HBWATG news

Staff qualifications - ACP17 changes

The recent amendment (AL5) to ACP17 takes effect from 1 April 2002, and the new rules concerning staff qualifications for walking activities will have widespread effects throughout the ATC.  

Herts & Bucks Wing has been proactively preparing for the introduction of the new rules, and has taken steps to ensure that adventure training continues at Wing and Squadron level. However recent discussions with HQ Air Cadets suggest that some details of the new procedures have been revisited since they were described on this site. We hope to receive final confirmation on these points during March 2002, but for the latest information click on Qualifications 

Royalty takes an interest...

On returning from Canada last summer, we thought all the excitement was behind us when we landed at Heathrow. Not so: we soon received invitations to mount an exhibition of our achievements at some major ATC and public events, climaxing with an invitation to display at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Cottesmore. We didn't know it when we accepted the invitation, but we were in for some surprises - click here for more details...

Risk Assessment

As with staff qualifications, the ATC is following the best practices of commercial outdoor centres by raising the profile of risk assessment for adventure training activities. A new procedure comes into effect for Wings and Squadrons in Central & East Region on 1 April 2002, although the timetable may vary in different parts of the country. Click here for more information

Windermere 2001

After a frustrating year, it was a huge relief to get back to the Lake District in November for our annual winter course. The week was superb, with a full complement of 30 excellent cadets, plenty of staff and the best weather we have had for three years. We did a lot of useful work on navigation and group leadership, with walks and scrambles on the Langdale Pikes, St Sunday Crag and Helvellyn. We also went mountain biking in the Grizedale forest, climbed on the indoor wall in Kendal, and squeezed in a visit to the new National Mountaineering Exhibition at Penrith, where we saw the stunning IMAX film of Everest

Wing Adventure Training Technical Officer: Flt Lt John Smith RAFVR(T)         Web site by: Flt Lt Geoff Bowles RAFVR(T)       Last updated  03 March 2002