32 - Sunday, Nov. 15, 1992 ~ North Shore News

Air cadets glide
through the skies g

YOUNG MEN and women from the North Shore have
been learning to fly with the 103 Thunderbird Squadron
Royal Canadian Air Cadets for the past 45 years.

After visiting the squadron one
blustery autumn day at the Abd-
botsford airfield, the recent fa-
ment that ‘‘kids have nothing to

~~ do on the North Shore’’ rang 2

i—

littie hollow.

A group of eager young women
and men would race out onto the
grass infield and retrieve a recent-
ly landed glider, working in re-
markable unison for a group of
kids aged 12 to 19.

At the same time, another team
would be preparing the squadron’s
other glider for flight. The ever-
present buzz of the tow-plane

’ echoed overhead.

The clockwork precision of the
teamwork recalled a military
manoeuvre, but the excited faces
and animated laughter of the
pilots-in-waiting belied the image.

Accompanied by a News
photographer, i had arrived at the
airfield on this overcast day to get
in a small plane with no engine
that would be towed by another
small plane (with an engine) to a
height of 2,500 ft. Then my
teenaged pilot would disengage the
tow-line and we weuld let the
wonders of physics and design
take over. .

Before leaving for Abbotsford I
gave my cais a week's supply of
food. :

The generous offer to make ray
first glider flight came from the
squadron leader, North Van-
couver’s Russ Baker.

Four years ago Baker was just
another parent with a som in the
cadets, When the squadron leader
had to give up his duties, Baker
found himself volunteering to. lead
the squadron. .

Four’ years: later Baker ~ the -

first to admit he’d rather send a
golf ball soaring than himself — is
the. proud father of this year’s
B.C. air cadet, Mitch Baker.

Included in the honor for Mitch
was a week-long trip to a glider
factory and test facility in upstate
New York.

“When Mitch first joined the
cadets I was a little unsure

Mopar. -

By A.P. rcCredie
News Reporier

because of my perceived image of
a highly disciplined military at-
mosphere,”* recalled Baker. ‘‘But
after | saw the difference in the
way kids began tu walk and talk
with more confidence and self-
assurance after just a few months
in the cadets, any doubts and rces-
ervations I held disappeared."’

Baker added that while

discipline is an important part of
the cadet agenda, it is not the
foremost component of the train-
ing.
“The aims of the program are
to develop in these kids the at-
tributes of good citizenship and
leadership, to promote physical
fitness, and to promote and en-
courage a practical interest in
aeronautics,”’ he said.

He estimated that close to half
the pilots in the Canadian Air
Force received their first flight
training and education in the air
cadets.

A closer look at the yearlong
activities of the North Vancouver
squadron reveais more of a Scout
troop schedule than a military
operation.

The cadets meet once a week to
study flying, navigation, meteo-
rology, jet and rocket propulsion,
photography and many other sub-
jects designed to assist them in
preparing future careers.

“*We also hold model-building
nights for some.of the younger
_cadets and parade rehearsal
nights,” said Baker.

_ Each summer up to 8,000 cadets
attend summer camps at Canadian
Forces bases across the country,
receiving advanced instruction on
subjects ranging from flying to
medical training. Also, selected
cadets can participate in a six-
week program designed to educate
the young men and women on
ground search procedures and
survival techniques.

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NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

ACCOMPLISHED GLIDER pilots Alysa Fairchild (front seat) and Mitch Baker prepare for a glider
flight at the Abbotsford airport. The North Vancouver air cadet squadron has been teaching young

pilots to fly for 45 years.

But back to the wind-swept air-
field.

After a break for lunch, Cindy
(the photographer} and I were
ready for our chance at powerless
flight.

But fate, and the elements,
would be unkind. A_ crosswind
began to blow across the takeoff
and landing strip, ending the glid-
er flights for the day.

Fortunately, two small Cessnas
hired by the squadron to acquaint
the younger cadets to the joys of
flight had just arrived from
Boundary Bay, en route to
Chilliwack then back to Boundary
Bay.

A twenty-minute flight through
the Fraser Valley with one of the
squadron’s skilled volunteer pilots
proved to be a great back-up
plan.

For more information about the
excellent program offered for
youths aged 12 to 19, contact the
103 Squadron at 1513 Forbes Ave.
in North Vancouver (987-8318).

§

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