Activities include flying, gliding and parades.

The ATC

What is the Air Training Corps?

Air Training Corps crestThe Air Training Corps is a national voluntary youth organisation which provides young people with challenging activities and opportunities they would never get elsewhere. Cadets get involved in all sorts of actvities, whether related to aviation, adventurous training or the local community. There are Squadrons throughout the country.

Is the Air Training Corps part of the Royal Air Force?

The Air Training Corps is supported by the Royal Air Force, though there is no requirement or pressure to join up. Many cadets do, having experienced a little of service life during their time with the Corps. But it is the unique combination of the resources of the Royal Air Force, the volunteer staff who run the squadron and train the cadets and the support of the civilian commitees of each Squadron, that produces the Air Training Corps' approach to training the cadets.

What does the Air Training Corps offer?

The Air Training Corps aims to offer new experiences and challenges to cadets, always with safety in mind and support from staff. Cadets develop their characters, leadership and confidence. Being a cadet can offer a great start in life, with excitement, friendship, challenge and responsibility.

A 16 year old cadet, who can fly a glider solo, lead 5 other cadets on an expedition and help run the squadron from week to week has got a great start towards a successful adult life. Many former cadets have gone on to be today's successful business managers and community leaders. Thanks, partly at least, to their time in the Corps.

The Air Training Corps Structure

The Air Training Corps has 46,000 cadets, from 13 to 20 years old and 8,500 adult staff. To organise and manage such a huge number of people, the Corps is divided into Regions, Wings and Squadrons. Egham & Staines Squadron is in Middlesex Wing, which is part of London & South-East Region.

Squadron

The Squadron is the local unit. There are 176 squadrons in the London and South-East Region and 25 in Middlesex Wing. Squadron's are local to a town or school. Wherever you live, there is probably a squadron, or several, near you. Such as our neighbouring squadrons, Sunbury, Feltham and Windsor Squadrons, which are all within a few miles of us. Most activities happen within the Squadron, although many co-operate to share special skills and facilities, such as shooting ranges or instructors with special skills.

Wing

The Wing is usually a group of 20 to 40 squadrons, in the same area, for example, our Wing is Middlesex Wing, or the near-by Surrey Wing. The Wing provides administrative support and other resources, which would otherwise be very diffcult for individual squadrons to provide. Many competitions between Squadrons are run at a Wing level. Athletics and drill are two of the most popular annual competitions. The Wing also runs many courses, for cadets and adult staff.

Region

London and South-East Region consists of 6 Wings, Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Essex and London. There are some 7000 cadets and 1000 adult staff under it's command. It is the largest of the six Regions in the UK.