On the 5th March 2002 a party of 20 cadets and staff from Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing visited number 18 Squadron at R.A.F. Odiham in Hampshire. Number 18 Squadron is one of three Squadrons operating the Chinook helicopter at R.A.F Odiham the other Squadrons being No. 7 and No. 27.

During the day the cadets visited the squadrons hangers to see the aircraft maintenance sections at work. They also had the opportunity to see the facilities in which the aircrews plan their flights. The cadets were given an extremely interesting presentation, which outlined the role of No. 18 Squadron and its Chinook aircraft.

After a Chinook flight safety brief the cadets were taken out to one of the Squadrons aircraft for what was undoubtedly the highlight of the day, a Chinook flight. For most people their only experience of this most distinctive helicopter with its twin rotors will be a fleeting glimpse as it passes overhead or some news article on the television. Our cadets had what for many is the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to fly with an 18 Squadron crew on one of their training flights. During the two-hour flight the crew conducted various tactical landing techniques and other aircraft handling exercises that would be used in operational conditions. For some of the cadets it was their first flight in an R.A.F aircraft but for others it can only be described as the best they had ever experienced.

The cadets and staff . would once again like to take this opportunity to thank the members of 18 Squadron R.A.F. for making the day such an enjoyable experience.

The crest of 18 Squadron R.A.F Visit the 18 Squadron web-site	The crest of R.A.F. Odiham. Visit the R.A.F. Odiham web-site

The Chinook