Andrew Ross, a Civilian Instructor from 103 (Doncaster) Squadron has just returned from his first ever summer camp with the Air Training Corps after being a member for more than ten years. After being a cadet with 740 (Whitby) Squadron Andrew wasn’t able to attend during the summer months as he flew out of the country to see his parents who worked abroad.
Now he is living in the United Kingdom permanently and taking every opportunity to experience cadet life to the full, so when a staff place came up for summer camp at RAF Halton, Andrew jumped at the chance, even more so as he spent time there during basic training with the RAF himself.
‘I couldn’t wait to get back on station,’ says Andrew. ‘But I had no idea how busy we would be and that I’d get to take part in as many activities as I did.’
As always the camp programme was jam packed with different activities and on their first full day on camp, the staff and cadets travelled to RAF Benson where they flew in the Grob Tutor under 6 Air Experience Flight Staff. This was the first time that Andrew has flown in the Grob Tutor rather than the Bulldog that was taken out of service a number of years ago.
‘Last time I went flying, it was in the old Bulldog, this is the first time I’ve been up in the Tutor, I loved the aerobatics that the pilot took us through.’
Over the rest of the week Andrew took part in many more firsts from his first Night Exercise with the RAF Regiment, his first visit to one of the station sections and his first time on the range with cadets acting as an ammunition orderly. The cadets also visited Duxford Air Museum for a day; it was the first time some of them have been there, and the first time for ten years that Andrew had visited as well. Hopefully this camp will be the first of many as Andrew has applied to become a Sergeant with the Air Training Corps to join the uniformed staff ranks.
