Air Cadet Pilot and Navigation Scheme

[NDW]

Evening all,

Has anyone who have been in the Air Training Corps done a ACPANS (Air Cadet Pilot and Navigation Scheme) if so what does it consist of.
I no that you must have to pass a Gliding scholorship which i will be flying solo next weekend, but does anyone know what else you must have completed.

many thanks for your time and help

NDW

[snowy_owl]

ACPANS? i've been on an ACPS - Air Cadet Pilot Scheme! - for that i believe it's 16, silver wings and thats it - i did mine last year and then my cunningham scholarship this year (you'll find out about that on the acps).

The ACPS is 12 hours to get you to your first solo circuit! But if you're good then you should have time to do a solo sector recce, which is off-circuit solo!!

[Flarkey]

I did the ACPNTS (Air Cadet Pilot Navigation Training Scheme) in 1994!

The fast jet boys on here may scoff, but when your a keen spacey at age 16 its a bloody brilliant 2 weeks!

You learn how to plan trips in a light aircraft (Bulldog in my day), rules of navigation (eg the 1 in 60 rule!!) etc, and then go off and fly the sortie. It was great at age 16 being able to tell my instructor (an ex Vulcan pilot) where to go!


The ACPNTS isn't as good as the Flying Scholarship, but I'd definately reccommend it if you can get one one, particularly if you have dreams of becoming a Nav/WSO!

[gazellemiester]

I was fortunate enough to do a ACPNS course at RAF Shawbury back in '89. All you had to have do back then was pass the ATC Air Navigation exam and then do all the aptitude stuff at Biggin Hill before being offered a place. I spent two glorious weeks in the back of a Chipmunk navigating around the Welsh Borders and making tea for the AEF pilots. Did also manage to scrounge a Puma trip! Essentially my course sounds the same as Flarkey's experiences although in the Chippie you could only visually tell where you had been and not where you were heading to! 1 in 60 rule, using a Dalton Computer, diversions, fuel loads, met, etc. All good stuff. I assume the course would heve been modernised a tadge and you get to use GPS but I am not sure. In summary go for it. There aren't too many in the ATC who ended up with a half brevet.

[ppljames]

NDW, youve got 2 different courses mixed into one. There is the Air Cadet Navigation scheme, all involving the Nav side of things and the Air Cadep Pilot Scheme involving the Flying side of it. Gaining your silver wings is not a strict requirement for gaining a place on a course, although it is a great advantage as it shows you do have a certain aptitude for it. Never get to complaced though. You hope to go solo next week.... not will go solo....

[BEagle]

Both schemes offer much better training value than the dumbed-down UAS scheme does nowadays....

Good heavens - a navigation exam? That'd never be allowed at one of those Adventure Training Clubs which is all a UAS is these days.

Good luck, NDW!