During the half term, myself and seven other RAF cadets set out on a coach journey headed towards a once in a lifetime experience, which would paint itself in our memories forever.
By Yunus S (5ths):
Needless to say, spirits on the coach were unbelievably high as we all sat in anticipation to experience how it would be to finally take that pilot’s seat and live the dream that we had all had growing up. As we approached RAF Benson, the dream started to become reality as the scenery shifted and the air of military importance descended on us, passing by people in full camouflaged uniforms and seeing the RAF training facilities dotted all around us.
However, this fleeting enthusiasm was short-lived as we pulled up into the car park and was surrounded by a thick layer of fog, making it impossible to fly with the current level of visibility. Our hearts sank at the thought of missing out on the day of flying. We were stuck watching from the windows and checking the forecasts furiously, desperate to catch any sign of clear skies.
Time rolled by, and at around 2pm, we thankfully received the green flag to start kitting up and preparing to enter the aircrafts. We waited nervously with our parachutes attached and helmets secured until we walked out one by one to meet our pilot and climb into the Grob Tutor aircrafts. That moment of walking out onto the tarmac and seeing the planes lined up was incredibly exciting, but unbelievably, this was only the beginning of the flying experience.
I lowered myself into the Grob Tutor and was immediately met with hundreds of dials and settings, showing me information about everything on the plane, from the pressure and temperature of the oil, to the exact altitude that we were at. Once we had clearance to take off, the pilot drove the plane over to the runway and began to take off. This was one of the most surreal experiences for me, watching the base slowly disappear as we ascended at a steep angle. I really had to brace myself forward to resist the G Force pushing me to the back of my seat.
The flight itself was mesmerising at every step of the way; looking out at the scenery from so high up and twisting and turning through the sky was a seismic moment in my life. When we were comfortably cruising in the sky, I even had the opportunity to take control of the plane, and I turned it left and right, feeling the adrenaline rushing through me at the feeling of flying the plane. Finally, before the flight landed, we even go to experience how it feels to be in a plane doing tricks and aerobatics as the pilot pushed the throttle forward and pointed the yoke fully backwards, pulling the nose of the plane upwards more and more until we had been through a whole loop, which was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. As the flight ended and we flew back around to land on the runway. My mind was racing from the experience, and it all felt as if it had gone too quickly.
All in all, the day was a great opportunity for us RAF cadets to finally experience what it is like to be in control of a plane.
