Cadets at 200 Squadron meet up on two nights a week: Tuesday and Thursday nights between 18:30 and 21:00.

Different activites are done on the two parade nights: Tuesday nights are in working blues (uniform). On this night, activities such as drill, lessons from the Air Cadet Publications, project work and group discussions are done. On Thursday nights cadets wear DPM (Destructive Pattern Material) uniform. Cadets will usually be involved in more physical activities like night exercises, initiative exercises, field craft and sports.

Depending on whether you joined the squadron in a recruiting intake or just by yourself will decide how your first night will be like. If you joined in a recruit intake then you will be given an introductory talk from either a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) or from the Commanding Officer of the squadron. You will also be briefed on a few need-to-know issues. Then a little group exercise will be used to get the new recruits to familiarise themselves with the other new cadets, which is designed to help you fit into the squadron more quicker and easier. However, if you join the squadron by yourself or in a small group then you will still be given an introduction and you may or may not join in with the rest of the cadets in the main activity.

For the first three months , it is a period of intial training for new recruits (Probationers). So within this will be some of the syllabus that probationary cadets will undertake to familiarise themselves on the squadron and how it runs. After this initial training you will become a fully enrolled member of the squadron which now enables you to do a whole lot more in the Air Training Corps which are not available to you until you are enrolled.

Before a cadet can be enrolled he or she must have satisfactorily completed the junior cadet programme and obtained the written consent of the person with parental responsibility.

The Cadet NCOs are responsible for the cadet welfare and instruction during squadron activities. If you are ever having any problems speak to one of these as they will do their best to try and help you out with any problems you may have.

A person may join the Air Cadets at age 13 and up to his or her 17th birthday. Cadet service will cease on the cadet’s 20th birthday. However, for continued service beyond their 18th birthday cadets must have met a specific set of criteria.

Subscriptions are payed by cadets to assist funding the running of the Air Training Corps. A certain amount will go to Headquarters Air Cadets (HQAC) and some is used to pay for materials and equipment used by cadets. If subscriptions are paid in advance then some deductions are made. Below are the current figures for subscriptions:

• Subscriptions paid monthly: £5.00 per month
• Subscriptions paid 6 monthly: £28.00 per half year (Saving £4.00)
• Subscriptions paid 12 monthly: £50.00 per year (Saving £10.00)

The cadet blue uniform (excluding parade shoes) will be issued with a deposit of £15.00 which is refundable when you leave the Air Training Corps provided subscriptions are up to date and uniform is returned complete. Extra activities may or may not have additional costs for travel and food but all are at reduced cost.

For information on joining click here