Civil Air Patrol Cadets take to the skies over Chico

BACK TO BASICS: Major Diana Ward guides a group of Cadets around one of the air planes they would be flying in as part of their observation training. Ward was showing and explaining to the cadets how to pre-flight the airplanes during the November 14 training. Each of the 28 Cadets received a hands-on ride lasting approximately 45 minutes.

One recent Saturday morning, Chico Airport was the place to be for 28 Civil Air Patrol Cadets. Each cadet was given the opportunity to fly one of four airplanes provided by squadrons from around the north state.

After months of anticipation, the cadets were all looking forward to a hands-on flying lesson.

The primary reason any cadet joins the Civil Air Patrol is to fly.

To motivate them to achieve in the Cadet Program, the cadets fly regularly. It is because of the flying program that CAP is able to accomplish its other goals in leadership, fitness and character.

The goal of the Cadet Orientation Flight Program is to introduce youths to general aviation through hands-on orientation flights in single engine aircraft and gliders. The program's motto describes what cadet flying is all about: "Safe, Fun, Educational."

The program is limited to current CAP cadets under 18 years of age. At no time will cadets sustain any costs associated with this program.

Available to the cadets is a series of powered rides one through five and glider rides one through five.

Saturday, Nov. 14, marked the day that Cadets and senior members flew and drove in from Beale Air Force Base, Butte County, Redding and Auburn.

The Cadets flew in one of four Civil Air Patrol aircraft from four different squadrons in the north state. They each received a hands-on ride lasting an average of 45 minutes although some Cadets flew for nearly an hour.

Some other activities enjoyed by the cadets and seniors were a hot dog lunch, tours of the Butte County Sheriff's helicopter-static display, a pre-flight and post-flight inspection wrap-up, team-building activities and a tour of the Chico Air Museum.

Youths and seniors interested in joining in the fun should contact Major Diana Ward at 530-941-9315 or come visit us on Thursday nights at the Civil Air Patrol headquarters, 6781 Wardrum Circle, located behind the Federal Express Building on the south end of Redding Municipal Airport. Meetings for cadets start at 6 p.m. while the seniors meet at 7 p.m.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 57,000 members nationwide.

CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 91 lives in fiscal year 2008.

Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the nearly 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs.

CAP has been performing missions for America for more than 67 years.