An Exciting Day Flying at RAF Cranwell
What did your Daughter or Son do last weekend?
Our Cadets take part in many exciting activities, such as flying, target shooting, camping, adventure training, sports and more. We thought that you would like to find out more about one of those activities: Air Experience Flying. Here is a diary of typical day’s flying…
1100 – Staff and excited Cadets depart from our Tollerton HQ.
1200 – On arrival at RAF Cranwell Cadets enter the briefing room, meeting up with friends from two other local Squadrons. An RAF Officer chats to the Cadets then shows them the safety video. The first Cadets are then called to the holding room.
1230 – Cadets put on flying suits (sick bag in the knee pocket just in case!), a parachute, helmets and gloves. Of course, use of shades completes the ‘Top Gun’ look.
1300 – The first 4 Cadets are escorted to their individual aircraft. Climb up onto the wing and into the seat. Staff strap on the safety harness and connect the intercom. The canopy is closed and the engine is started. The aircraft taxis to the take-off point. Revs increase, brakes are released and the Grob Tutor hurtles down the runway and soars into the air. Soon all of the aircraft are just dots in the sky.
1330 – Cadet Emma is enjoying the fantastic views over the Lincolnshire countryside and out towards the Wash and chatting away to her pilot who, she discovered, used to fly in the Red Arrows! On hearing the words “You have control” Emma now realises that the pilot is handing over the control of the aircraft to her. “I have control Sir” is the rehearsed response and Emma is flying the plane. Not bad for a 13 year old! She carries out a few manoeuvres and is taught the basics of the controls and instruments by the pilot. After around 30 minutes it’s time to land, the pilot takes back control.
1345 – Safely back down Emma leaves the aircraft and walks back to the holding room with a huge grin on her face and can’t quite believe that she has just taken control of an aircraft.
1400 – Flying suit off (and sick bags unused!) and it’s back to the Briefing Room to discuss the flight, eat lunch and watch some videos while the other Cadets fly.
1500 – Uniforms back on, then a quick tidy of the Briefing Room and back to the car for the journey home. Lots of excited chattering in the car: “Did you do a loop?” “My pilot has flown a Spitfire!” “How long were you up?”, “We did a stall turn”, etc.
1600 – Arrival back at Squadron HQ. As Cadets leave they can be heard relating the tales again to their Mums and Dads. “I did aerobatics!” “My pilot flew in a Tornado Squadron”, etc. The end of another Air Experience Flying day with the ATC...
...What did your Daughter or Son do last weekend?
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