The main commitment you will need to make to the UAS is time. We meet every Thursday night for a training night, and you will also need to find time to fly. It is best if you can come down for 4-5 afternoons per month. For some of the year we are open to fly on Saturdays so you can come then, rather than miss weekdays. We are also open on Wednesday afternoons, which for most universities are free from lectures.

For a month over the summer, the squadron goes on summer camp - a period of intensive flying. During previous years, the Sqn would usually detach to another RAF station for a month - the Sqn has been to RAF Manston (in Kent), RAF St Mawgan (in Cornwall), RAF Kinloss (near Inverness) and in 2001 we went to RAF Church Fenton near York.

However, over the last few years, we have stayed at RAF Leuchars to save money. Most students spend around 2 weeks on Summer Camp. This extended period of flying allows people to make much more progress in the flying syllabus that would normally be possible during the term time.

How about the RAF? You are not under any obligation to join. The point of the UAS is to allow people who may not have thought about the RAF to see if they like it, and also for those who have already thought about it to find out a bit more. Some of the people on our squadron have already had flying scholarships or maybe other flying experience (such as a PPL), while others have no flying experience at all.

If you do decide to apply to join the RAF, the UAS will place you in a good position. Our instructors can give you pointers for interview, and we have computers that aptitude tests can be practised on. We also carry out group exercises (which form part of aircrew selection) on some training nights.