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Cadet’s Canadian Adventure

Cadet Warrant Officer Sam Page, aged 18, travelled to Montréal with 80 Cadets from the UK, France, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea, Hong Kong, the USA and New Zealand. From Montréal they travelled around Canada visiting both Quebec and Ottawa where they took part in a number of both adventurous and cultural activities. 

Sam with the helicopter crew

During the trip Cadets visited the International Civil Aviation Organisation in Montréal, had a formal dinner at the Canadian Parliament, toured Quebec’s Citadel and spent a day at the Valcartier Cadet Training Centre where they got to do rifle shooting, a selection of sports, a submarine sinking exercise and take a special trip over the Canadian wilderness. 

Sam explained: “My highlight of the exchange has to be the twenty-minute flight in a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Griffin Helicopter over the Valcartier Cadet Training Centre’s vast grounds, following winding rivers, ascending over rising mountains and covering miles of forestry.

“Another highlight was watching the ‘Changing of the Guard’ at Québec’s Citadel, which takes place daily, and included the Goat Major marching Batisse the goat on parade. This is both a highly-regarded and respected event, but us international cadets couldn’t help but find some humour in the otherwise serious occasion!

“I can confidently say that I have walked away from the exchange with eighty fellow friends from all over the world; that is something I never dreamt I would be able to say! The exchange really has been the highlight of my cadet career thus far, never again will I have the opportunity to meet people from across the globe in a similar environment.” 

Cadets on the trip took part in many excursions

The exchange aims to bring Cadets from different cultures together and foster international understanding, goodwill and friendship among young people with an interest in aviation. 

Sam said: “We interacted with cadets from all over the world, and we all found it very interesting exchanging both stories and photos of our unique cadet experiences back at our home countries. I felt great pride in advertising what the Royal Air Force Air Cadets do, the experiences that are available to us and the message that we spread as a youth organisation.

“I believe IACE is one of the most rewarding things a cadet can do, if not just due to the vast overseas travelling, the diverse areas of education or the varied cultural-interaction. Without a doubt, I would do the exchange all over again in a heartbeat!”

The International Air Cadet Exchange Association helps organise the programme which has been running for the last 70 years.

Learn how you can get involved in the Air Cadets at www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets