Civil Air Patrol squadron hosts orientation flights extravaganza for area youth

On August 4-5 2018, the Delta Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol hosted its Second Semi-Annual Orientation Flight Extravaganza at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport. The event utilized eleven local pilots and four aircraft. In total, 33 cadets from surrounding areas including Houston, Kingwood, Conroe, Sheldon and Sugarland, had the opportunity to take the controls of a single engine Cessna. In addition to flying, cadets also learned about pre-flight inspections, safety and aerodynamics from Civil Air Patrol pilots.

1st Lt Ed Bell served as an Orientation Pilot and as the Operations Officer for the event. “It was a fantastic experience to get to see this many cadets from so many areas get to experience the joy of flying,” said Bell.

Afternoon flights on August 4th were interrupted due to thunderstorms in the area. During the downtime, cadets toured a King Air jet and learned flight marshalling skills from trained instructors. The cadets also enjoyed the time to get to know cadets from other squadrons.

“I really enjoyed meeting and learning with all the new cadets from other areas,” said Dejana Bukovac from the Marauder Squadron in Kingwood. In addition to the pilots and instructors, many of Delta’s senior members volunteered their time to plan and execute the event. “It was an outstanding event for our area youth. I was so happy to be a part of it,” said Lt Col Jennifer Clark who provided logistics planning and services during the weekend.

Civil Air Patrol performs services for federal and state governments and local communities as the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force. As a member of the Air Force’s Total Force, the Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions: Emergency Services, Aerospace Education and Cadet Programs. Nationwide, Civil Air Patrol consists of 1,445 community-based squadrons with more than 58,000 members. Last year, CAP saved 110 lives through its search and rescue efforts.

Delta Composite Squadron, located at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport, serves the local community providing emergency services, search and rescue missions and support, and by training future leaders through its cadet program. Delta has approximately one hundred cadet and senior members from Spring, Tomball and The Woodlands.

More information about the Civil Air Patrol and its cadet program can be found at www.gocivilairpatrol.com, facebook.com/capnhg or facebook.com/tx334.