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Tuesday 23 September 2014

To Fly, or not to Fly....

Along with back to school comes back to clubs and groups - this weekend a couple of the teens had the opportunity to go flying with the Air Cadets.  It was a beautiful sunny day and a group of 25 cadets went to the local air field for gliding (an airplane without an engine) and flights in the tow plane.  Going up in a glider is an amazing experience, you are towed up into the sky by another plane and then the tow rope is released leaving the glider to soar on its own.  There is nothing like the feeling of soaring in a glider, it is so quiet and peaceful.  The teens flying the glider and tow plane with licensed pilots that teach the children basics about flying and give them an opportunity to take control of the plane while in the sky.

As Air Cadets the teens are also given the opportunity to apply for scholarship summer courses for the opportunity to get either their glider pilot licence and/or their private pilot licence.  One of our sons was able to obtain both licences wile a cadet and has continued on with Air Cadets now as a volunteer.  Obtaining a pilots licence at 17 years old has served our son well as he became an Air Craft Maintenance Engineer as a young adult and still fly's for recreation.  This year our daughter is interested in applying for the glider scholarship and has currently been studying for the qualifying exam.

For some of our teens the interest in becoming a pilot isn't there and that is okay, they can do many other things at Air Cadets.  While in cadets some have focused on band, wilderness survival, fitness, leadership, range or instructional techniques....and some have tried everything.  For one he met his wife through Air Cadets that led to our beautiful granddaughter.

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