UH Air Force ROTC cadets are volunteering through the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary’s Civil Air Patrol to learn aerospace education and leadership skills.
Approximately 56,000 members and more than 26,000 cadets volunteer nationwide in the CAP program. UH Air Force ROTC Detachment 003 has the third-largest CAP program, with more than 48 hours logged in flight time, UH Air Force Cadet Travis Fisk said.
"I think it is a wonderful program. There aren’t many opportunities that we get that allows us to physically fly planes," Fisk said. "Among other things, I learned that flying is a lot harder than expected."
Before cadets hop into a small Cessna 172 or 182, free weekly ground-school classes are given to learn about the principles of aerospace and aviation. Cadets then take off from a small base in Baytown and get to experience the feeling of soaring through the air.
Although these are not flying lessons, it gives cadets a stronger idea of flight.
"It’s great because it’s a free way to fly, and those who are interested to be a pilot can get a first-hand experience," UH Air Force Cadet Elias Yousefi said. "It’s something other people don’t get to experience."
Col. Philip Bossert, commander of the UH Air Force ROTC, who has logged more than 3,900 hours of flight time, said the CAP program on campus is one of the most active programs in the country.
"We pair them into flight crews of two and once we get the flight schedule, they have to coordinate with CAP pilots," he said.
Bossert said cadets learn leadership through the CAP program by appointing cadets to be in charge. Also, he said that cadets learn the two most crucial aspects of flying are important: safety and professionalism.
"(Cadets) learn team building skills and effective communication skills," he said.
UH recently partnered with Texas Southern University to offer free flight simulator courses before cadets actually sit in a cockpit.
TSU has two flight simulators, the Frasca Model 141 single engine flight simulator and the AST-300 single or multi-engine flight-training device.
The Frasca model 141 "provides a high degree of realism" and "all cockpit equipment, including flight, engine and systems controls and indicators are modeled after actually aircraft parts, thus giving (a) realistic feedback," according to TSU’s Web site.
The AST-300 is "intended for advanced pilots" and "re-creates the flight and power plant characteristics of a turbocharged twin-engine airplane," according to the TSU Web site.
Cadets said the CAP program provides a firmer grasp of flight for those interested in military aviation.
"Now that I have a good understanding of what it is all about, I would very much like to further my flying interests and seek some sort of career in aviation in the air force," Fisk said.
The CAP program was established on Dec. 1, 1941, six days before the attack on Pearl Harbor
"Civil Air Patrol was conceived in the late 1930s by legendary New Jersey aviation advocate Gill Robb Wilson, who foresaw aviation’s role in war and general aviation’s potential to supplement America’s military operations," according the CAP Web site.
For more information, log on to www.cap.gov
