Merseyside Cadets Reach For The Sky With Army air Corps

by
15th February 2016

Cadets from Merseyside will experience an action packed visit to 9 Regiment Army Air Corps (9 AAC) at Dishforth Airfield in North Yorkshire next week.

In all 24 cadets from various Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and Air Training Corps (ATC) Squadrons will visit 9 AAC on Tuesday, February 16, and Wednesday, February 17. The visit aims to inform the cadets, all aged between 13 and 20 years old, on the roles and functions of the Army Air Corps.

More importantly, it is an opportunity for them to explore a potential future vocation and ask any questions they may have about what a career flying in the Army involves.

The cadets will be thrown in at the deep end with a taster of an Army Physical Training (PT) session. Conducted in a fun but challenging manner, the PT instructors will look to show the cadets what a typical training session involves, including obstacle courses, circuits and various team sports.

The cadets will also get a demonstration of the vital task that the Defence Fire Rescue Service provides; keeping our aircrew safe and protecting them from harm should the worst happen. To round off the trip, the young cadets will be shown around a Lynx Mk9A helicopter, complete with its capable camera system and side mounted machine gun.

Following a talk from one of our highly experienced crewmen on the operation of the camera and .50 cal gun, the cadets will all get the exciting opportunity to fly in the back of a Lynx and see the local area from the air.

For most of the cadets this will be the first experience they would have had of Army aviation, with their military exposure to date focussed on the RAF and its fixed wing aircraft. The visit was organised by Capt Jordan Jones, an Army Air Corps pilot and ATC instructor on the weekends.

“This will excite these young and enthusiastic cadets, all of whom have little knowledge of the Army Air Corps and what it does. They should leave here having been thoroughly entertained and informed of the exciting opportunity that the Army could provide them as pilots,” said Capt Jones, himself an ex ATC cadet.

Capt Jones currently gives up his free time on weekends to instruct young cadets on the Grob Tutor fixed wing aircraft. He loves military aviation and hopes to inspire a future generation to have the ambition to achieve what they are capable of. His hometown is Liverpool and he regularly instructs at 90 (Speke) Sqn ATC in Garston.

 

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