Saturday morning kicked off bright and early for the students of the Academy’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF), who gathered at school at 0800 hours for an exciting day ahead. Their destination, RAF Little Rissington, an RAF base just an hour away in Oxfordshire, where they would soon be taking control of gliders for the first time!
Upon arrival, the cadets were greeted by staff and fellow cadets from other units. The team made their way to the 612 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS), where the safety briefings were led by the instructor cadets. All the briefings and much of the day would be run by fellow cadets who were either cadet instructors or on the gliding scholarship and learning to fly solo. These briefings included everything from how to properly put on a parachute to the important procedures to follow if an emergency landing was necessary.
After getting the safety briefings, the group headed to the airfield for the day’s main event: flying! The cadets were ready to get hands-on, and the first to take the controls was Alexsander. Nervous but excited, Alex climbed into the cockpit with his instructor, who explained the flight process before the glider was attached to the winch cable. With a call of “take up the slack” followed by the shout of “all out,” the glider was quickly airborne, rising at a steep 45-degree angle, soaring to 1000 feet in just a few seconds.
For the next 10 minutes, Alex circled the airfield, taking turns at the controls under the guidance of his instructor in the back seat. When he landed, his grin said it all—he had just flown a plane for the very first time and loved every second of it!
When not flying, the cadets assisted with the launch process, helping to attach winch cables, move the gliders, and even running alongside to hold the wings during take-off. It was a full day of activity and teamwork, and everyone left with a sense of accomplishment and anticipation for the next opportunity to glide.
A thoroughly enjoyable and memorable day was had by all, and the cadets are already looking forward to their next adventure in the skies!
