One of the activities you will encounter during your time in the ATC will be flying. At first flying may seem quite scary, but in fact it is not, it is fun. When you first arrive at your AEF you will have to watch the safety video and after you will get issued your flying suit. After this you will get your parachute and helmet before being escorted to your plane by groundcrew. When you are in your plane you will get seat-belted in and away you go!

On your left is the Grob 115e (Tutor) it is one of the R.A.F's elementory flying training aircraft. The Tutor is flown by both Air Experience Flights and those at University Air Squadrons. It replaced the Bulldog in 1990, and is in a two seat side by side format. The cockpit offers excellent visibility. The Tutor is constructed out of fibreglass and is therefore very light. The Tutors are based all around the country serving different AEFs and UASs. Some of the main features are:

• Side by side two seat cockpit
• Single prop

Once up in the air you will firstly get tought the basic controls of the aircraft and then you may be able to try some aerobatics such as a stall turn; a barrel roll or a loop the loop. But nothing lasts forever so after around 30 minutes you will land and taken back to get your parachute and helmet taken off, and to get out of your flying suit. When everyone has been flying you will have to tidy up the hut and then you will head home.

By Cdt Lovegrove