Cadets are young leaders who think seriously about their futures. They may not yet know exactly what they want to do in adult life, but they're test-flying potential career interests.
Cadet activities are akin to electives at school, and CAP schedules them mostly as "Saturday" and "school vacation" programs. Some of the most popular career fields among cadets are Aviation, Military, Technology and Leadership. Cadets remain free to mix-and-match to their liking.
The cadet orientation flight program shares with cadets the thrill of flying. Every CAP cadet under age 18 is eligible for five flights in a powered aircraft (usually a single-engine Cessna), five flights in a glider aircraft, and an unlimited number of backseat flights when conditions allow. Orientation flights are always free to cadets. Survey data has repeatedly shown that the #1 reason youth become CAP cadets is an interest in flying.
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) conducts a variety of operational missions primarily in the areas of Emergency Services (Search And Rescue (SAR), Disaster Relief (DR)), Counterdrug (CD), and Homeland Security (HLS). Most of this is done in CAP's role as the United States Air Force Auxiliary as Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) under Title 10, but CAP also provides assistance to State and Local authorities in many cases before there is a defined Federal interest under Title 36 as well. In order to conduct these missions, there are many programs and personnel that provide Operations Support.
Let’s Go Flying is the young person’s introduction to aviation. Topics include what to look for on your first airline flight, fundamentals of aviation science, fun things young people can do to grow their interest in flying, and interviews with aviation professionals who discuss career opportunities.
