What We Do
Life as an air cadet brings new friends, new experiences, and rewarding achievements through the activities we offer. The opportunities are endless! From flying and gliding, to expeditions and radio communications, you’re sure to find something you enjoy.
Get Airborne
Flying and gliding are central to our purpose and your cadet experience.
You’ll have loads of opportunities to take to the skies, whether that’s soaring to new heights in a glider, or working through our progressive training in the Grob Tutor.
From your first Air Experience Flight, right through to your first solo on a RAF flying scholarship, the Air Cadets can help you achieve your dream of flying.
Drill & Ceremonial
Learn to wear your uniform with pride as you march in unison as part of a squad or take pride of place in a number of parades across the Region.
Get Out & Get Active
Cadet life is about learning through practical experience, especially in the great outdoors! Here’s a taster of what’s in store:
- Adventurous training – A huge part of cadet training. Fancy abseiling down a 30ft wall? How about rock climbing, hill walking, mountain biking, parachuting or canoeing down a river? As an Air Cadet, take the opportunity to challenge yourself!
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – The Air Cadets are one of the largest providers of this scheme and employers everywhere recognise the Award as a great achievement. Take on the challenge, and work your way up through Bronze and Silver levels, all the way to Gold.
- Camping – Work on your survival skills and learn your strengths in a team.
- Annual Camps – Sponsored by the Royal Air Force and led by our volunteer officers, cadets can enjoy annual camps held at RAF stations around the UK or abroad, during Easter and summer school holidays.
Sports
Compete or play just for fun. Cadets participate in wide variety of sports, both team and individual disciplines and can achieve sporting blues and can even represent the Corps!
Target Shooting
Safety underpins all aspects of cadet rifle training. Cadets are supervised by trained and qualified members of staff continuously during their time on the range. Cadets must also pass safety tests before being allowed to handle rifles themselves. Through this nationally recognised popular sport cadets learn self-discipline, patience and concentration, and can take aim to achieve marksmanship badges and represent the Air Cadets in national competitions.
First Aid Training
A valuable life skill which the organisation supports through training, courses and formal qualifications for both cadets and volunteers. In fact many cadets and volunteers have used this skill to preserve life in real first aid situations.
Think You Can Lead?
Leadership training, where you can really prove your worth as leader – a skill that will build your confidence and your ability to deal with different kinds of people. If you can handle it you could get to the Junior Leaders course – it’s gruelling but what you get out of it will be invaluable to you for the rest of your life.
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are becoming more significant to the skill set of our cadets. We work with the RAF STEM Team and the Smallpeice Trust to bring a greater understanding of the career opportunities available in STEM industries. It’s not just about the hands-on skills either – our residential STEM camps also develop leadership, teamwork and communications skills. These early experiences prepare cadets for the opportunity to apply for our highly regarded Qualified Aerospace Instructors Course which is open by competitive selection to senior cadets.
Academic Qualifications
- BTEC awards in Aviation Studies, Public Services and Music, equivalent to 10 GCSEs grades A* – C! Academic qualifications are also available to our volunteer staff.
- City & Guilds – cadets can also benefit from certain vocational qualifications in management, as can our volunteers.