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23 Oct 11 - Air Operations Acquaint Centre
Some time in October, I received an email. It opened "You may or may not be aware that for the last couple of months the Air Operations Acquaint Centre (AOAC) at RAF Linton-on-Ouse has been running Aerospace courses for North region cadets."....(more)
14 Oct 11 - Ripon Cadets get the silver tour
An evening with a difference tonight, as cadets from Ripon spent some time in the mayor's chambers at the town hall, hearing the history of the city from Sergeant-at-Mace, Mr Jim Vauvert.
Jim, himself a former RAF medic, entertained staff and ca...(more)
11 Oct 11 - Enrolments on the squadron
There were three new enrolments on the squadron tonight. Cadet Emily Richardson, together with twins Edward and William Sewart were enrolled on final parade at the squadron's headquarters.
10 Jun 11 - 886 Squadron show Ripon what the Air Cadets can do!
Ripon is well known for its connections to the Army but Friday evening (10 June 2011) saw a different kind on uniform on parade in the cities market square.
886 (City of Ripon) Squadron, ATC held its Annual presentation and awards evening at th...(more)
16 Oct 10 - Sgt Coates flies the flag for Ripon
Cadet Sergeant Jonny Coates has taken part in the area RAFA standard bearing competition for the third year running as the junior representative for Ripon Branch of the RAFA.
In 2008 Jonny won the title and last year hoped to retain it, but inst...(more)
30 Mar 10 - Promotion
Congratulations to Jonny Thornton on his recent promotion to Cadet Flight Sergeant.
27 Feb 10 - Chance to Fly High at Air Cadet Auction
You could be flying high like these cadets if you are a winning bidder at the Ripon Air Cadets Auction of Promises, to be held at the Ripon Spa Hotel on Friday 19th March. The lots to be auctioned include a trial flying lesson in a Cessna 172 and a si...(more)
10 Nov 09 - Remembrance Weekend
Remembrance Weekend 09 was action-packed for the cadets of Ripon 886 as they participated in various events culminating in the Remebrance Sunday parade and service itself.
The weekend started on the Friday night with a dozen of the squadron as...(more)
24 Oct 09 - The Standard Continues...
Once again a Ripon Cadet achieved suucess at the RAFA Yorkshire Regiment Junior Standard Bearers Competition held in Batley.
Cadet J.M. Coates took on the competition in a demanding test of standard-bearing skills as a panel of judges assessed h...(more)
11 Aug 09 - Summer in the City with Ripon Air Cadets!
The summer holiday's started with an action-packed week for various members of Ripon Air Cadets Squadron.
First up was a Royal date:-
Back in February when he attended his first Band Camp at RAF Cranwell, Cadet Corporal Jonathon Coates o...(more)
26 May 09 - Ripon Cadets Celebrate 25 Years
Ripon Cadets Celebrate 25 Years.
886 (City of Ripon) Air Cadets Squadron commenced their 25th Anniversary Weekend celebrations with their annual Award’s Night, this year held at the Allhallowgate Methodist Church Hall. The cadets were jo...(more)
26 May 09 - Ripon Cadets receive their rewards
Ripon Cadets receive their rewards.
There was a good turn-out of cadets as the normal Friday night’s activities were replaced with the annual Award’s Night, this year held at the Allhallowgate Methodist Church Hall.
The cadets were joined...(more)
26 May 09 - Ripon Cadets Dine IN On Success
Hot on the heels of a very successful awards night the Cadets of 886 Squadron gathered together again the very next evening having chosen a formal Dining-In night to mark their first 25 years as an independent ATC Squadron.
This time the venue w...(more)
03 Mar 09 - Corporal Coates at Cranwell
Ripon Air Cadet Jonathon Coates is currently on a roll. Having recently celebrated his promotion to Corporal he then went on to participate in an action-packed week at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, where further excitement awaited him along wi...(more)
08 Feb 09 - Cadets brave the cold
Despite sub-zero temperatures, more than 60 cadets representing six squadrons from the northern part of the Central & East Yorkshire Wing of the Air Cadets turned out for the ATC Sunday Parade at Richmond. This was one of a number of parades being hel...(more)
26 Oct 08 - Trio takes to the air
Well actually there were four Ripon Air Cadets who seized the opportunity to fly from RAF Church Fenton this weekend; but out of the group no less than three were first time flyers in powered aircraft.
Firstly they received a briefing to cover a...(more)
25 Oct 08 - 2 Cadets at Cosford
Two 886 Cadets represented the Region at the recent Junior Inter-Regional Hockey Tournament held at RAF Cosford.
Whilst not exactly triumphing (the North came 5th out of 6), both reported having a thoroughly good time.
