Cadets soar at Trail airport
By Contributor
The yellow aircraft flying at the Trail airport on Sunday were there giving the air cadets of 531 City of Trail Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron cadets an exciting air experience.
Each cadet did a flight in the Schweizer 2-33 glider and a flight in the Cessna 182 towplane. The gliders and tow planes are owned by the British Columbia Provincial Committee of the Air Cadet League of Canada and are operated by members of the Canadian Armed Forces and cadets.
The flights each lasted about 15 minutes, and the cadets were shown the basics of aircraft control. One the ground, the cadets helped push the gliders to the launch position, helped launch the gliders, and then return the gliders to the staging position after the glider landed.
The Trail squadron will soon be completing it’s 75th Training Year. The squadrons year will wrap up with the Annual Ceremonial Review which will be held on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the Kemball (Trail) Armoury. The parade will start at 11 a.m. and a lunch and Awards presentation will be held after the parade.
After the Annual Ceremonial Review, the squadron will take the summer off and return for it’s 76th year on Sept. 9. Over the summer several cadets will be attending Summer Courses at HMCS Quadra Cadet Training Center near Comox BC and at and Vernon CTC.
531 Squadron meets every Wednesday evening from September to June in the Kemball (Trail) Armoury at 1990 7th Ave, starting at 6:15 p.m..
New cadets are welcome at any time. Cadets are between the ages of 12 and 18. New cadets can start their application at https://registration.cadets.
Adults who would like to volunteer with the squadron are also welcome.
Quick Facts
- The Cadet Program is open to all Canadian youth from the ages of 12 to 18 regardless of income, race, religion, culture or other socio-economic factors. The program embraces Canada’s multiculturalism and offers young Canadian’s opportunities to interact with youth from other cultures.
- Over the training year cadets can travel, go flying in powered and unpowered aircraft and do outdoor activities.
- The 2025-26 training year marks 531 squadron’s 75th Anniversary. The squadron was formed on 02 March 1951.
