# UK Air Cadet of the Year on Cloud 9



## big bad john (28 Feb 2005)

Published Thursday 24th February 2005


Emma Jones, geared up and ready to go 
Station Commander Group Captain Greg Bagwell flies Emma Jones in a XIII Squadron TornadoRAF Marham hosted a number of Air Cadet Summer Camps over a period of 9 weeks during the Summer of 2004.  From each of the 9 Air Cadet Summer Camps that ran, one cadet was selected by the ATC staff as the "Cadet of the Camp", based on their performance over the week. 

The activities on which they were assessed included: 

Station familiarisation exercise 
Drill 
Kit Inspections 
Shooting
15 year old Emma Jones from 281 (Southport) Squadron Air Training Corps, Liverpool was nominated as the Air Cadet of the Year and won herself a back-seat flight in a XIII Squadron Tornado.  Emma's day started off at 1000 hrs with a weather brief from the Station Commander Group Captain Greg Bagwell who would be flying her.  The Station Commander said:

"There will be 70 mile per hour winds up there, and if we're not careful we could be blown to Germany, but don't worry we'll have the windows shut."

Emma also saw how the flight was planned. This took all factors into consideration: Royal Flights, helicopter routes and sudden weather changes.  Emma was ready to go.  She had been given a thorough medical examination the day before to make sure that her body could withstand the stresses that would be placed on it during her flight.  Looking very composed and not the least bit nervous, Emma was fitted into her flying gear.

Emma, who joined the cadets a year and a half ago because she was interested in becoming a pilot when she left school said:

"I was very quiet when I went off to camp, it improved my confidence that I felt like a different person when I went home.

When asked what her friends said when they found out about her back seat ride, Emma replied: 

"They've all gone off to join the Air Cadets."

Just before take off, Squadron Leader "Chandy" Challen a pilot from XIII Squadron who was helping Emma to kit up and to settle her into the seat told her:

"If you start to feel sick, put the map down and locate one of your sick bags."

At 1045 hrs the jet was ready to go: a smooth take off, followed by a quick lap of RAF Marham, a flypast over Air Traffic Control and with a quick wave to her parents, Emma and her pilot disappeared in the direction of Newcastle.

"I know how lucky I am as this is not an opportunity that many people would get, I was surprised at just how quiet it was inside the jet.  I started to feel a little bit ill, so my pilot (Group Captain Greg Bagwell) decided not to do any acrobatics, thankfully!"

The flight was soon over and Emma and the Station Commander landed back at RAF Marham at 1145 hrs.  Emma came down the steps carefully, looking a little pale, but still smiling.

"I feel a bit ill at the moment, but the flight was brilliant.  I'm slightly disorientated at the moment, but I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for the world.  I  still want to join the Royal Air Force as a Pilot, maybe not as a fast jet pilot, but ask me tomorrow when I feel a bit better."


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## Morgs (28 Feb 2005)

What a fantastic experience! I mean how many 15 year olds can say they've had a flight in a Tornado.

I don't know how any of the other English people on this site feel, but in my opinion Cadets is quite different over there. Cadets over in England seem to be supported much more by the government. We all get issued weapons(and a couple of LSW's), full equipment (clothing, webbing, ruck-sacks etc). That is every contingent has an armoury and stores, and most of the contingents I knew had a range where local competitions between sections went most weekends, all of the rounds paid for by Her Majesty. Whenever we went on exercise there would always be enough rounds, smoke grenades, thunder-flashes and shmoulies(sp) to make a 15 year old wet their pants.

Sorry John, I seemed to have kinda hijacked your thread.... Feel free to do something with this post if needs to be moved etc

Cheers, 
Morgs


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## Bob the builder (28 Feb 2005)

This story is a lot like what happens at the SLC camp in Coldlake Alberta, a few air cadets are chosen at the end of the summer to ride in different aircrafts. One was a f-18, the others I cant remember clearly. The air cadets here might not receive as much support from the way Morgs described, but at least we also get a chance to ride in the planes.   I think the flights went to top cadet, second top cadet, and one other.  The girl chosen while I was at the camp to fly in the F-18 was climbing up the walls after the flight with all the adrenaline pumping through her lol.


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## big bad john (28 Feb 2005)

Go for it Morgs!


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## condor888000 (28 Feb 2005)

15 and a ride in a Tornado? Lucky little....

One of my old seniors got a ride in a Snowbird after SL. I think it was most improved or something. Not sure though. I believe they fly a cadet at Baggotville as well. Last I heard it was best SI or something...


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## sgt_mandal (28 Feb 2005)

Hmm, I heard that too, but i don't know for sure. gimme a couple hours and I'll find out.


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## yoman (28 Feb 2005)

When one of my officers at my squadron was a cadet she got a ride in a CF-18 for being the top cadet of SLC.


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