On Sunday 22 Oct 2017 cadet Nathan Lebentritt experienced the thrill of flight during his first CAP Orientation Flight, with pilot Lt Moses Divaker.  Cadet Lebentritt said “it was really awesome, I got so see my house from the air, and I got to fly the airplane.”

Cadet orientation flights are always conducted with safety being the most important aspect.  These orientation flights are only conducted in daylight with visual meteorological conditions (VMC).  Flights are in single engine aircraft, like the Cessna 172 that cadet Lebentritt flew in, or gliders.  Cadets are allowed to handle the flight controls, under the pilot’s supervision, during the non-critical phases of flight (e.g.: not during take-off, landing, or an emergency).  Pilots do not perform extreme maneuvers during cadet orientation flights (aerobatics or spins).  Each flight, which lasts .7 – 1.2 hours in duration, has an educational purpose, per the specific syllabus.