It is the dream of an air cadet to become a pilot and very often it ends up just being a dream but for Warrant Officer 1st Class Mark Keir his dream will soon be a reality.
Earlier this spring Keir was given the News that he had been offered a great opportunity through the Air Cadet Program having received a Power Pilot Scholarship through the Department of National Defense (DND).
The power pilot scholarship includes a series of theoretical and practical lessons to train student pilots who have no previous experience in flight, in accordance with the standards of Transport Canada in order to obtain power plane pilot license. He will be going to the Durham Flight Training Centre in Oshawa for seven weeks in July and August.
Keir attended the Squadron Flight Scholarship prep classes every week during the fall, in January he wrote and passed the Provincial Standard Exam based on all that was taught, and he attended a panel interview at the head office of Ontario Provincial Air Cadet League (OPC) with panel members from both DND and OPC.
242 Ross Ferguson Squadron in Erin has over the past few years had cadets receive similar opportunities. In 2012, WO1 Alan Crocker was accepted for the Power Pilot Scholarship and now teaches the Squadron Flight Scholarship Program. In 2013, FSgt Daniel Levinter spent seven weeks at CFB Trenton, getting his glider pilot license.
The Erin Air Cadet year wraps up on June 14 with the Annual Review at Centre 2000 in Erin at 1pm and all community members are welcome. New recruits will be accepted weekly, beginning Sept. 9 at the Legion Hall in Erin. For information visit www.242erinaircadets.com.
