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GROUP 5 NEWS & INFORMATION |
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| June 21, 2010 |
| Cadets Earn Flight Training Scholarship |
| By Capt. Jeffrey Carlson, CAP, Group Five PAO |
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Cadets prepare for practice exam at aviation ground school held in Sarasota. |
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Sarasota, Fla. -- Sixteen Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets from across Southwest Florida participated in Group Five’s Cadet Aviation Ground School the week June 13-19 in Sarasota. The top two cadets with the highest overall grade average each received a flight scholarship made possible by Florida Wing.
This is the third year that Group Five commander Lt. Col. Fran Gleockler has coordinated the program designed to prepare qualified cadets for passing the Federal Aviation Administration’s Private Pilot Knowledge Test. The comprehensive instruction includes three stage tests and a final exam. Those scoring over 70% on the final exam had their logbooks endorsed to take the FAA private pilot knowledge exam.
Florida Wing has previously awarded a scholarship valued at $1,000 to the top student for use toward fight training in CAP aircraft with CAP flight instructors. This year’s scholarship winner was C/CMSgt Johnathan Fischer from Lee County Cadet Squadron in Group 5. Florida Wing commander Colonel Christian Moersch surprised the staff and candidates this year by offering a second scholarship valued at $500. The runner-up scholarship was awarded to C/2dLt Shawn May from Group 3. Moersch participated in two days of classes, gave a presentation as a guest speaker, and demonstrated his culinary skills by helping the school staff serve up a nutritious breakfast meal.
The ground school is a good example of the role that CAP plays in Florida communities. In this case, it is a role that brings “a unique opportunity to youth, feeds their interest in aviation, and helps them to recognize that aeronautics is a realistic goal to pursue”, said Gleockler, “The in-residence format of the school is a cost-effective way to bring this type of opportunity within reach of cadets who, for economic reasons, might not find other aviation programs accessible to them.” At the same time, key elements of the mainstream cadet program are being reinforced. The forty hours of class time is balanced with periods of physical fitness activity, while the demanding curriculum fosters a cooperative learning environment where cadets tutor each other and leadership skills are exercised.
This type of programming is an excellent example of what can be achieved through a coordinated effort of CAP members. The fund-raising efforts led by Lt Col Virginia Cullity, the engaging lesson outlines executed by a talented team of instructors led by Lt Col Richard Petrucci, and the hard-working support staff led by Lt Col Fran Gleockler are each seemingly independent efforts yet they are inextricably intertwined and necessary for the success of the project. Gleockler said, “Having access to the Sarasota Military Academy‘s wonderful facilities is vital to being able to offer the in-residence program.”
The cadets who are accepted to attend the in-residence program must demonstrate a commitment to pursuing their private pilot training. They must also maintain academic rigor while fulfilling their assigned squadron duties. Successfully completing the ground school portion of pilot training represents a significant step of progress whether they are aiming for a military or commercial academy. This intensive training prepares them for the personal focus and determination that will be required to complete the practical skills portion of flight training.
The high-quality of instruction is possible by the generous volunteer efforts by the team of talented certified flight instructors led by Petrucci. The instructors included Phil Yates, Captain USN (ret); Doug Kirkland, Captain, Delta Airlines (ret); Chief Flight Instructor Ed Barros, Cirrus Aviation; and Kristin Incrocci, Chief Flight Instructor, Leading Edge Aviation. |
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| Copyright © 2009 - 2010 Civil Air Patrol Group Five Headquarters
Florida Wing. All Rights Reserved. |
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Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 58,000 members nationwide. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 72 lives in fiscal year 2009. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 23,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 68 years. |
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