Cadet Recruitment
Our staff and cadets are always willing to talk to anyone who is interested in joining the RAF Air Cadets and we are more than happy for you and a parent or guardian to come down on one of our parade nights to see what we do as Squadron.
The wider Falkirk area has some fantastic Squadrons so no matter where you live you will have one near you. We have 867 (Denny) Squadron which cover the Denny / Bonnybridge area and 1333 (Grangemouth Spitfire) which covers Grangemouth and Bo’ness. 470 is considered the oldest and as we have always been located in Falkirk town centre we cover everything in-between.
You won’t be under any pressure to join the organisation and as each Squadron is a little different we can give you a good overview of what you can expect at 470. The only requirement for joining the ATC in Scotland is that you are between 12 (currently in High School S1) and 16 years old when you start.
Equality is at the core of what the ATC stands for so it doesn’t matter what gender/ethnicity/nationality or ability you have – we are open to all.
Where to start?
Contact Us
First of all you need to make contact with your local Squadron. The easiest way to do this is to give us a call on a parade night or drop us an e-mail.
Meet with us
We will invite you and your parents to the Squadron on a parade night to speak with the Commanding Officer and other members of staff. We will give you a tour of the Headquarters and introduce you to the Cadet NCO’s so you can ask questions and get a peer review of the Squadron.
Apply
470 operates staggered intakes for cadet recruitment rather than allowing cadets to join all year round. This has a number of training advantages and allows the new recruits to fully integrate into their new training flight. We work to a 3 month class rotation so please apply and we will notify you of the next intake date and secure you a place.
Induction
This will your first evening where you will meet the other new recruits and staff formally. We will give you an overview of what you can expect from the probation training program which you will complete over 3 months.
Enrollment
After a 3 month period you will have completed all the necessary training to awarded first class cadet status. This is your first major accomplishment in your cadet career and opens the door to allowing you to attend Annual Camps at RAF bases in the UK and start Air Experience Flying. At the Presentation evening you will be presented with your badges and issued with your uniform ready to embark on the next stage of your training.
