Page 46 - Cadet Review Spring 2022

CEY Wing ATC
AIR CADET
PILOT SCHEME
By Flight Sergeant Phoebe Buckley
ACPS was an experience like no other. It has helped me progress towards my future goal of becoming
a pilot, and also helped me develop, not only as a cadet, but as a person.
On the 5th December 2021, I embarked on my ACPS experience. ACPS, also known as the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme is a 2 weeks course at Tayside Aviation based at Dundee Airport. It is a 12 hour fully funded scholarship which goes towards the 45 hours needed for your Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL), and even the opportunity to solo!
Our first day began with meeting the instructors and Tayside and getting to know a bit about what the course entails. We learnt the ‘walk around’ of the aircraft (in simple terms, this is basically checking everything works before you take off), and also a
bit more about the people in our group. Each week, a new group starts the course, so we (Course 26), joined Course 25 who were beginning their second week, as we were beginning our first. This meant that there was 6 of us, including myself.
Throughout the week, in between swimming, saunas and many delicious restaurant meals, we had briefings on the different sorties we were going to fly. There are 13 different sorties, which include a solo, which make up the 12 hours which are part of the
I couldn’t tell you exactly which part
of ACPS was my favourite asitwasso enjoyable in different ways
scheme. These gave us an insight of what we were going to fly, and allowed us to best prepare ourselves before the flight. Sorties had a range from stalling to circuits.
As the days went on, the 12 hours flying were soon coming to an end - it really is true, time flies when you’re having fun! Before going solo, you have to sit an exam that has questions on things such as radio procedures, emergencies and air law, which we all decided to get out the way with at the beginning of week 2, enabling us to concentrate on just the flying aspect. This, along with my hard work, seemed
to work a treat, as 4 days later I was able to say I’d successfully flown a powered aircraft solo and earned my wings. Writing this, I still find it hard to believe as ACPS was a dream of mine as a 12 year old cadet.
I couldn’t tell you exactly which part of ACPS was my favourite as it was so enjoyable in different ways. The people were amazing - I’ve definitely made friends for life and the flying was better than I even imagined. The experience as a whole is something I’d so again in a heart-beat!
If you’re not 100% sure on an activity, whether it’s ACPS or not, just go for it. What have you got to lose? That’s one of the main things I have taken away from cadets, I found my passion for flying by just ‘giving it a go’!
46 CADET REVIEW SPRING 2022