salford UAS / 10 AEF at RAF Woodvale
• Northumbrian UAS / 11 AEF at RAF Leeming
• Oxford UAS / 6 AEF at RAF Benson
• Southampton UAS (SUAS)/ 2 AEF at Boscombe Down
• Wales UAS / 1 AEF at RAF St Athan
• Yorkshire UAS / 9 AEF at RAF Church Fenton

See also

• Officers Training Corps (OTC) - organisational counterpart in the British Army
• University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) - organisational counterpart in the Royal Navy

External links

• RAF - University Air Squadrons
• UGSAS - Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron
• BUAS - Bristol UAS
• CUAS - Cambridge UAS
• EMUAS - East Midlands UAS
• ESUAS - East Scotland UAS
• UBAS - University of Birmingham Air Squadron
• LUAS - Liverpool UAS
• MASUAS - Manchester and Salford UAS
• ULAS - University of London Air Squadron
• OUAS - Oxford UAS
• SUAS - Southampton UAS
• Southampton University Air Squadron - Wiki
• UWAS - Wales UAS
• YUAS - Yorkshire UAS