Seven area teens experienced the thrill of aviation through orientation flights with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) at the Chehalis-Centralia Airport on Sunday, July 21.
The cadets flew a combined 12 hours in CAP’s sophisticated Cessna 182T.
“It was awesome!” Cadet Daniel Idris, age 14, of Napavine reported. “I’ve always wanted to fly, and today, for the first time, I got to handle controls and see what flying is all about.”
The hour-long flights in single-engine Cessna aircraft introduced the cadets to the science that makes flight possible. They learned about navigation, weather, aircraft instruments, flight maneuvers and more. The cadets’ day began by helping pre-flight their aircraft.
Working with their pilot, they taxied their aircraft to the Chehalis-Centralia Airport’s runway 16-34, gave it full throttle and took off, climbing to 3,000 feet. While aloft, it was the cadets who were handling the controls during the noncritical stages of the flight.
“You really have to pay attention when you’re at the controls,” Cadet Ofilea Rico, 16, said. “But once you get past your nervousness, it’s fantastic.”
Once they reached their assigned altitude, the cadets turned southwest and navigated around the area. Most got to see their homes from a vantage point that was new to them: 3,000 feet up in the air.
CAP pilots repeated these trips throughout the day.
“I’ve been flying cadets for many years, and it’s always exciting just to see the look on their faces,” said one of the pilots, CAP Colonel Ernest Schnabler, from the Fort Vancouver Composite Squadron.
Col Schnabler and one other pilot, George Kinsey, volunteered their time, while the Civil Air Patrol provided the aircraft and fuel at no cost to the cadets or the pilots.
The pilots included Colonels Ernest Schnabler and George Kinsey. CAP’s Cadet Program is open to youth aged 12 through 18. Additionally, there are volunteer opportunities for adults, pilots and non-pilots.
For more information about the program, contact Major Daniel Whalen at 360-525-0494 or dan.whalen@wawg.cap.gov or visit GoCivilAirPatrol.com.