Corporal McCarthy ...(more)
11 Oct 08 - Ripon Cadet Sets the Standard
A Ripon Cadet triumphed at the recent RAFA Yorkshire Regiment Junior Standard Bearers Competition held in Batley.
Cadet J.M. Coates took on all comers through a demanding test of standard-bearing skills as a panel of judges assessed his performa...(more)
15 Sep 08 - Wing Swimming Competition
Ripon Girls Triumph
The girls of Ripon Air Cadets enjoyed tremendous success in the area Swimming Championships held recently at Catterick Garrison. With a near clean sweep of gold medals the junior girls team was just too strong for the opposit...(more)
16 Aug 08 - Waddington Airshow
It was a very wet morning at RAF Waddington the first minutes me and Cdt Widdowson stepped off the bus we were instantly drenched.
A bit later the rain stopped and we finally could concentrate on the planes that we went to see.
The firs...(more)
02 Aug 08 - Cpl McCarthy visits RAF Brize Norton's 2nd ATC Summer Camp 2008
On the 2nd August I travelled down to Brize Norton with 19 other cadets. They were all complete strangers to me. However by the end of the week I'd made lots of great friends.
During the week we went shooting on a 25m range, completed a night ex...(more)
26 Jul 08 - Cdt Lewis at RAF Boscombe Down, Summer Camp 2008
I was the only cadet from 886 Squadron lucky enough to go to this camp, but I was also accompanied by CI Tait. On the camp we did lots of drill (amongst other activities). I shot the No.8 .22 cadet rifle and we were very fortunate to have so many fligh...(more)
26 Jul 08 - Five Cadets at RAF Brize Norton Summer Camp
On 26th July, Cpl Ireland and Cadets Simpson, James, Waddington and Farnham went on Summer Camp to RAF Brize Norton.
The bus ride down was very long - it took ages! When we arrived we got changed and went to see the Red Arrows. Throughout the we...(more)
14 Jul 08 - RBL Spitfire at the Great Yorkshire Show
On 14th, 15th and 16th July four cadets - Cpl Mingay, Cpl Ireland, Sgt Thornton and Flt Sgt Thornton - were at the Great Yorkshire Show to assist the Royal British Legion. (Ripon branch the display of the Mk Vb Supermarine Spitfire replica.)
The...(more)
07 Jun 08 - 1940's weekend, Derbyshire
On the weekend of the 7th and 8th June, CI Tait, Flt Sgt Thornton, and Cdts Boyle and Coates traveled to Derbyshire with the RBL and their spitfire to display her at a 1940's weekend, hosted at a railway museum. The idea of the weekend, like many other...(more)
31 May 08 - Newby Hall Air Assault Extravaganza
On the 31st May 2008, a small group of cadets attended the Newby Hall Air Extravaganza equipped with the RBL replica spitfirea, an ATC recruitment stall and a well practiced drill sequence from Wing Training Day, which we performed to the delight of th...(more)
25 May 08 - Spitfire Celebrates VE Day
The Royal British Legion brought out their replica Spitfire again this year at the celebrations in Ripon marketplace to mark the anniversary of VE day.
As in the past 886 squadron helped out with managing the event and did a short drill display ...(more)
23 May 08 - Promotions and Exams
After two weeks of assessments including interviews, a written test, initiative exercises and a drill assessment, promotions were finally revealed on Friday night along with the long awaited exam results.
The competition between the cadets for ...(more)
11 May 08 - Wing Training Day
On Sunday 11th of May, we attended the Central an East Yorkshire Wing training day. 22 squadrons from around the area came to RAF Linton-On-Ouse to participate in a number of activities. These included sports, such as football and volleyball, model air...(more)
06 Apr 08 - Air Experience Flying and Gliding
On Saturday, three cadets travelled to nearby RAF Leeming for a trip in the Grob Tutor at number 11 Air Experience Flight. First-time flier Cadet Christopher Simpson described it as "Great!"
On Sunday, three cadets travelled in the opp...(more)
03 Apr 08 - Windermere Adventure Training camp
By Cadets Fiona Mingay and Laura McCarthy
As soon as we arrived we were split into three flights, which we would be working with for the rest of the week. We had a very full programme, including a practice walk, kayaking, climbing, camp craft, ...(more)
28 Mar 08 - First Aid Exercises
Cadets got to practices their First Aid skills tonight. A series of scenarios were staged, ranging from a twisted ankle to a car crash.
Fortunately, all the injuries were fake and everybody went home safe and well at the end of the evening - eve...(more)
16 Feb 08 - Cadets go flying
Three cadets got airborne today. Based nearby at RAF Leeming, number 11 Air Experience Flight offers flying opportunities to local squadrons.
