NATIONAL Flying Encampments

By: Colonel Leonard A. Blascovich, CAP National Historian

1965:

The summer of 1965 was the first Civil Air Patrol National Flying Encampment inaugurated at Elmira New York.

There were three National Flying Courses:

· Power Flight

· Glider Pilot

· Soaring orientation

The Schweizer Corporation and the Harris Hill facilities was host for the Glider phase while the Elmira Aeronautical Corporation at Chemung County Airport provided power flight training.

A total of 92 attended the three courses: 28 cadet received power and glider flight training, with 64 cadets participating in sailplane orientation

Cadets that successfully completed the Private Glider Course were awarded a private glider pilot license. Moreover many cadets qualified for the internationally recognized Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) “C” Award. Note that the FAI is represented in the United States by the Soaring Society of America.

The CAP soaring course consisted of a minimum of nine hours flying time and at least 35 flights by tow. The course lasted two weeks; a total of 16 cadets participated in this course.

The power flight course was conducted at Chemung County Airport under the direction of the Elmira Aeronautical Corporation. Cadets were prepared with the 1965 requirement and guidelines set forth by the FAA. Whereas each student received a total of 40 hours flying time.25 dual 15 hours solo. Before each student received his license they made an additional 1-½ hour flight check with the FAA examiner. In addition with the flight training, all students received approximately 10 hours of ground school.

1966:

The second consecutive year of a National Flying Encampment it expanded from one site at Elmira New York to three. The two additional encampment sites were Chester, South Carolina and Lawton, Oklahoma. All three sites provide power and soaring flight to qualified male and female cadets.

148 cadets attended the National Flying Encampments. 60 cadets were enrolled in the power course. All 60 successfully passed the FAA check ride and were awarded private pilot certificates. 88 were enrolled in the sailplane training course, 82 achieved FAA certification as a private glider pilot. Of these 49 went on to earn the “C” badge awarded by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).

All cadets received a minimum of 35 flying hours for powered, and for soaring at least 35 flights and nine hours flying.

As with the first flying encampment the Civil Air Patrol Corporation paid all expense’s except the incidental cost of meals durin9 the encampment.

1967:

Flight training was provided for 208 CAP cadets in four Flying Encampments locations.

They were held between June 16 to August 25 at Reno/Stead Airport, Nevada, Lawton, Oklahoma, Fredrick, Maryland, and Rock Hill, South Carolina. As before civilian aviation firms under contract to Civil Air Patrol to provide the training both ground and flight. CAP senior members and Air Force reserve officer directed the training as encampment commanders and supervisors.

Again the training was provided without cost to the cadets. Cadets only paid for their meals and lodgings.

Two separate training courses were provided. One to train cadets to the point of earning a private pilot license, the other took cadets to powered solo flights.

· No glider training was conducted in 1968 at a national level.

105 cadet were enrolled in the private pilot license course all 105 passed and earned the private license. The course was for a period of four weeks and gave each cadet 41-½ hours of flying time plus ground schooling need for certification.

103 attended the solo flight course. Which was for two week periods which included 15 hours of flying time of which 11 were dual instruction with the rest solo time. Also appropriate ground training was also provided.

CAP requirements from the start that both male and female cadets were eligible for flight training. Minimums age for solo flight was 16,and 17 for private pilot license course. All cadets must have earned the Mitchell Award prior to selection.