The Pocklingtonian 2017/2018 | Page 43

CCF// RAF SECTION (Eastern Area Leadership Training) at RAF Wittering gaining some great leadership training. CCF TEST SNCO, ScotNINE1, Sgt Rob Lambert has already been very supportive of our section and we have very much appreciated his help and guidance. Having competed at the RAF College Cranwell Eastern Area annual ground training competition in November for many years, AST INSKIP proved a new challenge for our cadets. Although we sent a fairly inexperienced team we were glad to have competed and pleased to have acquitted ourselves well in some areas, notably the drill competition. We continue to have good opportunities to shoot both small bore (air rifle and LSBTR) on the school site either outdoor or using our indoor tube range and full bore (LS98) at Strensall army barracks. We also had a few RAF cadets attend the contingent Easter 1 week adventurous training week up in Keswick, during which cadets enjoyed the following activities: kayaking, sailing, a canoe and bushcraft day, indoor climbing wall, indoor ice climbing, mountain biking, via ferrata, fellwalking up Grizedale Pike, Ghyll Scrambling and a variety of leadership exercises. VIRTUAL FLYING On Saturday 12 May, Pocklington School RAF cadets visited 645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS) at RAF Topcliffe, accompanied by Flt Lt Patrick Dare. The cadets commenced their day with a welcome brief and a tour of the facilities at 645 VGS before moving onto the ground school training, to learn about the principles of flight and Airmanship. grips with the principles of take-off and landing in the flight simulators. The Part Task Trainer suite was the next stop, where the cadets used three fully functioning Grob vigilant cockpits to carry out synthetic flying training, putting the classroom theory into practice with VGS instructors. He added: “Being able to visit the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and learn all about the life saving work done by the pilots, navigators and paramedics was both interesting and inspiring. Accompanying the cadets on this trip was a privilege and wonderful for the cadets to experience such fabulous opportunities.” The day was very enjoyable and a great success, with all of the cadets receiving a certificate for passing their ground and “synthetic” training and completing the Cadet Aviation Familiarisation Course. The cadets are looking forward to their next Air Experience Flying opportunity at RAF Linton on Ouse in June, when they will be able to put theory into practice and gain their full blue or bronze wings. During the visit, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Helicopter was also at RAF Topcliffe with some of the pilots, navigators and paramedics. The cadets received a tour in and around the helicopter, whilst the paramedics highlighted the lifesaving equipment on board and the importance of the work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Here are some quotations from the cadets, reflecting on their visit: “Nice, incredible experience that may open future opportunities. Thanks you for this” – Yuri “Great experience. Interesting to learn about aviation and the RAF…if I could I would do this again” – Nick “This day on the RAF base was really interesting! I learnt lots of information about aeroplanes, simulate gliding and we got to see the Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopter. Thank you for this nice opportunity!” – Paola Flt Lt Dare said: “It was a real pleasure to take the cadets to RAF Topcliffe for their Cadet Aviation Familiarisation Course. They really enjoyed getting to THE POCKLINGTONIAN 41