RAF Benson

6 Air Experience Flight (6 AEF) is commanded by a Senior Instructional Officer with Squadron Leader rank and staffed by a mix of serving RAF and RAF Volunteer Reserve officers.

The major task of 6 AEF is to provide an annual air experience flight of 20 minutes duration to every cadet in its allocated region. Cadets are drawn from Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Forces from Herts & Bucks, Thames Valley, Surrey, Sussex, London, Middlesex and Kent ATC Wings, and 43 Schools with CCF RAF contingent.

The RAF Benson Flying Club operates a fleet of light aircraft to provide serving and ex-serving military personnel flying training to Private Pilot’s Licence standard and also touring opportunities.  Further details at www.rafbfc.co.uk.

National Police Air Service operates mainly in the central part of the South of England. RAF Benson’s central location within the south of England provides a strategic position for response to local Police Forces and beyond. Crew regularly respond to tasks such as searching for missing or vulnerable people, searching for offenders, managing high-speed vehicle pursuits, and on occasions, assisting the Ambulance Service.

Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA) moved to RAF Benson in 2007. The red and battenburg helicopter carries a crew of three comprising a pilot, a pre-hospital emergency doctor and a critical care paramedic, along with lifesaving equipment to provide state of the art patient care. The aircraft can then transport patients at speed to one of several hospitals in the area with landing facilities. All costs are funded by the TVAA Trust; a charity funded by donations from the public, largely from the Thames Valley area.