2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Annual Squadron Report 2012

4 (Ardmore) Squadron Air Training Corps

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

This Yearbook is the first of its kind. We will now produce one every year, and will contain more about the years events and activities.

Contents
Unit Commanders Report FLTLT M. Greig ........................................................................................... 3 Ohakea air show 2012 CPL A. Rollo...................................................................................................... 4 Junior Leaders Course CPL C. Reid ....................................................................................................... 5 Senior leaders Course SGT C. Hickman ................................................................................................ 5 Great barrier island trip Under Officer A. Holmes ............................................................................... 6 A8 2012 Under Officer Lelo .................................................................................................................. 7 Spirit of Adventure 10 Day Youth Development Voyage ..................................................................... 8 Autograph Page....................................................................................................................................... 9 Awards - 2012 ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................... 11

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Unit Commanders Report FLTLT M. Greig

Another year has gone, and we find ourselves again saying where did the year go? 2012 has been another packed year, and my team of officers have been busy running a variety of activities throughout the year. Prior to beginning the year, we held a planning meeting at the Manurewa RSA and unanimously agreed on an ambitious goal to run a selection of activities every month. This meant for most of the year having a shoot, aviation activity, and Bushcraft once a month. Unfortunately at times due to weather (and erupting volcanoes!) we had to cancel or postpone some activities. This year saw 3 particularly great events, taking cadets to RNZAF Base Ohakea to see the air show commemorating 75th Anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Many thanks to Tony Newth and his company for getting us access to a very affordable transport solution. In July the Squadron travelled to Great Barrier Island on a 1 night tramp to its highest peak, Mt Hobson. More recently, our annual flying camp held over Labour Weekend where 32 cadets took to the air, flying both a fixed wing 4 seat Cessna, and a helicopter, in addition to a variety of ground activities. Activities such as these rely heavily on support from businesses and organisations from throughout the community. I cant thank you all enough for your continued support. The Squadron Support Committee continues to do a fantastic job, applying for grants, purchasing items, cooking what must be now literally thousands of steak rolls and sausages in the spirit of making all of the activities accessible and affordable to all cadets. It is because of the Committee, that we are able to offer 2 exciting prizes today at Prize Giving, providing 2 cadets the opportunity to sail on the Spirit of Adventure on their 10 Day Youth Development Voyage. To Steve and your tireless team, thank you. You really do a truly great job. To my team of officers, thank you for the hard work you have put in through the year. You continue to provide great opportunities for our cadets. 2013 activity planning is well underway, and includes a variety of activities, including more flying. The squadron will also travel through the South Island in the first half of the year. CPL D. Loader has been selected as one of 3 Cadets to represent the NZCF on the International Air Cadet Exchange in mid-2013, taking her to Washington DC, and surrounding states. Further on, plans are well underway for commemoration 150 years of Cadet Forces in New Zealand in 2014. I wish you all the best for the coming festive season and look forward to your continued support in 2013. Merry Christmas.

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Ohakea air show 2012 CPL A. Rollo

On Saturday 31 March the RNZAF Base Ohakea held an air show to celebrate 75 years of RNZAF service. To be a part of this celebration, on Friday 30 March Several Cadets, Officers and myself took an amazing bus ride from the unit in Ardmore to the Waiouru Army Base, pausing on the way for rest stops, food and to pose in front of any aircraft we came across, while microphone happy cadets and NCOs provided entertainment with interesting karaoke attempts and stories. We arrived at the Waiouru army base Friday evening where we had dinner and stayed for the night. Saturday Morning we were breakfasted and back on the bus in what we thought would be plenty of time to arrive at the RNZAF Base Ohakea, however we forgot to account for all the other 60000-70000 people who would also be attending and ended out sitting in traffic for about two hours after getting within 15 minutes of the airbase. However, when we finally arrived we were treated to a spectacular air show, which involved a range of civilian and vintage aircraft and the RNZAFs full complement of aircraft was on show to the public for the first time since 2009. In particular I enjoyed the red checkers flying display, however there were so many displays both in the air and on the ground, with plenty of aircraft open for the public to walk through. We also got to meet the US Marines, a stray storm trooper and stand in line for 40 minutes for sushi! That afternoon at the end of the air show, after managing to find everyone and get them back on the bus, we joined the traffic leaving the Ohakea airbase and headed back to Waiouru for another night, before climbing back on the bus the next morning to drive back to the unit in Ardmore. The trip itself was Amazing it was a pretty neat road trip (questionable singing aside) and it was awesome to be able to go to the air show and ogle at all the aircraft.

