Air Experience Flying Day
On Wednesday,聽four聽RAF cadets聽from the school Combined Cadet Force, two of whom had never flown with the RAF before,聽embarked on a trip to RAF Benson to聽take part in an Air Experience Flying (AEF) day.聽This involved each cadet聽piloting a聽Grob聽Tutor single-propeller-engine aircraft alongside an experienced RAF instructor.聽Before they could聽be shown to their plane, however, the cadets had to ensure they would be safe throughout the experience by聽paying attention to a safety briefing and demonstrating to the staff that they were able to聽get to safety in the unlikely event of a serious mid-air emergency.聽The cadets were then kitted out with flight-suits, parachutes and helmets and聽prepared to begin their flight.聽
After take off, each cadet was shown how聽the聽aircraft responds to聽the聽controls, and eventually they were allowed to take control of the aircraft and perform some basic manoeuvres, weather permitting. Some cadets were even聽able to experience聽some聽aerobatics, performed by their instructor,聽allowing them to experience g-force聽as they navigated between the clouds.聽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,聽and hopefully one which many more cadets will get to experience聽as the program recovers after the Covid pandemic.
