Louis is Flying After Beating Thousands to Land Place on RAF Scheme

A Sixth Form College student has beaten competition from around 2,000 other RAF Air Cadets to land a place on the prestigious Air Cadet Pilot Scheme.

Louis Earley, who is currently in his first year with us, claimed one of only 100 places on the Dundee-based programme, which is available to the 40,000-plus Air Cadets in the UK through Tayside Aviation.

Applicants numbering in their thousands are filtered through local to national commanding ranks, until the final number is reached for the 15-day residential course in Scotland. 

Louis, who studies Biology, Chemistry and Psychology at AS Level, along with Music at A2, explained that the place on the course could save future pilots costs that can run into the tens of thousands: “The application process is extremely competitive. The scheme finishes with a solo flight and that can contribute to a full pilot’s licence. There are two or three people each year who are good enough to attain their full pilot’s license, completely free, so I’m hoping to be one of them!”

Along with acquiring several hours of non-solo flying time and being promoted to Corporal, Louis’s CV also stood out due to his qualification as an advanced first aider, his gold Duke of Edinburgh Award and his grades eight in Guitar, Bass and Piano. He attends the Air Cadets twice a week with the 400 Squadron at the Chetwynd TA Centre in Oxton.

A potential Medicine student, Louis is on course to achieve A grades in his summer exams and said that his future could go along two paths: “Flying is definitely an option. I could go straight into the RAF after A Levels but I’m thinking of studying Biomedical Sciences at uni and then going into Medicine. I’m looking at Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Cardiff ; Swansea too, but Russell Group universities in general.”  

Louis joined The Sixth Form College having spent a year studying AS Levels at the school he was with at GCSE.

He said: “I just didn’t feel I was helped or supported; I felt quite left out. I looked around at other sixth forms and had heard from a lot of my friends that it was good here. It was the last week of the summer that I took that step and applied. I got one of the last places on the course. Ever since, I’ve felt included, supported and I’ve really enjoyed it. I was quite down last year so being happier inside college has helped with life outside.”

After his personal experience, Louis concluded: “I think it’s really important to have a look at other places and not just the school you’re already at. You can feel that you develop a sense of loyalty to that school if you’ve been there for years before, but that loyalty can be misplaced. It might not be the best option for you and give you what you need for A Level. Don’t be scared of going somewhere else.”