Page 31 - Cadet Review Autumn 2022

INTERNATIONAL AIR CADET EXCHANGE
By Cadet Warrant Officer Anna Cross
On Friday 15th July,
myself and two other
British cadets began
our journey to Frankfurt
airport in order to
participate in the 2022
International Air Cadet
Exchange (IACE) in
Germany. After being
selected to represent
our wings, regions, and
country abroad, it was
no surprise that we were
all beaming with pride
and excitement as we embarked on our travels. The exchange, which has been running since 1946, is endorsed by more than 20 member nations and is participated in by more than 600 cadets worldwide each year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic halting such activities for the past few years, it was an enormous honour to be selected.
Upon arriving in Germany, we were met by our hosts and fellow cadets. It was not surprising to immediately be subject to endless questions from Belgian, French, Dutch, and Swiss cadets about the air cadet system in England, and more importantly, which aircraft we had flown or had a flight in! Inter- estingly, the cadet exchange in Germany coincided with a military exchange, meaning that I was given the opportunity to spend the two weeks abroad not only with foreign cadets, but with members of the Serbian, Tunisian, Indonesian, German, Nigerian, Polish and Latvian militaries too! Aside from the countless amazing experiences throughout the exchange, it was fascinating to observe the different uniforms and customs that each military followed throughout their stay.
The first week of the exchange saw an action- packed programme, with activities including a hike to the Drachenberg castle in Cologne, airbase visits, tours of the Reichstag, free time in cities including Hamburg and Berlin and even a meeting with the parliamentary commissioner of the German armed forces in the Bundeswehrband. Possibly one of the more memorable activities of the first week was the formal visit to the military air base at Nörvenich, which is home to TaktLwG-31. Whilst visiting the base we were given the opportunity to speak to the wing’s pilots and were fortunate enough to receive
a static display of the Eurofighter and Tornado aircraft. Not only was it so inspiring to learn about the training programmes for a German fighter pilot, but it was also fascinating to view the aircraft in
such close proximity. More commercially, the visit
to the airbus factory in Hamburg the following day strengthened this avionic fascination, as the horizons of all cadets were broadened as we were educated
It was astounding to see all the different stages of aircraft production
on the relentless efforts of designers, engineers, electricians, and welders, who are all so pivotal in ensuring that an aircraft can operate outside of the factory. It was astounding to see all the different stages of aircraft production, and to learn more about individual job roles within the avionic sector.
Mid-way through the exchange we had already been subject to so many fabulous opportunities and were thrilled with the knowledge that we had another week to go. More formal events ensued, with a visit to TaktLwG-74 who fly the Eurofighter in Neuburg, opportunity to sit in the cockpit of, and operate some of the electronics of the Tornado at the KTM Training centre in Kaufbeuren, a visit to the DLR European Space Agency and a flight simulator experience in
CADET REVIEW AUTUMN 2022 31