| Join Air Cadets
The Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a national youth organization for teens aged 12 to 18, sponsored by the Air Cadet League (a civilian organization) and the Department of National Defence. The organization is made up many training centres, headquarters, and most importantly, the squadrons, of which every cadet is a part of. 11 RCACS is one of the 450 Air Cadet squadrons across Canada, located in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Air Cadets in 11 RCACS meet at least once a week on Tuesdays from 6:45 to 9:30 pm at Vimy Ridge Armouries. While there, they undergo the standard classes that are part of the Air Cadet program. That is, aviation studies, citizenship, leadership, effective speaking, outdoor survival, drill, sports and many more.
The training on Tuesday nights is only the core of the program, the standard classes that all squadrons teach. It is the training and the teams on the squadron level, on weekends and other weeknights, that really make up all the opportunities in the program, and these are explained in further detail below, and throughout this website.
First of all, the squadron has many year-long teams, drill teams, a range (shooting) team, and a flag party. We also have sports teams, ground school classes (prerequisite for glider/private pilot licenses), and much more. Just take a look around the website for a better idea.
Any Canadian citizen or landed Immigrant in good health can join as early as 12 years of age, and can remain until they turn 19, the age at which they must retire.
Air Cadets is sponsored by a civilian agency and the squadron raises its own money during the year by selling tags and lottery tickets. The Canadian Forces provides uniforms, training facilities and instructors, and thus, Air Cadets is FREE. There are some small fees for some trips, but these costs are kept minimal, and can be worked around if a monetary need exists. Cadets will not be excluded from trips if they can't afford it.
Air Cadet instructors are often past cadets themselves. They are members of the community and hold civilian occupations in areas such as business owners, police officers, medical persons, and school employees. Higher ranking air cadets are also instructors, as well as members of local military units.
Summer courses are a very big part of Air Cadets, and are run every year in July and August. There are many different courses ranging from 2 to 7 weeks. Cadets are not required to attend the courses, but it is highly recommended. You can take everything from basic cadet courses to advanced technical training, and from leadership courses to aerospace studies and make great friends from all over Canada in the process! As with the rest of Air Cadets, summer courses are free, and each cadet is actually paid a training allowance of $60 per week. Eventually an experienced cadet can apply for staff positions for summer courses, and get pay equivalent to a full-time summer job.
Yes! Air Cadets offers two Transport Canada Pilot licenses, The Glider Pilot License (GPL) and the Private Pilot License (PPL). Scholarships are offered to air cadets in order for them to get their pilot licenses at various airfields and flying clubs around the province. The licenses are free through Air Cadets (the GPL normally costs $2000, while PPL normally costs around $8000), cadets just have to pay with their dedication and hard work in the squadron.
During the year, cadets with a glider license can fly at various cadet gliding centres around the province during weekends, and scholarships are offered to pay for continued flying when some cadets retire. In fact, over 60 percent of Canada's airline pilots got their start in air Cadets.
Air Cadets are not members of the Canadian Forces, nor will they ever be asked to join. If you choose to join though, you will have a great advantage over other applicants (most high-ranking officers in the Canadian forces started off in the cadet program). However, you will never be required to serve with the military.
Every year, we travel within Alberta regularly. Each summer, cadets from across Canada have the opportunity to enter in the exchange program to locations all over the world!
The squadron operates on Tuesday nights at the Lethbridge Airport.
It's easy to join. All you need to do is come down to Lethbridge Airport on a Tuesday evening (preferably between 6:30 and 7:30). If you'd like, you can follow a group of cadets around during their training and your parents are welcome to attend to watch and ask questions.
If you decide to join, you will need to fill out and hand in an application, along with a photocopy of your Alberta health card. You will also need to show proof of Canadian citizenship or Landed Immigrant status, and may need to show other documents to prove your age (such as a birth or baptismal certificate).
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