Air Force Challenge 2008
- Never a dull moment
High school students got up close and personal with Air Force weaponry, took on team-building exercises and flew in military aircraft at the Annual Air Force Challenge held last month at Base Ohakea. One of Challenge 2008 organisers and Air Force Recruiter SGT Matt Cathcart asked for comments on the Challenge course from some of the participants. They all agreed that it is a fully unique experience with never a dull moment.
Ben Johnson
Air Force challenge participants on the range at Ohakea.
I attended the 2008 Air Force Challenge at RNZAF Base Ohakea these holidays and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Right from the start of the day (at 6:30am!) we always had something to do. Seldom did we have a chance to sit down and rest. But the busy schedule was a good thing because it meant that we were never bored and it allowed us to see a huge range of trades within the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Going around all the trades in the Air Force gave me a good insight to what goes on in the Air Force and that there are more jobs available than just being a pilot. We got to see things like the metal workshops, avionics, composite materials, Safety & Surface (S&S), aircraft technical trades, the Fire Service, Armourers, Airmovements and Air Security. All of these trades had little activities ready for us, which kept us engaged as well as learning heaps about the Air Force. And let us not forget the Physical Training Instructors (PTIs). PT was actually not as bad as I had expected and I found it quite a nice work out in such freezing weather. The Air Force fitness test was quite a challenge but it allowed us to experience what sort of fitness is required to be part of the Air Force. Of course, we also got to look around all the different Squadrons, Pilot Training School showed us around the Air Trainers; No.42 Squadron the King Airs; No.5 Squadron the Orion and No.3 Squadron showed us the Iroquois. The only one we didn’t see was No.40 Squadron, but that was okay. The major highlight of the trip for me was definitely flying in the Iroquois with No. 3 Squadron because it was just an amazing experience, and a great first flight in a helicopter. I also had lots of fun on the Air Security course and the syndicate exercises we got to do. They were a lot of fun and I enjoyed working with the people from my syndicate. Meeting new people from all over the country was definitely one of the best parts of the Air Force Challenge and the new friends that I made in my syndicate just made the whole trip more enjoyable. My awesome syndicate leader, F/S Jacqueline Doolan-Tindall, also made my trip much more enjoyable. She was fun and energetic and answered all my questions. Everybody loves Drill! Enough said.
Ben Wattie
CPL Leilani Krants chats to Air Force challenge students.
The best bit was definitely the helicopter ride! It was cool to experience pilots flying first hand and we got to see that the Air Force isn’t just a few old rusty aircraft - even the old Tiger Moth was in mint flying condition! Also the leadership exercises we did were cool because we all really bonded as a group through them. The worst things would be the discipline stuff like marching, always having to be precisely on time etc. But as I thought about how I didn’t like it I realised that it is not so bad because when you look at history you see that 10,000 disciplined soldiers can beat 100,000 barbarians so it’s understandable why the military needs the discipline. Overall I learnt that there are so many different parts to play in the RNZAF even if you don’t like flying.
Ella Barrett
I thought it was great how the entire week was packed with activities. There was very little time to be bored, and in down time you mostly wanted to sleep. It was also awesome how we were able to visit almost all the trades in the Air Force and get an insight of what life is like living on Base. The best tours around the trades were when we could be hands-on and try things for ourselves, for example the Canadian fitness test and the evening activities with Air Security. The highlight of the AFC was of course the flight in the Iroquois, but also being able to chat with the pilots and find out how they got to where they are etc. What I learnt while I was away, was that the Air Force is more of a life style choice than a job. Thanks for the fantastic time away!
Ace Fire
I had an awesome time on the Air Force Challenge 2008. I learned so much about everything the Air Force does, from drill to playing sport. What I really enjoyed was seeing all the various trades in the RNZAF, the live-firing demonstrations - Steyrs are a lot louder than I had originally thought!, the Air Security exercises, getting to go aboard an Orion and passing the fitness test. The highlight of the trip for me was a flight in the Huey, I had never been in a helicopter before, and I was really impressed with what an Iroquois could do. The experience for me was totally different to that of flying fixed wing aircraft. All in all I hope the RNZAF continues to run this opportunity long into the future, and I highly recommend it to all.
