Flying

Flying is the most exciting and prestigious of the activities offered by the Air Training Corps, and the activity that sets us above all other youth organisations in the country.

AIR EXPERIENCE FLYING (AEF)

Your ATC flying career will probably begin in the Grob Tutor at our local Air Experience Flight, which is based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. Squadrons are allocated a number of places each year at AEF; in addition AEF is normally included on the summer camp programme. With an RAF or RAFVR(T) pilot at the controls you will be introduced to the effects of the controls on the aircraft and, if you wish, you will usually have the opportunity to take the controls yourself. As you become more experienced you will have the opportunity to experience aerobatics: initially you will follow the pilot through on the controls, lightly placing your hands and feet on the control column and rudder pedals to get a feel for the control inputs required to perform the manoeuvre, then you may have the chance to fly the aircraft in an aerobatic manoeuvre yourself.

OTHER FLYING OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to AEF, cadets will have the opportunity to fly in other service aircraft. These flights normally occur during summer camp, but may be arranged locally by squadron commanders and can include flights as a passenger in a fast jet, onboard a tanker aircraft on a refuelling sortie or as a supernumerary crew member on a transport aircraft or helicopter. It’s not uncommon for cadets to get an overseas visit as part of an opportunity flight.