On the 28 July, Cdt Kayani QA and myself attended summer camp at RAF Cranwell.  We had to be at Wing HQ for 8.45am so we had to get up early.  The bus took about 6 or 7 hours and when we finally got there it was straight to dinner. After that we were allocated our rooms. Then we went to the fire station for a safety briefing and had free time until lights out at 11.00pm.  

We were awakened at 6.30am on Sunday.  We went to breakfast and then we marched to church. We had lunch and then did leadership exercises at the fire station until dinner. After dinner we were supposed to get free time but because all the boys wanted to see the Euro 2008 final we went to the bowling alley and watched the football instead.  

On Monday we visited RAF College Cranwell. It was quite interesting and we were told we were privileged because we got to walk on the carpet that is usually only for commissioned officers who have completed their training. In the afternoon we did motivational exercises in the gym, which was really good. It was like a cross between P.E. and Leadership and we all worked in teams. 

On Tuesday we all wore greens and some people did shooting but because I’m not qualified I spent the morning sunbathing. In the afternoon we all marched a mile for Macmillan Cancer Charity. It may not sound like a lot but it was 28ºC and we were all in greens so we felt like we were going to faint at any moment. We all survived though and got back to dinner in one piece.  

On Wednesday morning we all had to go to the church for Padre’s hour. That was OK and only 1 Cadet fell asleep! After that we did Drill and then I had an early lunch to go flying. I went flying in a Grob Tutor and as it was my second time flying I got to do aerobatics, which was really good. When we got back we had dinner and then changed into our greens for a Night Exercise. It was quite good and although we didn’t fully accomplish the task our team got the closest. 

On Thursday we went to the Gym and did aerobics and circuits for 2 and half hours – we were all shattered by the end. In the afternoon we went to Lincoln to spend our money. On Thursday night we went to the bowling and had a few games.  

On Friday we went to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight where we went into a hanger with lots of aircraft and a man explained what each one was and the job it did. In the afternoon we got free time so we could pack our cases, which took forever because I actually had to find all my stuff so that I could pack it. On Friday night we had the paper plate awards and I managed to get one for being extremely stupid and setting a toaster on fire!

On Saturday we got on the bus and arrived home at 4.30pm absolutely shattered. I enjoyed camp and would recommend it to other cadets.

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Parachuting Course

By Cpl Peter Hastie

On the 12^th of July I went down to Bicester St.George’s barracks in England, just North of Oxford. I was there because I had been selected for the ATC Parachuting course taking place at a nearby RAF station - RAF Weston-on-the-Green, the Joint Service Parachuting Centre where the course was going to take place over the next 3 days. Only 66 cadets from all over the corps were picked for the course - that’s roughly 2 from each wing in the corp.  Myself and Sgt Smart from 396 were there from Glasgow and the West of Scotland. 

When we arrived on the first night we were given an initial brief from the head of the Parachuting club at the JSPC explaining how the course would run. The first day was mainly for training. Then it was a case of waiting for good enough weather to jump and then a debrief on the last day. 

The next morning we woke up early to go and get the coach to RAF Weston-on-the-Green, around 15 miles down the road from our accommodation. Already I was starting to feel anxious about the jump. When we arrived we were split up into our syndicates for training that day. In our training we were shown first the main parts of the parachute we would be using - like the Main canopy, Reserve canopy and thankfully the Cyprus (A small computer that automatically opens your parachute under 1000ft if you have not done so). We would be jumping with static line parachutes. This means that instead of us having to open the parachute ourselves, the small line attaching the parachute to the aircraft pulled the parachute out.

