Historic Army Aircraft Flight

The Historic Army Aircraft Flight (HAAF) is a charitable trust which brings the history of British Army flying to life by preserving and flying a unique collection of historic British Army aircraft formerly operated by the Army Air Corps (AAC). It serves as a 'living museum' for ex-service personnel commemorative and memorial purposes, as an aid to recruiting, and for supporting wider British Army heritage in public.[2] It features an aerial display group; comprising a de Havilland Beaver, a Westland Scout, an Agusta-Bell Sioux, and an Auster AOP.9.

Historic Army Aircraft Flight
Active1980 (1980)
(as Army Historic Aircraft Flight)–present
Country United Kingdom
AllegianceBritish Armed Forces (originally)
Branch British Army (originally)
TypeHistoric flying display unit
RoleMemorial
Size7 aircraft
LocationArmy Aviation Centre, Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire, England, SO20 8DY[1]
Nickname(s)HAAF
Motto(s)Let their glory not fade
AircraftSee list
WebsiteHAAF.uk

History

Initially formed in 1980 (1980), as the Historic Aircraft Flight (HAF) of the Army Air Corps (AAC), then since March 1990 (1990-03), as the Army Historic Aircraft Flight (AHAF), it was an official flight of the British Army. It was created in order to save and maintain one example of each aircraft operated since the Army Air Corps inception in 1957. Its purpose was to preserve the AAC's aviation heritage for future generations.

The aircraft of the AHAF were originally supported in part by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), along with additional donations and any income from air displays it undertook. Although the AHAF was self-administered by its own charitable company, in 2013, the MoD withdrew all official public funding. This forced the AHAF into a state of dormancy or 'suspended animation'.

In order to ensure that its aircraft remain airworthy and available, four of the AHAF aircraft (Auster, Beaver, Scout, and Sioux) were transferred to the Civil Register of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA); this helps to reduce both maintenance servicing times and costs.

Now known as the Historic Army Aircraft Flight (HAAF), it operates as a Registered Charity (charity number: 1024043, as the Historic Aircraft Flight Trust),[2] governed by the Historic Army Aircraft Flight Trustee Limited.[1] The Historic Army Aircraft Flight Trustee Ltd was incorporated on 1 May 2015 (2015-05-01), as a private company limited by guarantee without share capital.[1] Registered in England and Wales under company number 09572211, it is listed under the standard industrial classification of economic activities (SIC) as 'Museums activities' (91020).[1]

Aircraft

The Historic Army Aircraft Flight includes the following retired AAC aircraft:

Historic Army Aircraft Flight (HAAF) aircraft
aircraft
manufacturer		aircraft
model		aircraft
type		military
registration		civil
registration		refImage
flying
de Havilland CanadaBeaver AL.1fixed-wing single-engine monoplaneXP820G-CICP[3]
Auster Aircraft LimitedAOP.9fixed-wing single-engine monoplaneXR244G-CICR[4]
Bell / Westland AircraftSioux AH.1rotary-wing single-engine helicopterXT131G-CICN[5]
Westland HelicoptersScout AH.1rotary-wing single-engine helicopterXT626G-CIBW[6]
De Havilland Canada Chipmunk T.10 fixed-wing single-engine monoplane WD325 TBA
non flying
Saunders-RoeSkeeter AOP.12rotary-wing single-engineXL812G-SARO[7]

More details of the aircraft in the Flight can be seen on the website.

See also

References
  1. "Historic Army Aircraft Flight Trustee Limited – overview". Find-and-update.Company-Information.Service.gov.uk. Cardiff, United Kingdom: Companies House, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, HM Government. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  2. "Historic Aircraft Flight Trust – 1024043, Register of Charities". Register-of-Charities.CharityCommission.gov.uk. Charity Commission. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  3. "Beaver". HAAF.uk. Historic Army Aircraft Flight. 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  4. "Auster Mk 9". HAAF.uk. Historic Army Aircraft Flight. 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. "Sioux". HAAF.uk. Historic Army Aircraft Flight. 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. "Scout". HAAF.uk. Historic Army Aircraft Flight. 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  7. "Skeeter". HAAF.uk. Historic Army Aircraft Flight. 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
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