Hi! Last year, I was lucky enough to take part in AEF Flying in a C17! It was absolutely amazing despite the bird strike limiting our flight time to 15 minutes. I was wondering if this experience could count towards my blue wings? As far as i know, the requirements are ground training (which i think is part of first class anyway) and 1 aef sortie or 3 gliding sessions. On cadet portal, the flight is recorded, so was wondering if it would count. I am considering emailing my OC and the WAvOff to check, but wanted to get opinions from here first! Can anyone help? Thank you!
Providing a couple of extracts from ACTO 31 - Air Experience Flying…
Air Experience Flying has been established to provide powered flying opportunities for cadets. This is conducted at Air Experience Flights (AEF) located across the UK, within the Command and Control of Comdt 6 Flying Training School (6 FTS).
The purpose of Air Experience Flying is to inspire and enthuse the Air Cadets and to teach the practical application of aviation principles by involving them directly in the operation of the aircraft, including handling the controls, under the close supervision of the Aircraft Commander.
I am not an expert, but I would say that a flight in a C17 (whilst fantastic) is not an AEF Sortie and probably doesn’t count towards your Blue Wings as it wasn’t carried out at an AEF with 6FTS pilots and you didn’t take control of the aircraft to have that Air Experience Flight - you were simply a passenger in a transport aircraft.
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Back in my day ….those were called ‘Opportunity flights’ not AEF.
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By that same logic though, it shouldn’t count against you at least… so you’d still be a ‘‘first time flyer’’ for the purposes of the 2FTS form when going on an AEF
Wings are awarded for hands on flying, not sitting in the back of a transport aircraft.
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Life lesson for next time. If you’re in an aircraft and there’s a bird strike, take the initiative and ask the pilot if you can guide the aircraft back in! 
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