Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron explained

Unit Name:	Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron
Dates:	1941-present
Country:	United Kingdom
Role:	Training
Command Structure:	No. 6 Flying Training School
Garrison:	RAF Woodvale
Aircraft Trainer:	Grob Tutor T1

Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron, abbreviated MASUAS, forms part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. MASUAS is one of fifteen University Air Squadrons that are spread out across Great Britain and it recruits from the universities in Manchester (University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University) and Salford University.^[1]

Alumni

• Sqn Ldr John Peters, UMIST Building Technology, Gulf War pilot, shot down in Tornado ZD791 on 17 January 1991 with John Nichol
• Flt Lt Richard Walker, modern languages at the University of Manchester, Red Arrows
• Flt Lt Nick Critchell aerospace business systems at Salford University, joined the RAF in 2008, Red Arrows from 2020, aged 33
• Flt Lt Tom Bould, University of Manchester, Aerospace Engineering, joined the RAF in 2005, Red Arrows from 2015, aged 32, team leader until 2023^[2]

Incidents

A training aircraft XX712 crashed on Wednesday 2 March 1988 at Southport seafront, killing the pilot.^[3] 20 yr Mark Davies was from Southport, at Salford University, studying aircraft engineering^[4] The pilot who trained Mark to fly was Flt Lt John Burge; his son Robert would be killed in a crash on 16 October 1992, when his son was the commanding officer of the Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Royal Air Force - MASUAS.
2. https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/news/pilots-say-farewell-after-2023-season/ Team leader
3. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/137208 1988 crash
4. Liverpool Echo Thursday 3 March 1988, page 9
5. Liverpool Daily Post Wednesday 9 March 1988, page 11