Page 51 - Cadet Review Spring 2024

a closer look at aircraft such as the Rafale, F-16 and Alpha jets used by the Patrouille de France. After looking around the aircraft we split off into small groups and met up with our French counterparts again to enjoy the airshow. During this time, we made our way around lots of stalls, buying and trading as many patches as we could.
We also witnessed some amazing displays from teams such as the Red Arrows, Patrouille de France and the German F-16 display team.
On our last night in France, we had the privilege of attending another post airshow soirée. It was another fantastic opportunity to get to meet the aircrew that had displayed and taken part in the air show over the weekend and further strengthen the relations between the RAFAC and EAJ.
We mingled with the Patrouille de France, learning one of the pilots was half Scottish! Amongst this,
we got to enjoy some classic French cuisine, meet people from all over Europe and attempt to learn some French in the perfect end to a great weekend. We all felt honoured and proud to represent the RAF Air Cadets and the UK at an event that we would ordinarily never be invited to.
Monday the 2nd of October saw our final outing as part of our trip to France, which began at 07:00. Before setting off to Paris we said goodbye to our guides Jerome and Julie who were outstanding hosts throughout our stay. We had a long journey ahead of us to Paris and set off even before the sun had risen! We arrived in Paris at around 11:45 and deposited our luggage at Gard de Lyon before embarking on our whirlwind tour of Paris. We collected our Metro tickets as we made our way to the Seine to join our river cruise.
We all finally began to relax and enjoy the sights that Paris had to offer. However, the tranquillity of the river cruise was interrupted by the realisation that we only had a brief time until we went home and needed to reach the airport. As we disembarked from the river boat, we began to make our way to
Our trip would not have been possible without the support of our staff who organised
the trip and made sure we had an unforgettable time
the baggage storage to collect our suitcases. Once we collected all our bags, we then braved the Paris Metro one last time which was even busier than ever! After successfully making it to the airport we all sat down for our last meal together in France and boarded our plane shortly thereafter.
We are all extremely grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity and I thoroughly hope that
the friendships we made whilst in France last us a lifetime. We all hope more cadets can be given the chance to experience everything we have during our time in France. Our trip would not have been possible without the support of our staff who organised
the trip and made sure we had an unforgettable
time with memories that will last us all a lifetime.
A special mention must go to Wing Commander Katherine Ingram CAS-AS France. She was the driving force behind the visit and instrumental throughout. Wg Cdr Ingram was our liaison officer working with HQAC/22 Grp and the French Air Force/ EAJ and joined us throughout our stay at Avord Air Base. Thank you, we all appreciate all you did to make the trip such a success and we look forward to working with you again to see how we can foster our relationship with the French Air Cadets in the future.
The French Chief of Air Staff, General Stéphane Mille with Flt Sgt Kate Crossman and CWO George Seary
CADET REVIEW SPRING 2024 51