| No. 6 Air Experience Flight | |
|---|---|
 Grob Tutor aircraft similar to that flown by 6 AEF | |
| Active | 8 September 1958 - Present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |  Royal Air Force |
| Branch | No. 6 Flying Training School RAF |
| Role | Training |
| Part of | Oxford University Air Squadron |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Benson |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Trainer | Grob Tutor |
No. 6 Air Experience Flight (6 AEF) is anAir Experience Flight based atRAF Benson.
It is one of twelveAir Experience Flights run by theAir Cadet Organisation of theRoyal Air Force.
It was formed in the 1950s, along with the other AEFs, with the aim of teaching basic flying to members of theAir Training Corps,Combined Cadet Force (RAF Section) and occasionally, theGirls Venture Corps Air Cadets and theAir Scouts. It has been based at RAF Benson since 1992. It is used primarily to deliver Air Experience Flights to cadets and is parented by theOxford University Air Squadron.
Formed on 8 September 1958 atWhite Waltham Airfield, the squadron moved toRAF Abingdon in 1973 and then toRAF Benson in 1992. From 26 November 1995 it was parented byLondon University Air Squadron but when London UAS moved toRAF Wyton, 6 AEF remained at RAF Benson with parenting being taken over by Oxford University Air Squadron, both units being equipped withGrob Tutor T Mk 1s.[1]
The unit previously operated thede Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10.[2]
At approximately 2.30pm[3] on Sunday, 14 June 2009, anRAFGrob Tutor (G-BYXR) and a civilianStandard Cirrus glider (G-CKHT) collided aboveSutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire.[4][5][6]
The two-seater Grob Tutor, took off fromRAF Benson in Oxfordshire and was part of No 6 AEF's fleet of planes.[7] Flight Lieutenant Michael Blee was a retiredWing Commander with 38 years' service in theRAF before becoming aRoyal 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 withCCF cadet Nicholas Rice. Nicholas Rice, who was 15 years old, was a student of theElvian School inReading, and was fromCalcot,Reading, Berkshire.[5][8] The pilot of the glider survived, having bailed out before his aircraft crashed.[6]
The Air Experience Flight is currently commanded by a Flight Lieutenant on Full-Time Reserve Service and like the University Air Squadron, comes underNo. 6 Flying Training School.