Members of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, left side of photo, participated in an activated electronic locating transmitter training drill with members of the Civil Air Patrol, right side of photo, on Saturday at the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport. P-J Photo by Remington Whitcomb

Twenty-four cadets and three officers of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, squadron 822, hailing from the Kitchner, Ontario, region participated in an activated electronic locating transmitter training drill with the Civil Air Patrol, squadron 402 at the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport on Saturday.

The training drill between the two squadrons, which has taken place around Memorial Day weekend for the past 20 consecutive years, serves as an opportunity for cadets to drill with members outside of their own squadron, and highlights the similarities between the RCAC and the CAP.

Both programs were established in 1941 and focused on supporting the war effort and preparing young men for duty in World War II. More recently, the programs focus on building better citizens through leadership training.

“The objective of the RCAC and the CAP were so successful … that (both) governments decided to continue the programs after the war was finished,” Lt. Col. Ron Gowing of the RCAC said. “It evolved from there to include more civilians; it’s controlled by the Royal Canadian Air Force and what they’re looking for is to build better citizens. So besides the military training and the aviation and aerospace training, (cadets) get involved in citizenship and leadership training.”

Additionally, the RCAC contributes to the shaping of a well-rounded individual through effective speaking courses and access to activities such as a debate team. Several scholarship opportunities are available to high achieving cadets that allow them to earn their Glider pilot license and Private pilot license at no cost to the cadet.

The RCAC facility, located at the Region of Waterloo International Airport, houses 32 flight simulators, five air traffic control simulators, four unmanned aerial vehicle simulators and robotics and electronics stations; the facility is in the process of building a space simulator. Squadron 822 has the only facility of its kind in Canada, and there is intent to have CAP squadron 402 visit for joint-training exercises in the fall.

With regard to the drill itself, cadets in the CAP placed the activated ELT, colloquially referred to as an airplane’s black box, in a remote location at the CC-J Airport, and cadets in the RCAC were given transponders and tasked with triangulating the signal.

On Memorial Day, the RCAC and CAP met at Southwestern Central School and marched to Sunset Hill Cemetery. Following, both squadrons visited American Legion Post 1286 in Lakewood.