Tegan Terita-Johnson
Group photograph in front of a P-3K Orion.
I enjoyed every minute of my time while I was at the 2008 AFC at Base Ohakea! There was never a dull moment! There were quizzes, skits, slideshows, aircraft, weapons, videos, movies, food and drink, nice accommodation, positive-minded people, physical activities/challenges. The list goes on! My highlight was the awesome flight in the Iroquois. I also enjoyed the PT. The PTIs tired us all out which was great! The fact that we went everywhere at the Base was really good because we got told a lot of information about each trade which was very helpful and also allowed us to see the wide range of opportunities the RNZAF has to offer. Having the syndicates was cool because it meant you made friends with a group of people you don’t even know, and my syndicate won at the end of the week because we rock! Go the Sea Otters! I learned that in the RNZAF you make friends with everyone and its kind of like you’re all one big family all living at the same place. I also learned it’s not just a work place, it’s also a lifestyle. You live on the Base and are provided with meals that you eat in the Mess with everyone and you work along side a lot of friendly people. The benefits are so good and there are so many. I can’t wait to join! I’d just like to say thanks once again for giving me this opportunity, it was truly amazing and I will have the memories I gained from this experience for a long long time!
Simon Tither
Air Force challenge participants on the range at Ohakea.
Ohakea, well, five days of amazing fun is probably the best way to start it off! Meeting our syndicates and syndicate leaders started off some really good relationships. Hemi (Chips) and Andrew (Fish) were great providing insight and knowledge on all sorts of things, as well as many fun stories of life in the Air Force. Tuesday started a bit early for some, queuing for showers adding to the wake-up! Buffet breakfast was very well received every day, cooked breakfast much more enjoyable than the usual cereal I get at home. A highlight for me on Tuesday was the Air Security exercise, the stations promoted teamwork and lateral thinking. These are definitely important qualities for any person in group situations. Drill training was an interesting time, constantly being yelled at whilst trying to maintain a straight face proved a challenge for me. But once again it highlighted the need to work together to get the job done- if one person stuffed up during drill the whole syndicate suffered. My syndicate seemed to develop a habit of being slightly late to most things, so we missed out on a few bits and pieces at different times. PT was fun despite being yelled at (moral of PT for me- don’t ask questions), instructors were very upfront about what we were doing and also why we were doing it. Run test was a good way to burn off some energy, same with the press-up test. All the hands-on activities meant that the whole syndicate was involved and more likely to take on board what we were being told, I can certainly remember more about Air Security then I can about the ACFT Trades, not because of interest but the involvement we had at the different areas. Airmovements was a very useful stop off for my syndicate. Because we did it later in the week after team building exercises and everybody knew each other, the tasks were completed a lot faster. In terms of the best part, personally I enjoyed the No.3 Squadron flight the best. A facedown corkscrew in a helicopter only being held in by a tiny seatbelt certainly got the adrenaline pumping! The Orion visit was also a highlight. The drill assessment made a very serious part of the military a more competitive affair without dropping the discipline standards. The only suggestion I have is to try and ensure as many hands-on activities as possible to help ensure minds don’t wander. I think that if you allowed half a day for travelling instead of a whole day then you would be able to get more into the week. The Wellington people were sitting at Ohakea waiting before the Christchurch personnel had even left, and on the Friday, I was sitting at home before others had even left the Base to return home. The Hercules would have been a great experience but I appreciate it had more important jobs then ferrying 70 teens around. What I learnt? A LOT. The AFC allowed me to gain a complete understanding of the RNZAF, not just think that there are only pilots and technicians, but all the support roles that exist to ensure that the Air Force keeps working smoothly. Lastly I would just like to say thanks for an amazing week that has really changed my life and changed my perception of the Air Force, allowed me to make new friends and think about applying for next years intake.
Austen Campbell
I had an awesome time at Ohakea for the Air Force Challenge 2008. I really didn’t know what to expect but what we did was really cool. I have to say that the ride on the Iroquois was probably the best thing there. But I also really enjoyed the armourers and the PT sessions as it gave me an idea of how fit you really have to be. Thanks RNZAF for a fantastic week!
I was also wondering if I could organise a meeting with you about some possible options for me in the Air Force?