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My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:48 pm
by Bradlad
A couple of years ago I finally became stir crazy and decided to find a volunteering opportunity, well when I was a spotty yoof I was an Air Cadet, and it left a lasting impression on me, influencing a lot of my life so when I decided to do something, the Air Cadets was an obvious choice.

When you join as an Adult Instructor you become a CI or Civilian Instructor, this is a great role to teach cadets and become involved with the ATC, however should you want to be a bit more involved in policy and the way the cadets are trained then a uniformed role is best, and there are 2 routes, the SNCO ( Senior Non-Commissioned Officer ) or Volunteer Reserve Officer, both wear RAF uniform and get paid by the RAF reserves but the choice is up to the individual.

I chose the SNCO route, as I prefer to get involved and teach interesting subjects, like radio comms and shooting/ archery etc whereas the Officer route is more paperwork and administration.

Being an SNCO in the ATC has allowed me many training opportunities, including First aid/ medic courses, shooting and archery coaching courses and radio amateur (RAF) licences, plus firefighting and incident management courses.. next year I'm doing NVQ levels 3 and 4 in Teaching in Life Long Learning, which is a post 16 teaching qualification for tutoring and college lecturing etc, all paid for by the RAF, staff can even get flying qualifications and become instructors!

What I do is much more than I have put here but it is so much fun and so rewarding to see the cadets grow and move on, one of my former cadets is now in the RAF regiment and one is in the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, both going to Afghanistan in the new year.. they visit squadron regularly and are wanting to become ' service helpers ' when their Afghan tours are over.

Anyway, a couple of pics of me, including me receiving my Operational Firefighter Certificate from our Sector Squadron Leader.

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Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 6:25 pm
by Drac
Absolutely brilliant Neil. I was in the ATC (1860 Sqdn) in my schooldays and had some great times, flying, shooting and a week at an RAF Base. I really loved it.

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 6:32 pm
by fastfitter
Drac wrote:I was in the ATC in my schooldays


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Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:32 pm
by Jelly
Excellent stuff there Bradders. ^:)^ ^:)^ ^:)^



















But that first pic reminds me of someone else. :-?
Bradlad wrote:
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:))

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:37 pm
by marmike
^:)^ ^:)^ ^:)^ ^:)^

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:09 pm
by Drac
fastfitter wrote:
Drac wrote:I was in the ATC in my schooldays


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I knew it would be you or finbar!!!!!

Actually it was these

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As Air Cadets, in 1960 or 1961, we spent a week at RAF Watton with 263 Sqdn (I think it was but I know the all in cost was 7/6 or 37.5p as you youngsters would know it :ymtongue: ) and remember being amazed as we drove into camp seeing these everywhere Image

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:00 pm
by Bradlad
I had 7 hours in Chipmunks when I was a cadet, they were great fun, the Grob Tutors the cadets fly these days are a bit too clinical.. like being in a car.

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:04 pm
by Drac
Wasn't debriefing fun!!! :o

then after being told how to bail out in emergency, walking to the plane with a parachute strapped on

Oh and forgetting to plug the comms in and getting an earful from the pilot!! But taking the controls over the Severn Estuary {flying from Filton) was truly amazing.

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:13 pm
by Bradlad
Drac wrote:Oh and forgetting to plug the comms in and getting an earful from the pilot!!
I did the opposite once.. doing aerobatics I felt queasy, got my sick bag out and forgot to flick the talk switch to off ( back then we had a little switch on the face mask to talk to the pilot ) so I'm yacking into the bag and the pilot is getting an earful..

We land and the pilot ( a Battle of Britain vet ) walks up to me and pats me on the shoulder " Well done old chap, well done... " and walks off =)) =)) =))

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:28 am
by uglyamerican
I pulled auto-rotation a little too late in a Robinson R-22.

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:30 am
by Fat Rich
Looking good there Bradlad, well done mate!

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:56 pm
by suzukigoof
:-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd superb m8, you are someone that is perfect for the position... :-bd :-bd :-bd

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 11:01 pm
by novocaine
looking good there big man.

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 11:17 pm
by jymbo
We all have a hobby .. I don't get to wear a uniform for mine :salut:
glad your happy





:bounce:

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:57 am
by Fat Rich
jymbo wrote:We all have a hobby .. I don't get to wear a uniform for mine :salut:
glad your happy
What?

Re: My Hobby

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:03 am
by rf ro
nice one neil i missed this thread but well done its always good to pass on the yourshire pudding recipe :-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd :-bd

and what a looker ;) ;) ;) ;)