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Junior Leaders Course CPL C. Reid

The Northern Area Junior Leaders Course A.K.A: juniors. I was recently been promoted from LAC in July this year. I have been attending the New Zealand Cadet Forces for 3 years next February. I was nominated to attend the Northern Area Junior Leaders training course over a week, at Philomel Naval base with about 50-60 other cadets from other units and corps from NZCF Northern Area of the north island (as far North as Kaitaia and South to Hamilton). I got to meet heaps of new friends and gathered a lot of great potentially life changing skills. We covered four aspects of being a junior leader, we went over Drill instruction where we taught a squad of people from our syndicates a specific drill movement, we covered squad handling where we took the role of a flight commander and took the flight for drill, we each took turns at different leadership tasks where we took our syndicates for a leader ship exercise to take control of our groups to complete a "mission" and give a T.O.W.N.E.Y. briefing to the members of our group to get the "mission" done in a safe secure manner, we also performed three oral presentations, a three minute speech on ourselves and where we are from, a five minute presentation on a hobby or interest of ours and a ten minute on anything we decided on before the camp. The entire course was an amazing experience for me and I can't wait for seniors!

Senior leaders Course SGT C. Hickman

Senior Leaders was held at HMNZS Philomel. It is one of the best things you will do in your cadet force life, one of the main reasons for this is because of the friends you made on these types of course you will keep them life. A big reason for this is because you sleep, eat and learn with most of the cadets on the course, by the end of the course you have found yourself a second family. For the first three days of the course you are into the classroom to learn how be a senior NCO, you learn how to teach class, the roles of a senior NCO and where we now fit in our units. We then moved on to drill; we learnt how to be flight commanders on parade. We then moved on to leadership where we were given a task and a team to carry the task out with, this was my favorite bit because we got to get outside and do fun stuff. On the last day of the course we showed of our drill and got to see our course reports and see if all how hard work had paid off. Attendance on this course is a pre-requisite for my promotion to the rank of SGT.

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Great barrier island trip Under Officer A. Holmes Great Barrier Island Tramping Trip 30 JUN 01 JUL
Early on the Saturday a group of around 17 cadets and officers met up at the unit as dawn was breaking. After an initial gear check we then hopped onto the back of a truck for the trip to the other end of the airfield during which many including myself got numb hands. With FLTLT Greig as our pilot we were soon heading towards the sunrise to great barrier island. While over great barrier island we flew once round Mt Hobson, the highest peak on the island and our objective for Sunday, before landing at Claris. After landing at Claris we received a ride to the start of a track that led to Kaiaraara hut, our accommodation for the night. The scenery along the trail was fantastic as we tramped through native bush, over numerous small stream, over small hills (in comparison to Mt Hobson) and along ridgelines. We had lunch in the shadow of a cliff next to a small stream where we were able to rest before the last stretch to Kaiaraara hut. We arrived at Kaiaraara hut late afternoon where we had free time before dinner to look around the hut. Many of us started by crossing the swing bridge and throwing rocks of various sizes into the river. While others crossed the stream further down where they hung out in the sun on the banks of the river. As it became dark we had to cook our dinner of curry and rice over a gas cooker by torchlight which was obviously a new experience for a few cadets. With a fireplace going in the background it made the meal of barely cooked rice an interesting experience. After dinner we again had more free time which resulted in multiple games of spotlight being played before bed. The next morning after a breakfast of all day breakfast we set off for the summit of Mt Hobson. Along the way we passed some old historic kauri dams. It wasnt long after that that we reached the first of the many thousands of stairs that led to the top of MT Hobson. The climb was slow as the stairs began to wear many of the group out resulting in many breaks being called in our attempt for the summit. The view from the top of Mt Hobson was well worth the effort as we were presented with a 360 degree panorama view giving us a marvellous view while we had our lunch as we were able to see all of great barrier and able to see little barrier as well. We could also see the airfield at Claris and the river which ran past Kaiaraara hut. The decent also presented a challenge as the group was exhausted from the epic climb to the top and the changing gradient of the decent required more rest stops as by now the group was running on empty with many having given their all just to reach the top. The drive back to Claris was a silent one as we were finally able to sit down and rest weary limbs. The flight back was similar with communication hard to achieve over the engines so most sat in quiet contemplation of what we had achieved that weekend and what we were going to do for the rest of the school holidays.

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

A8 2012 Under Officer Lelo

A8 is one of the most action packed camps that the Squadron holds. This year was bigger and greater than ever before with cadets never stopping. From hands on flying lessons and a passenger flight in Cessna 172s, with a hint of G-force thrown in. To never before helicopter intro flights, experiencing a new world of hovering and flying backwards - just total freedom in the sky. Both flights being talked about though out the whole weekend. We did have one day where the weather was fairly bleak so we took a visit to the newly opened addition to MOTAT. There, we were given a guided tour around learning about the start of aviation in New Zealand, through to all the interesting and wacky aircraft produced. Also there was a small tank that we got to ride in around a wet course, with mud flung in our mouths from all the laughing we were doing. We also went up the road to the Warbirds hanger, which was stuffed full with fighters, bombers and everything in between. We even got taught how to make models of the aircraft we saw. When we werent busy with all that, we were playing sports, on the flight simulators or watching video footage from the flights. At the end of the 3 days the cadets were aviation experts and now had a taste of flying both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. The camp was highly successful much to the efforts of Ardmore Flying School, Ardmore Helicopters, MOTAT, Ardmore Airport, and the RNZAF. Also a huge thanks to the support committee for securing funding for the large budget involved, meaning all cadets could attend the camp. Thanks of course to the officer staff for planning and executing one of the best camps of the year. I cant wait for next year!

