Annual summer camps provide cadets with a great opportunity to experience life on an RAF station and the chance to take part in activities otherwise not available to them at squadron or wing levels. A number of cadets this year for summer camp within Thames Valley wing headed to RAF Shawbury across 2 weeks in August to see what happens at the base

RAF Shawbury provides for the RAF the Defence Helicopter Flying School, training aircrew for all three military services, and the Central Flying School (Helicopter), delivering the next generation of helicopter instructors. The Central Air Traffic Control School, more quietly but with equal energy, deliver the next generation of controllers, prepare those already for operations and train selected individuals as instructors. Continue reading →

Sgt Lily Chubb from 211 (Newbury) Squadron recently attended Air Cadet Leadership Course No 101 at Royal Air Force College Cranwell where her flight were awarded the award of Top Flight. Here is her report of the week.

Arriving at RAFC Cranwell on the 27th July, it was clear that the standards for the Air Cadet Leadership Course 101 were going to be high. We were sent into a room that contained vital information for the rest of the week and every cadet was to record this data. The test had only begun, as our next task was to stand in front of a SNCO and recall the information quickly and accurately with a common theme occurring that a great attention to detail was needed to pass out of the room successfully. Continue reading →

The summer is typically a busy time for Air Cadet Squadrons with many different activities, camps and events happening across the months. 155 (Maidenhead) Squadron have provided an insight into the 1st half of their summer and the things the cadets have been involved with so far with plenty more still on the horizon yet!

The 13th July saw 4 cadets take to the air for the first time in a vigilant glider at RAF Benson’s 612 Venture Gliding School. Each cadet got 2 opportunities to fly and clocked up nearly three hours of flying time between them. Cadet Alice Armstrong said that it had been one an absolutely amazing experience, flying over the Oxfordshire Countryside on a lovely summer’s day and taking control of the glider. Continue reading →

Started back in January 2013 with an induction into road marching at Edward Brooks Barracks, staff from Thames Valley wing trained enough cadets to take two Wing teams to DCAE Cosford to the RAF WARMA (Walking and road marching Association) event in April. This event is a 50 mile march for cadets and also a qualifier for those cadets old enough to go to Holland to take part in the famous Nijmegen March.

Fg Off Wicks lead one team and Flt Lt Kisley the other, and the teams did extremely well leaving RAFWARMA with their heads held high as one team finished in 3^rd place and the 2^nd team winning best ATC team 2013. A hard selection then took place to decide the 11 cadets from the two teams who would represent the Wing at Nijmegen, for the 100 mile 4 day march in July. Continue reading →

RAF Brize Norton, one of the biggest stations in the RAF family, hosted the eagerly anticipated launch day the RAF Association’s all-new initiative for youngsters – rafa YOUTH. A vibrant membership scheme designed to show young flyers the RAF up close to which Cadet Guillaume Flavin from 2121 (Abingdon) Squadron got to be a part of as one of the 6 lucky winners.

In his own words Cdt Falvin explains what happened on the day and how he got involved with rafa Youth. You can see more photos of the day here or on the rafa Youth Site. Continue reading →

A contingent of cadets from Thames Valley Wing squadron’s supported the RideLondon cycling event over the weekend of 3-4 August. While working as volunteers in the bike park area on Sunday 4^th of August Cdt Sgt Josh Wilkes and Cdt Guilherme Neves met RAF personnel competing in the cycling event, arriving mid morning having set off on the 100 mile route at 0600 hours that day. Continue reading →

Safety is a top priority of all activities which cadets take part in and their staffs are always making sure that cadets understand the risks and safety elements of what they are taking part in. 2267 (Brize Norton) Squadron welcomed AirTanker Services, Vanessa Murdoch to talk about Flight Safety within the Voyager programme at RAF Brize Norton on Thursday, 25^th July. In her role as ‘FDM (Flight Deck Monitoring) and Investigation Officer’ Vanessa ensures that the company is learning constantly to ensure safety of the aircraft, crew and staff on the ground is monitored. She also explained the importance of learning from every event and how not jumping to conclusions and looking at every possible angle of an event ensures best practice. Continue reading →

On Thursday, 18th July 2267 (Brize Norton) Squadron played host to its Honorary President Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Jon Lamonte (RAF Ret’d) to open its indoor Air Rifle range to add further to the cadet experience at Brize Norton Squadron. The evening started with OC 2267 Flt Lt Colin Burrell escorting AVM Lamonte to the range to be shown how its works within the squadron buildings and the process undertaken by the staff from planning stage to opening. After a demonstration by the squadron cadets AVM Lamonte took his turn at showing the cadets his shooting skills and trying to gain a marksmanship badge! Continue reading →