Civil Air Patrol cadets experience pilot training

  • Published
  • By Laura Salazar
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) --  Airmen here recently hosted members of the Civil Air Patrol cadet program as they learned about undergraduate pilot training.

CAP was by the Department of Defense in 1941 to help the U.S. during World War II. After the war in 1947, Congress declared the mission of CAP to focus on aerospace education, cadet training and emergency services.

"Today, CAP flies 98 percent of search and rescue flights and 50 percent of Border Patrol flights," said Maj. Steve Esh, a 99th comptroller squadron academics teacher. "We also provide aerial support, train coastal pilots and train for predator missions."

The CAP cadet program is a summer program for students ages 12 to 21 years old. Twenty eight out of 200 applicants were selected for the program based on their performance and recommendations made by squadron and wing commanders.

"We have students here at Laughlin from Florida to Alaska," Major Esh said. "They are from all over the country. These students will learn drills, academics, simulators and experience physiology training throughout their time here at Laughlin (Air Force Base)."

During training, the students condensed the first seven days of UPT into one day. Captain Mari Metzler, of the 47th Medical Operations squadron, gave the students a lesson on local area survival, altitude threats and special disorientations.

"We did a lot of classroom work the first couple of days," said Melissa Weinhold, a CAP cadet. "We learned about air traffic control, ejections, simulators, chambers, safety and preventing emergencies."

The students had the opportunity to sit in the chamber where they practiced putting on flight gear, such as helmets and masks, and hooking into an oxygen tank. They also had the chance to operate the T-6 Texan II simulators.

"The simulator ride was awesome," said Parker Merrifield, a CAP cadet. "I was a little nervous, but I think I did okay. Lieutenant Crum's guidance really helped."

For the rest of the summer, the students are scheduled to continue on to other Air Force bases to experience different aspects of a military career.

"Some of the students will go to Maxwell (AFB, Ala.), for cadet officer school," Major Esh said. "Some of them will go to Vandenberg (AFB, Calif.), for a missile systems program, and some of them will go on to flight academy."