On Friday 18th January 2019, Witney RAF Air Cadets will be open to welcome teenagers 12 to 17 interested in joining.
Witney Squadron is one of the most successful squadrons in the Air Training Corps, the youth organisation of the Royal Air Force. Being one of the larger Squadrons in the Thames Valley area, we have more staff and resources to help you get the most of your time in the ATC.
We can offer you:
- Flying
- Adventure Training
- Gliding
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
- First Aid Training
- New Challenges and new friends…plus much, much more!
Joining as a Recruit
To join Witney Squadron you have to be between the ages of 12 and 17, and be in Year 8. We will not accept any recruits under the age of 12 or not in Year 8 for insurance reasons. However, we will be more than happy to take down your details and contact you when the next recruit course is available.
About the Recruit Course
The recruit course is designed to give you a taste of squadron life on Witney Squadron. The Air Training Corps is not everyone’s cup of tea, and the prospect of standing out in front of other cadets and staff may be a daunting prospect for some.
The idea of the recruit course is like a school open day, where with other new recruits, you are shown a snippet of what the squadron does throughout the year. More details on course content can be seen below. You are not obliged in any way to stay the whole course and are free to leave whenever you choose!
Interested? Please read on!
Recruit Course Content
On the recruit course itself, you will be introduced to a series of different activities the squadron runs. These include:
- The ATC (Air Training Corps)
- The RAF
- Airmanship
- Leadership
- Drill
- Physical Training
- First Aid
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
We will also measure each recruit to order their uniform, which we teach you have to wear and care for.
What happens after Recruit Training?
After your 8 weeks on the recruit course, you will then move onto join the rest of Witney squadron. For the next 6 months you will work towards your First Class Cadet classification with the other cadets who have just joined but will join your new flight. Each flight is run by an experienced Flight Sergeant and a dedicated team of NCOs, you will be taught everything you need to learn to be a cadet in Witney, allowing you to participate in all activities the ATC offers you. You will be issued with a uniform which is free of charge (except the shoes!) and will soon be taking enormous pride in your cadet appearance. You will also start to learn the essential skills such as how to control an aircraft, perform drill movements, handle a rifle, operate a radio and much, much more!
And after that…who knows where you can go!
- Fire different weapons
- Fly in many aircraft
- Climb many Mountains
- Go all round the world!
- Make New Friends!
Want to visit us?
Our next intake evening is Friday 18th January 2019 at 1930hrs. Feel free to come and visit! One of the staff / NCO’s will give you and your parents a tour of the squadron and show you what the average cadet on Witney Squadron does! If you do wish to come down, please have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) first, and we encourage you to contact us first so we know to expect you; please see the contact page of this website and send us a message.