i am thinking about joining the Air Cadets (NW England) but i need some info on it before i take it any further... so if you can help, or share your views and thoughts on it then please do.

when does it take place? is is a full time thing or does it happen at weekends or what? (you can tell ive never done anything like it before, but i have GCSEs so i need to know)

what sorts of things can i be expected to do/learn? (the aged 13+ group, i am 14)

will it help me to become a civil pilot later on?

what did you think of it when you went (if you did go)?


i hope this is in the right place, and please do answer as i wanna join but only if it doesnt get in the way of my GCSEs


cheers

expat wrote on May 30^th, 2007 at 11:04am:

Good advice. I doesn't suit everyone but I enjoyed it tremendously. Here's the website. http://www.aircadets.org/

Quote:

Probably. It's changed out of all recognition since my time. I joined the ATC over 50 years ago.

PS. They let girls in now.

You need to find out which squadron is nearest to you. Most will have their own websites nowadays. http://www.aircadetsnorth.org/

Find out what squadron is closest to you and give them a ring... if you can't find a tel. number but it tells you where, what times and days they parade then just pop in and ask for info... They'll probably give you a tour around the squadron building and a few papers to fill in and some info on what Air Cadets is all about... What they'll do then is give you a ring the next time they have an intake of new recruits and you'll start up as a probationer and basically spend the next few months learning on how to become a cadet... After about two months-ish you should have reached a standard high enough to take some (easy  ) exams and achieve your first class classification, you should also then be issued with your 3822, which is a little blue booklet which will allow you to do anything within cadets (flying, shooting.... etc)

So pretty much after that you can call yourself a 'cadet'... but the longer you stay in and the more effort you give it the more you will receive in return. During the summer months the main thing you can expect is sports, flying, gliding and drunken camps...   In the winter flying and gliding do occur but it is very weather dependant... and this time is used to practise drill and study for exams leading to higher classifications... etc. All of the things you study are RAF or aviation related so if your into planes its quite interesting and when you get to a certain level you gain a BTEC in aviation studies which is the equivilant of a GCSE grade A-C, just for being a cadet basically!

So simply.... Theres loads of camps and stuff to get drunk on and meet loads of new cadets and make tons of friends... you get the opportunity to go flying and gliding once a month or so (where you actually get to fly the aircraft, not just watch, barrel rolls and loops included for free!) and dont forget shooting the L-98 and if you lucky the L85. There the opportunity to do, Millenium Volunteers, First Aid awards, BTECS, Nijmegen Marches (Which im doing this July), Duke of Edinburgh Awards and many more courses that pop up all the time (like my two week paragliding course Only 12 cadets from the whole core of the ATC got to go on that one!) Also if you into flying and want to become a pilot this is where the cherry gets placed on the cake. Once you turn 16 you are elligable to go on a gliding scholarship for FREE! (costing around £1500.00 for civilians) The scholarship involves you going your closest gliding squadron every Saturday or Sunday and them teaching you how to fly with the hope that at the end of your 6-8 week course you get to fly solo, like I did... and it was the best thing ive ever done... and im trying to go back for more... But it doesn't all end there... once you have completed your gliding scholarship you can then apply for a flying scholarship (if your good enough) where basically the same thing happens but on a light aircraft (usually spending two weeks at an airfield and flying everyday) and getting the chance if you are good enough to go solo again!  

Theres loads of stuff i've missed out... so really you'll have to see for yourself... personally I thinks its great and a 'reet laugh! But just remember that the amount you put in is the amount you'll get out... so if you want to have a good experience as a cadet then try and put a little effort in!... and not to take it too seriously... it only cadets!  

Oh and yes.... it does help you if you want a future career in aviation! It helps quite a bit!

Any other questions just ask!

Cheers, Luke. (Chief recruiting officer for the ATC   )

machineman9 wrote on May 30^th, 2007 at 12:57pm:


Don't worry... parade nights are only usually twice a week lasting around 2-3 hours... mine are every Monday and Thursday 19:00 to 21:30... So you wont be having to leave home just yet!... However when you old enough and considering doing your A-levels there are places such as Welbeck (Just 2 miles down the road from me) that are 6th forum military colleges where you can go to learn and you stay there 24/7 most of the year... I would of gone but they don't cater for the pilots, only engineer-ey people... 

What town or city do you live in...???  that will narrow it down to which squadrons your looking at... 

I know a couple of guys in the ATC. Apparently, you at one point get a parent consent form, to do with what types of aircraft your parents will allow you to fly in. One of the yes/no selections is titled 'High performance jets'

It goes on to say; 'includes types such as the Tornado and Typhoon'

Have fun with that, machineman...

How close is the Air Cadets Program to the Civil Air Patrol?-Cadet Staff Sargeant.

expat wrote on May 30^th, 2007 at 4:48pm:


Ok, then the guys I know are liars and exaggeraters. If you knew them you would agree with me. They're very irritating...

EDIT; this is a reminder for myself later on. My 200th post is this one. All you guys, ignore this. It's for me to read later on.