Next we were shown the Drop Zone which was the largest drop Zone in the country and 3^rd largest in Europe. We were then given some power points on nuisance factors (things that are annoying but can be dealt with) and malfunctions (things that you would have to deploy your reserve for). We were then given some drills, like how to exit the aircraft. At the command “in the door” you move up to the door of the aircraft, dangle your feet over the edge and adopt the position (facing the front of the aircraft with your left hand on the back of the door, your right hand on the bottom and only half of your body in).  You’re then told “GO!” At this command you push yourself off the aircraft into the air and go in to the arch position for timings of “1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, Check Canopy”.  We were also told how to land - knees bent and together and flaring with the break cords then bouncing off or rollover on contact with the ground. Most importantly we were told how to deal with the Malfunction (this was done with another set of timings “Malfunction, Look (for the 2 tabs), Locate (grab the 2 tabs), Cut (pull the main canopy release tab), Away (wait for the canopy to go away), Pull Reserve (pull the reserve canopy tab), Arch (go into the arched position)” This was practiced on the most uncomfortable harness in the world!). We were then taken over emergency procedures in the aircraft and how to control the canopy in the air (with the Break cord) before being given a test that we had to pass to skydive which I passed  fairly easily thanks to the brilliant instruction at the JSPC. The original idea was to do some jumps that evening, however the weather was not looking good so it was postponed till the next day. 

The next day we got the coach to Weston-on-the-Green again. And the first 2 lifts were announced,  unfortunately I was not on them but I was up for the 3^rd lift later that morning. The first plane full of cadets were sent to kit up and were walked out to the aircraft with face full of anxiety and fear and a little bit of excitement. They climbed to 2000ft first to drop the wind direction pole out.  We thought that was as high as they were going but then they climbed to 3500ft. By now the plane looked tiny as the first cadet jumped out followed shortly by the rest over a period of ten minutes.  After seeing all of them jump I felt just confident enough to do it myself. Once the first group was down my group was called up to get kitted out.  We were each given a helmet, overalls and of course a Parachute -  the anxiety was coming back. We were led out to the aircraft trying to think positively. We took off with the door open until we reached 1000ft or so. I was led with the girl next to me to sit opposite the door. Just as I was starting to think I could do it they opened the door at 3500ft up in the clouds and all my confidence vanished as the wind hit me. The girl next to me was told “in the door” and I saw her edge in to the doorway.  I just about heard “GO!” and she fell out of the aircraft. Now it was my turn. I was told “in the door”.  Full of fear I edged forward.  I went through my check and dangled my feet out of the door, 3500ft up in the air.  Now with more fear than I have ever felt I got in to position, staring straight forward towards the engines. The photographer “Fordy” (an absolute nut job with a beard) shouted smile as he hung out the aircraft door with only one foot in. Then I was told, “GO!”  - without hesitation I followed the command and I was in the air watching the aircraft get further and further away. The 4-5 seconds seemed to last for ever.  It was brilliant!  It felt like I was flying! Then my legs flung over my head and my canopy was open and I was still alive. I must have checked my canopy 20 times before finally remembering what to do.  I pulled both break cords to my legs, the parachute rose and back falling now more quickly than before. I then pulled the left break cord and was flung in to a roll and turned 90^o to the left then a little more hesitantly to the right. So the canopy was fine and I could turn the canopy but there was some thing wrong I was stuck in a cloud and had not got a clue where I was.  I did a 180^o toward where I thought the DZ was and at 2000ft I was free of the cloud and now had just 500ft to reach my holding area. That may seem like a long time but considering I was falling at still around 20mph that was only a matter of seconds.  I just made it in time to make my turn in to wind until 800ft, then I turned cross wind leg, then at 500ft I reached my last leg- the in to the wind leg - that really slowed me down. I was told to put my knees together and I didn’t realise this till I was just 20ft off the ground. Then I started my landing flare, pulling my break cord to a half flare and then at 6ft I finished it off and prepared for landing on my feet. I found my back was the first thing on the ground just 2m from the target. I deflated the canopy and walk back to the centre where I handed back my kit and went out to watch the rest of the course go through the same experience. At the debrief I was shown the video that was taken of all other exits. I was told that I did not bad but I need to arch more. Then we went back to barracks and celebrated .

The next day I was given my certificate and paper work before myself and the other Cadet from our wing headed back to our squadrons in time for parade. 

This course is without doubt the most terrifying and therefore the best experience of my life both inside and outside the ATC and I would encourage any cadet reading this to go for the course when they can.

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