Yorkshire UAS News

Once again, it has been a jam-packed few months for Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron (YUAS) here at Leeming, with no plans to let up.

November last year saw Yorkshire’s presence in the community once again, as YUAS supported remembrance parades in Tadcaster and York. The squadron also took part in Movember as 14 students attempted to grow their best facial hair, raising money for prostate and testicular cancer research as well as men’s mental health.

December saw good flying progress as Acting Pilot Officer George Hodgson became the latest student to go solo in the skies above Yorkshire continuing a strong, steady and ambitious return to flying for the squadron. Meanwhile, as University terms restarted across the county, Yorkshire returned to its weekly schedule of packed training nights both at RAF Leeming and in the students’ cities. These weekly gatherings expose everybody to RAF life and provide a structured training environment for the students. Each week they have the opportunity deliver presentations, receive briefings from current and previous serving personnel, take part in planning exercises and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be an RAF officer ahead of their potential service or civilian careers. The squadron also conducts its own inter-flight fitness and sports sessions on Saturday mornings and we ‘look forward’ to defending our training to the OFSTED inspectors in Mar!!

December offered a group of students the incredible chance to attend a Force Development Air Power visit to Belgium and Northern France. Here YUAS visited a variety of memorials, museums and other historical sites such as the Menin Gate, Tyne Cot cemetery and La Couple with each students researching and presenting on a different aspect or event that took place. This gave them the opportunity to honour the fallen from the First and Second World Wars, as well as learn about the role of Air Power in these conflicts.

Into 2023, and following the Christmas break, Yorkshire has hit the ground running at full speed. On January 27, a group of students had the opportunity to visit RAF Coningsby, giving them an insight into one of the RAF’s busiest flying stations. They were able to visit No. 3 (F) Squadron, learning about the roles and capabilities of the Typhoon and the squadron’s operations before visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. At the BBMF, Yorkshire learned about the historical uses and applications of Air Power during the Second World War and were able to understand its progression until the present day and what it takes to keep a 70-year-old aircraft in the skies today. Hopefully, in the next few weeks students will also have taken part in visits to Lakenheath, Mildenhall and RAF Odiham.

In January, a small group of students headed off to Austria to participate in the RAF Ski Champs, which aims to develop skiing talent within the service and provide beginners training to new skiers. YUAS students were able to take part in beginner snowboarding sessions, starting off with scotting and slipping on the nursery slope before learning to link turns properly and head into the mountains. For the students, this gave them a great opportunity to meet and importantly like many AT events this enabled students to interact with personnel from across the whole RAF and all ranks.

A separate expedition also allowed some of YUAS to travel to Andorra as part of a skiing adventurous training expedition. All students had the opportunity to obtain their Ski Foundation 1 Qualification which will enable them to progress through the military skiing syllabus in the future. They participated in ski lessons, avalanche training and whilst they weren’t enjoying the sunny winter weather, they were learning about it.

Throughout January and February, the squadron has slowly but surely been welcoming its newest recruits as they attest as Officer Cadets. Whilst welcoming them with open arms, the squadron will be getting them stuck in right away with an induction camp in early mar, which will see them complete their first military skills module at RAF College Cranwell and learn about RAF life whilst embedding into RAF Leeming before heading off for three days of adventurous training which will give them a true taste of life on Yorkshire.

In the meantime, as University terms have restarted across the county, Yorkshire returns to its weekly schedule of packed training nights both at RAF Leeming and in the students’ cities. These weekly gatherings expose everybody to RAF life and provide a structured training environment for the students. Each week they have the opportunity deliver presentations, receive briefings from current and previous serving personnel, take part in planning exercises and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be an RAF officer ahead of their potential service or civilian careers. The squadron also conducts its own inter-flight fitness and sports sessions on Saturday mornings.

Throughout the coming months the squadron will continue to train its personnel in leadership, teamwork and communication skills whilst continually building the Yorkshire spirit that makes the squadron a great place to be for all involved. In helping organise and getting involved in all of these events; experiential learning, personal and professional development and inspiring the next generation remains the keystone of YUAS and what it’s all about. Thank you to everyone at Leeming that helps us get there

….. till next time….