03 Feb 08 - ATC Sunday Parade
Cadets from Ripon attended the annual "ATC Sunday" parade in Harrogate today. Joined by cadets and staff from 6 other squadrons, over 150 personnel marched through the centre of Harrogate.
06 Jan 08 - Plenty of gliding over Christmas
Between breaking up for Christmas and returning to school in January, cadets from Ripon were able to fill 18 gliding slots.
That means that up to 18 cadets were each able to spend a day at 642 Volunteer Gliding Squadron, based at RAF Linton-on-O...(more)
21 Dec 07 - End of year "bunfight"
Ripon squadron celebrated the end of another year in traditional style with the customary "bun fight". The cadets organised a revue, which included a review of some of the key events of the year, an excellent solo rendition of Monty Python's ...(more)
11 Nov 07 - Rememberance Sunday
On Sunday the 11th November, 886 (City of Ripon) Squadron ATC, proudly paraded at Spa Garden and through Ripon in this years act of remembrance. We had an excellent turnout, parading 17 cadets in all.
Two cadets came out of the ranks to act as s...(more)
16 Sep 07 - Battle of Britain Parade
This Sunday, cadets assembled in the Spa Gardens to remember those who lost their lives in the Battle of Britain in 1940. A representative from the RAFA did a reading, before wreaths were laid by dignitries including the Mayor. Cpl Wray was last to lay...(more)
15 Sep 07 - Cadets put the "Wings" into the Wings Appeal
While most Air Cadet units around the country were out collecting donations for the Royal Air Force Association this weekend as part of their annual Wings Appeal, Ripon Air Cadets were out in style with a replica of a World War II Spitfire in tow.
...(more)11 Aug 07 - Hag Dyke 2007
Cdt Stelling has returned from a Survival and Leadership course at Hag Dyke. The course included useful training for current and potential NCOs as well as the basics of survival.
Many elements of the course are adapted from the RAF survival cour...(more)
21 Jul 07 - RAF Aldergrove
At 4am on July 14th 2007, cadets Flavell and Wilson set off for Northern Ireland with A/Sgt Roberts. They travelled by ferry to RAF Aldergrove where they spent a week going shooting, doing sports, practising their drill, and visiting local attractions ...(more)
20 Jul 07 - Engineering Project - Bridge Building
Cadets were set the task of building a 1m long bridge across a "river".
Given a set amount of tape and string, they were to build a suspension bridge out of paper. By working together, starting on each side and meeting in the middle,...(more)
07 Jul 07 - New Cadets at School Gala
Ripon’s new cadets got their first public outing on Saturday at Boroughbridge High School’s 25th anniversary gala. The twelve junior cadets from 886 (OK, there was the number ‘58’ visible on the odd brassard or two, but if local squadrons can’t help ea...(more)
07 Jul 07 - Gliding at Topcliffe
New Cadets Seager, Chapman and Coates had their first go at flying Vigilant gliders last Saturday at RAF Topcliffe. All cadets had a very good experience as we all got our full 20 minutes in the air. We were all given a chance to do a small dive to mak...(more)
03 Jul 07 - Flights and Promotions
All cadets and NCOs were divided in to flights tonight. During the first flight meetings each flight was tasked with finding an appropriate name, colour and badge. Promotions were also announced with Cpl Davison being promoted to Sergeant to take comma...(more)
19 Jun 07 - Enrollments
Welcome to the squadron to the seven new cadets who were enrolled on Tuesday night! Remember to take a look through your 3822 (the little blue book) as this is your record of service and it is your responsibility to make sure that this is kept up to da...(more)
16 Jun 07 - Gliding
We arrived at Alanbrooke Barracks in Topcliffe with Flt. Lt. Towse on a cloudy, grey Saturday, with little hope of actually being able to glide due to a distinct lack of suitable winds. However we approached the morning with optimism and enthusiasm, as...(more)
12 Jun 07 - Promotions!
Corporal Thornton was promoted to Sergeant today. Well done Sergeant, a well earned promotion.
It was also announced that further promotions will be forthcoming and that anybody who would like to be considered for promotion should apply, in w...(more)
08 Jun 07 - Annual Formal Inspection
The squadron's annual formal inspection (AFI) took place on Friday 8th June. Squadron Leader Ayre lead the inspection team as Wing Commander Wiggins was unable to attend.
The inspecting officers commented on how impressed they were with the incr...(more)
02 Jun 07 - Cadets Go Flying
Cadets Stelling and Higham visited RAF Church Fenton today to go flying with number 9 Air Experience Flight. They were accompanied by Adult Sergant Roberts who also managed to get a flight!
The day included a tour of the Air Traffic Control tow...(more)