Celebrating Cadets 75th

EATURES
AIR CADET
CADETS STEAL THE SHOW AT RIAT
Their visit came as a very fitting acknowledgement of
... the hard work and efforts of all of the Air Cadets ...
work and efforts of all of the Air Cadets,
but also those of the 2,000-plus team of
Air Tattoo volunteers, who work so hard to
make the show possible.”
The centre point of the Air Cadet
engagement at RIAT was the march-past
of 750 cadets and staff from across the
United Kingdom. The parade, led by
the Air Cadet Organisation Band, was
amazing with the salute taken by Air Chief
Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, former Chief
of the Air Staff, alongside Dame Janet
Trotter, the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire,
and Honorary Group Captain Carol
Vorderman, Ambassador of the Air Cadets.
Air Marshal Sir Kevin Leeson, chairman
of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust,
said that “the 2016 theme was the Next
Generation: Inspiring Innovation and the
cadets that have helped make this year
our best ever are testament to that.
“They embody the spirit of RIAT and
embrace the fusion of cultures, people
and sheer excitement around an event
like this and as a result gain high praise
from all those who interact with them.
The Charitable Trust is grateful for the
support they give us year on year and,
in turn, we are delighted to help fuel
their love for aviation by giving them
the opportunity to get close to the next
generation of aircraft.”
Ambassador, Honorary Group Captain
Carol Vorderman spent two days with
the Air Cadet Detachment at RIAT,
chatting to cadets and staff about
STEM and her upcoming flight around
the world. She was able to view the final
touches being put to the cadet campsite
that resembled a small village with
various centres including medical and
radio communications as well as
the many tents which accommodate
the 1,000 cadets supporting the
air show.
She said: “The sheer scale of this
site is spellbinding. The fact that there is
so much more than a campsite is
fantastic and what a location – you get
some of the best views of the aircraft
from here! It is always great to hear
the cadets really engaging with aviationbased
subjects and getting up close and
personal with some amazing aircraft”.
As well as impressing on the ground,
the cadets also took to the skies. Nine
lucky cadets flew into RAF Fairford with
the Red Arrows from RAF Scampton –
just the second time in history that the
Red Arrows had flown cadets. The nine
were all chosen for their outstanding
achievements within the RAF Air Cadets
(see the summer edition of Air Cadet
magazine www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets).
On landing after the 150-mile trip, the
cadets were buzzing with excitement.
Cadet Warrant Officer Kathryn Flower
from 215 (City of Swansea) Squadron
said: “It was amazing – I didn’t want it to
end.” Nineteen-year-old CWO Benjamin
McMillan from 2484 (Cambourne)
detached flight in Bedfordshire &
Cambridgeshire Wing flying with Red 5
added: “It was more than amazing - and
very special.”
In all, more than 50 cadets were sent
airborne in a variety of aircraft. Some 25
cadets and staff were lucky enough to be
18 AIR CADET MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2016
www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets 19