Air Cadet Gliding Program
Encyclopedia
The Air Cadet Gliding Program is a youth gliding
program operated by the Canadian Forces
(CF) and the Air Cadet League of Canada
for the benefit of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets
.
The program is managed by CF officers, most of whom are Cadet Instructor Cadre officers, and is the largest producer of glider pilots in Canada, almost all of whom are cadets age 16-18 trained at the five summer Regional Gliding Schools. At these Regional Gliding Schools, about 320 cadets receive their glider pilot licence each year.
Outside of the Regional Gliding Schools, the local headquarters provide the opportunity for cadets to participate in gliding familiarization flying during the spring and fall — approximately 22000 flights are completed. Senior cadets that have completed the Air Cadet Gliding Program also perform staff duties at glider familiarization flying and at the summer training program.
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
program operated by the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
(CF) and the Air Cadet League of Canada
Air Cadet League of Canada
The Air Cadet League of Canada is a volunteer organization that provides financial support and oversight to the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. The Air Cadet League owns all of the aircraft used in the Air Cadet Gliding Program...
for the benefit of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets
Royal Canadian Air Cadets
Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a Canadian national youth program for persons aged 12 to 18. It is administered by the Canadian Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence with additional support from the civilian Air Cadet League of Canada...
.
The program is managed by CF officers, most of whom are Cadet Instructor Cadre officers, and is the largest producer of glider pilots in Canada, almost all of whom are cadets age 16-18 trained at the five summer Regional Gliding Schools. At these Regional Gliding Schools, about 320 cadets receive their glider pilot licence each year.
Outside of the Regional Gliding Schools, the local headquarters provide the opportunity for cadets to participate in gliding familiarization flying during the spring and fall — approximately 22000 flights are completed. Senior cadets that have completed the Air Cadet Gliding Program also perform staff duties at glider familiarization flying and at the summer training program.
Locations of the Regional Gliding Schools
- Regional Gliding School (Pacific) - RGS(P) - Comox, BC
- Regional Gliding School (Prairie) - RGS(Pra) - Gimli, MB
- Central Region Gliding School - (CRGS) - Mountain View, ON and Picton, ON
- Eastern Region Gliding School - (ERGS) - St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
- Regional Gliding School (Atlantic) - RGS(A) - Debert, NS