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| News > Civil Air Patrol cadets experience pilot training firsthand |
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LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Capt. Cliff Johnson and 1st Lt. Travis Patterson, 86th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilots, brief a group of Civil Air Patrol cadets before their orientation flight on board a T-1A Jayhawk here June 25. The flight was a culmination of a seven day trip designed to give the cadets firsthand experience into what it is like to be an Air Force student pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Eric Jones)
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Civil Air Patrol cadets experience pilot training firsthand
Posted 7/8/2009 Updated 7/8/2009
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by Sabrina Diaz
47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
7/8/2009 - LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE,Texas -- Recently twenty Civil Air Patrol cadets from across the nation took flight on a T-1A aircraft as part of their seven-day Laughlin experience.
Throughout their busy week at Laughlin, the qualified CAP cadets were given the opportunity to practice the lifestyle of a student pilot.
Academics were taught to the cadets and assessments were given just as if they were a student going through Undergraduate Pilot Training.
Touring the base and flightline, simulator rides, and taking flight on an aircraft were all part of this annual event.
Only two of the cadets attending this year were college students while the remaining cadets were high schoolers, said CAP Maj. Steven Solomon, CAP Southeast Region Public Affairs director.
Cadet Alice Chan, one of the two college students in the group and a member of CAP for four years, was undecided what she wanted to do in the military. "So I came on this trip to get a feel for Air Force life,"said Cadet Chan. "It's been intense."
Cadet Donald Cameron III, who has been a member of CAP for two and a half years said it has been really fun to see everyday Air Force life, and it has helped him become more informed about becoming a pilot.
"It's unique", said Lt. Col. Andy Applegate, an Air Force Reserve pilot from Arkansas who serves as a liason between the active Air Force and CAP. " Alot of people go into pilot training and don't know what they are getting into, but these students get insight others usually don't."
The visiting cadets were required to be at least 15 years of age and must attend a specialized camp run by CAP in their home state.
"Laughlin's base personnel were great", said Lt. Col. Applegate, who has been a part of this event for eight years and says he hopes to keep it going.
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