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Spirit of Adventure 10 Day Youth Development Voyage

Each year between 1000 and 1200 young people aged 15-18, from a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds throughout the country, participate in the Youth Development programme. In the past 35 years, more than sixty-thousand young people have taken part. The 10-Day Youth Development Voyage takes on-board 40 trainees (15-18 years), with an equal mix of females and males, all total strangers. The value of teamwork becomes very apparent, as does resilience, teambuilding skills, co-operation, communication, confidence, tolerance, and leadership. During their voyage trainees are presented with a number of diverse opportunities and activities that ensure they learn a great deal about themselves and develop as individuals. Activities vary according to location, the group mix and crucially, the weather. Usually there will be both land and water-based activities for teams and individuals. The voyage qualifies for Young New Zealanders Challenge (Duke of Edinburgh Award) Gold Residential Project. Trainees are split into four watches of ten for the duration of the voyage. All trainees have the challenge of being leader of their watch for the day. Friendship, fun and laughter run high, as trainees complete the many features of the programme - tramping trips ashore, learning to sail the luggers, beach cleaning (supporting environmental education and sustainability), hoisting and setting the very large and heavy sails, climbing the ratlines to loosen or stow sails 30 metres above the deck, not forgetting the famous dawn swim. The horseshoe-shaped Great Cabin at the stern hosts evening activities such as public speaking, presentations, debates, movies and games. Skills learnt during the voyage prepare trainees for Trainee Day the final day when they elect their own Captain and crew and are responsible for setting the sails and navigating the ship safely to her final anchorage within a given time frame. For all on board, this is the absolute highlight of the voyage. Each voyage is under the command of a permanent crew with appropriate nautical qualifications and training in experiential learning and youth development, sailing as Master, Mates, Cook and Engineer. Volunteer crew sail as Watch Assistants, while former trainees who belong to the Voyagers Club are able to return as Leading Hands. Volunteers and Leading Hands berths are provided all found, and any necessary travel covered, in return for the skills and energy they bring SOURCE: Spirit of Adventure website to a voyage.

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Autograph Page

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Awards - 2012
Royal New Zealand Air Force Association (South Auckland) Commendation Certificate No. 4 Squadron Charitable Trust Commendation Certificates The D. Thomas Cup Most Outstanding in Sport The Support Committee Trophy Bushcraft Skills The St Johns Trophy Best in First Aid Royal New Zealand Air Force Association Trophy Shooting The Spicer Trophy Most Improved Shot The Clifford Cup Best Basic Cadet (1st Year) The DG Jones Cup Best Proficiency Cadet (2nd Year) The F/S EC West Cup Best Advanced Cadet (3rd Year) The Commanding Officers Trophy Attendance The Paul Clark Memorial Trophy Dedication The Hon. George Hawkins Trophy Endeavour The Mills Cup Most Outstanding Cadet Overall The Warrant Officers Trophy Most Dedicated NCO The Chivalry Trophy (Chevalier Les Jones) High Standard of Chivalry The Foresters Arms Shield Best NCO Overall SQNLDR J. V. Buckton Trophy Service from an Individual/Organisation Spirit of Adventure Award 2012 Demonstrates the best teamwork, service and discipline LAC Sean Cardiff SGT Hannah Cronin

SGT Corey Hickman LAC B. Coubrough CDT K. Johnston CDT B. Rota LAC Sean Cardiff Not Assessed in 2012 U/O Tim Lelo CPL Deanne Loader CDT L. Hewitt LAC C. Te Haara SGT H. Cronin U/O Alistair Holmes CDT Ryan Cardiff CDT L Harford CDT Laura Hewitt LAC M Hastings CPL C Reid F/S P. Naidoo Mrs Rachel Hickman

2012 Annual Report and Year Book

Acknowledgements
4 (Ardmore) Squadron Air Training Corps acknowledges the support of the following businesses and organisations:

Ardmore Airport Limited Ardmore Flying School Ardmore Helicopters Royal New Zealand Air Force Association Great Barrier Airlines The Whitehouse Tavern Trust Manurewa RSA Papakura RSA Warbirds 4 Squadron Charitable Trust 4 Squadron Parent Support Committee First Sovereign Trust

www.ardmoreairport.co.nz www.ardmore.co.nz www.chopper.co.nz

www.greatbarrierairlines.co.nz www.whitehousetaverntrust.co.nz www.manurewarsa.co.nz www.papakurarsa.co.nz www.nzwarbirds.org.nz www.airtrainingcorps.org.nz www.airtrainingcorps.org.nz www.firstsovereign.co.nz