Air Training Corps Flying Camp
By FGOFF Kirsten McKenzie, No 3 (Auckland City) Squadron Air Training Corps
Air Cadets from No. 3 (Auckland City) Squadron Air Training Corps (ATC)—Auckland’s oldest Cadet Unit—descended on Parakai Airfield for their Annual Power Flying Camp, 30 April–2 May.
Twenty-five cadets, two days, eight aircraft, 43 flights—it made for a very busy airfield, not to mention dodging the parachutists who were sharing the airfield with the cadets!
For many of the cadets the Flying Camp was a time of ‘firsts’—first time in a small aircraft, and their first time applying the principles of flight that they learned at the Squadron.
One Cessna 206 and two Cessna 172’s were among the aircraft providing cadets air experience—from the passenger seat this time. During these flights, cadets were shown how the instrumentation worked and how to pick landmarks for navigational purposes.
Every cadet undertook at least two, 20 minute flights, taking the controls under instruction once their aircraft was up in the air. The beaming faces as they climbed out of each plane made the whole weekend so worthwhile. Even the intermittent rain showers couldn’t dampen their enthusiasm.
Some cadets going managed to clock up four air times. Four lucky cadets were selected to have flights in the bright yellow New Zealand built Falco—a beautiful aircraft, and possibly the highlight of the camp.
Two of the pilots who assisted during the weekend were officers from other Auckland Air Training Corps Units—Pilot Officer Alex Koppenaal and Under Officer Mitch Brady—helped make Flying Camp 2010 a success.
No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 SQN is based at Unitec in Mt Albert in a building donated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, on land donated by Unitec, with over 100 cadets, and with a waiting list for next years intake. For teenagers who may not find their school subjects that engaging, learning about the theory of flight and applying it far outweighs their enjoyment and learning at school. And now at ATC they can achieve NZQA credits through their training at Unit level.