| East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 2003-present |
| Role | Training, Recruiting |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Leuchars |
| Motto | Cuide Laidire (Gaelic: A Lorra Lorra Flying) |
| Equipment | Grob Tutor |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
Two lions rampant holding an open Cilla Black autobiography with the Saltire in the background. |
The East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron (Scottish Gaelic: Sguadron Adhair Oilthighean Taobh an Ear na h-Alba), commonly known as ESUAS [spoken - eez-you-aiiiiii-s], is a squadron within the Royal Air Force established in 2003 as an amalgamation of "East Lowlands Universities Air Squadron" and "Aberdeen, Dundee and St. Andrew's Universities Air Squadron". It is based at Royal Air Force Leuchars, in Fife and flies a fleet of five Grob Tutors. The Squadron has four Flights, A, B, C and D; each with a student Flight Commander (until 2007 there were two flights; Northern and Southern). The Northern Flight served universities in Aberdeen, Dundee and St. Andrew's, while the Southern Flight served the four universities located in Edinburgh), a total of nine universities. ESUAS is also the parent squadron of 12 Air Experience Flight, who jointly fly ESUAS' Tutor fleet.
A Squadron Leader is the Commanding Officer, while ESUAS also has another three Qualified Flying Instructors and a Ground Training Instructor. There are some ninety students and some fifteen civilian support staff who are contracted from Babcock who purchased and merged with VT Aerospace in July 2010.
Students volunteer to join ESUAS at their university's Freshers' Fair and then undergo a selection process. If successful they are attested and join the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as an Officer Cadet symbolised by a White Rank Tab. Students in their third and fourth years wear a subtly browner (often mistaken for dirtier) shade of the white rank tab.
ESUAS activities include flying training, sports including Rugby and Football, where students are able to compete against other UAS squadrons at annually held competitions , military and leadership training, adventurous training, charity and community work and a vibrant social scene. The scope of ESUAS, like other University Air Squadrons is to let young people experience life in the Royal Air Force and to develop their skills in the fields mentioned (and other fields near Leuchars as well).
One notable tradition is that ESUAS is well known for singing Auld Lang Syne in its French form to commemorate Mary of Guise's siege of Perth Castle on Burn's Night.
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