Air Experience Flying Day

On Wednesday, four RAF cadets from the school Combined Cadet Force, two of whom had never flown with the RAF before, embarked on a trip to RAF Benson to take part in an Air Experience Flying (AEF) day. This involved each cadet piloting a Grob Tutor single-propeller-engine aircraft alongside an experienced RAF instructor. Before they could be shown to their plane, however, the cadets had to ensure they would be safe throughout the experience by paying attention to a safety briefing and demonstrating to the staff that they were able to get to safety in the unlikely event of a serious mid-air emergency. The cadets were then kitted out with flight-suits, parachutes and helmets and prepared to begin their flight. 

After take off, each cadet was shown how the aircraft responds to the controls, and eventually they were allowed to take control of the aircraft and perform some basic manoeuvres, weather permitting. Some cadets were even able to experience some aerobatics, performed by their instructor, allowing them to experience g-force as they navigated between the clouds. The pilots then brought them safely in to land, avoiding the wandering rainclouds as they went.

All in all it was a successful day of training, and hopefully one which many more cadets will get to experience as the program recovers after the Covid pandemic.