Taking to the Skies – 863 (Thurston) Squadron at RAF Cranwell AEF

The morning air at RAF Cranwell buzzed with anticipation. For twelve cadets of 863 (Thurston) Squadron, today was no ordinary day — today, they would fly.

Names were read out in groups, each one met with a mixture of nerves and excitement:

Group 1: Turner, Rowland, De Labaca, Mendes

Group 2: Brown, Davies, Eastwood, Jepp

Group 3: Janes, Wong, Millard,M, Millard, S.

The Wait

In the briefing room, cadets tugged on flight suits, buckled parachute harnesses, and tried to absorb every instruction. “Check the straps. Remember the drill. Trust the pilot.” The words felt heavy, but reassuring. Outside, the steady hum of engines made hearts beat faster.

Through the window, the aircraft sat gleaming on the tarmac — small, yet powerful, promising adventure. Cadets exchanged nervous smiles. Some tapped their boots. Others stared silently, imagining what it would feel like when the ground finally dropped away.

The Moment

At last, the call came. Group One stepped forward. One by one, cadets climbed into the cockpit, helmets fastened, canopies sliding down with a solid clunk.

The engine roared to life. The aircraft rolled forward, faster, faster — then suddenly the world fell away. The cadet’s stomach lifted as the ground shrank beneath them, roads and fields becoming patterns, the horizon stretching wider than ever before.

This was it. They were flying.

In the Air

The pilot’s calm voice crackled through the headset: “Your controls.” A hesitant hand wrapped around the stick, nudging left, then right. The aircraft responded, smooth and alive. For a moment, the cadet was no longer a passenger — they were the pilot.

The sky was clear, and Cranwell spread out beneath them. Then came the aerobatics. A sudden climb, the nose up, up, up — and then the world flipped. The horizon spun, hearts leapt, laughter escaped over the intercom. Loops, rolls, dives — adrenaline surged, but the grins stayed wide.

Back on the Ground

The landing was gentle, but the impact of the day was anything but. Helmets came off, and every cadet was buzzing, voices tumbling over one another:

• “I actually flew it!”

• “The loop — I’ll never forget that!”

• “Best day of my life.”

Nerves had turned to exhilaration. Doubt had turned to pride. And for some, a spark had been lit — the dream of wearing RAF wings one day no longer felt so distant.

Into the Future

Air Experience Flights are more than just a few minutes in the sky. They’re a rite of passage — a reminder of why cadets join, and what lies ahead if they dare to pursue it.

Today at RAF Cranwell, ten cadets of 863 Squadron looked down on the world from above. And in that moment, they saw not just the ground beneath them — but their future, wide open.