Air cadet's pilot dream backed by Aurigny

Saturday 13 January 2018

A First Class Cadet in Guernsey's 201 squadron has moved a step closer to realising his dream of becoming a commercial pilot after getting the chance to fly in the jump seat of the Embraer Jet, travelling to London Gatwick.

Thomas Clarke, 16, was travelling to Shobdon Airfield in Herefordshire for flight training, in his drive to gain his private pilot’s licence as soon as he can legally do so, after he is 17.

Thomas has been awarded bursaries from both Specsavers and the Royal Air Forces Association for his flight training.

"This was a fantastic experience for me. We have been learning a lot about navigation in cadets, and it was great to see how this applied to commercial flying. I am very grateful to Captain Green and Aurigny for this experience," he said.

The Embraer Fleet Manager, Captain Nigel Green, was a former RAF reserve officer in charge of several Air Cadet Squadrons, and an RAF gliding instructor himself.

He was flying while Thomas was in the jump seat: "It was great to see Thomas enjoy the flight – the air cadets is a fantastic movement for boys and girls who are aviation-minded – many of whom go on to become airline or fast jet pilots because of experiences like Thomas’s today. That’s where my zest for flying started years ago when I was an Air Cadet.”