Air Cadet Pilot Scheme Report

by FS Partovi 

Out of around 44,000 cadets in the ATC, and many more in the CCF (RAF), only approximately 140 cadets are offered a place on the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme (ACPS) each year. So I was of course both excited and honoured to have been offered a place.

 

The cockpit of the Grob Heron

The Scholarship I had been granted allowed for me to travel to Dundee with free accommodation in a four star hotel. After the two hour train ride, I arrived at the hotel shortly after some of my cadet colleagues that I had yet to meet. I was then given my room number and a free warm cookie! My roommate and I made our way to the room, settled in and later met the rest of the five cadets on our course, and the five on the overlapping course from the week before.

 

 FS Partovi (second from the right) with the other students on the course

My first full day at Tayside Aviation -The flying club where the ACPS is held – was a good one, there was only one hour’s flying for me, however this was when I got to know the instructors and the rest of the staff who would be teaching me and the rest of the cadets. We were introduced to the club, given welcome packs and given a guided tour. During the first day I got to know two boys who were there on a Bristow Scholarship with the Air League. They were flying Warriors for hours towards their PPLs, a slightly bigger aircraft to the Grob Herons which the cadets fly.

Because Tayside Aviation is situated in Dundee Airport, the Radio Communications and procedures were a considerable step up from my Gliding Scholarship, this was on top increased air traffic. Towards the end of the course candidates took an exam, which assessed the basics of the ACPS and the aircraft we fly, such as runway markings, ATC signals and the aircraft specifications.

Luckily I achieved my solo flight just before the runways were to change because the wind, and after received my Flying Scholarship Wings.

 

This scholarship is a fantastic experience which I would love to do again. I would recommend this course to anyone.