CADET Toby Dent hopes to forge a career in aviation having earned his Bronze Wings and a top award.
The Year 10 pupil at Dame Allan’s Boys School was named ‘Best Cadet’ among the elite 20 cadets selected from hundreds of 15 to 17-year-olds nationwide who applied to take part in the Royal Navy aviation foundation course.
Toby, who joined the Schools’ Combined Cadet Force (CCF) in Year 9 and is the first at Dame Allan’s to have secured a place on the specialist course, is one of just 12 cadets who will now progress to the Silver Wings programme.
“I have had a love for aviation from a very young age, so I spent a lot of time on my personal statement when applying for this course and felt incredibly lucky to be selected,” said the 15-year-old, from Gosforth, Newcastle.
“I really enjoyed the whole experience and am looking forward to taking part in the Silver Wings course. I’d like a future career in aviation, and thankfully I enjoy both Maths and Physics, which is important if I go down that path!”
The aviation course in Weymouth, Dorset, taught cadets a range of subjects including principles of flight, air engineering, how to navigate a plane, Fleet Air Arm history, meteorology and aviation law.
As part of the six-day programme, Toby spent a day at RNAS (Royal Naval Air Station) Yeovilton, in Somerset, one of the Royal Navy’s principal air bases and one of the busiest military airfields in the UK. There he visited 727 Naval Air Squadron and the Royal Navy Historic Flight charity, Navy Wings.
Toby said: “It was really interesting meeting the Squadron Commander, and the instructors who operate the Grob T1 aircraft, which we will be flying in the next stage of the course.
“It was also great to be given the opportunity to hear from real naval aviators and speak to those at the charity who operate and maintain old Fleet Air Arm aircraft.”
At the end of the course, cadets completed a 120-mark test, in which Toby scored top marks and was named ‘Best Cadet’ at a special awards ceremony.
Dame Allan’s Royal Marine CCF forms part of the Schools’ co-curriculum and offers pupils a broad range of challenging, adventurous and educational activities. Being a cadet supports the development of personal responsibility, leadership and self-discipline.
Contingent Commander and Head of Boys’ School, Phil Wildsmith, said: “Toby is a very dedicated cadet who thoroughly deserved his place on the course, and I was delighted at his success. He has the ability and passion to progress much further and I wish him the very best for the Silver Wings stage of the programme.
“Being a cadet brings with it a wealth of opportunities and the CCF provides a safe place for young people to develop and enjoy themselves, while undertaking challenging activities. In Toby’s case, being a cadet could be the beginning of a great future in aviation.”
Toby’s parents, Ali and Kirsten Dent, are exceptionally proud of his achievement. His father said: “We are really grateful to the CCF for giving him these opportunities.”