Six cadets from Langley’s 746 Lightning Hawk Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron earned recently earned their wings at the Regional Gliding School (RGS Pacific) Graduation Parade at Canadian Forces Base Comox.
Five of the cadets received their Transport Canada pilot licence and Air Cadet wings.
“I am most proud that our squadron had five cadets selected to attend and obtain their pilot wings,†Major Sean Kelly, commanding officer of 746 Squadron said. “This is a significant opportunity for these cadets and it is a testimony to the dedication and hard work of cadets, officers and volunteers at 746 Lightning Hawk.â€
Warrant Officer 2nd Class Lucy Poirier and Sgt. David Yan both spent seven weeks on the power pilot scholarship course this summer.
Yan learned to fly in Abbotsford while Poirier undertook the program in Victoria.
Flight Sgt. Nicolas Ouellette, Sgt. Stephen Walters, and Flight Sgt. Jeff Yoon spent six weeks at CFB Comox learning to fly gliders.
All five cadets underwent significant training and successfully completed flight tests and Transport Canada examinations to obtain their private pilot and glider pilot licences.
Flight Corporal Brent Mueller completed the three week Advanced Aviation course.
His learning activities included instructional technique, radio communication, meteorology, and air navigation.
Langley youth showed well at the graduation ceremony, with Walters and Ouellette receiving awards.
Walters won the Chief Flying Instructor’s Award for obtaining the highest marks on the glider flight test and was judged to be the best glider pilot on course by gliding school staff.
He also won the Air Force Association of Canada Medal for top overall graduate in the Gliding Pilot Scholarship Course, as well as the Commanding Officer’s Award for Best All Around Glider Pilot.
Ouellette took home the Harry Astoria Memorial Gliding Award, presented to the first runner up glider cadet who displays a high degree of flying skills, airmanship, maturity, and self-discipline.
The award includes flying credits to a flight school of the cadet’s choice.
Cadets undergo a rigorous process to enter the pilot programs, including a ground school qualification examination, an application, and panel interviews.