A Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing Air Cadet has been awarded a residential gliding scholarship offered by the The Honourable Company of Air Pilots.
Cadet Corporal Holly Bicknell of 115 (Peterborough) Squadron, RAF Air Cadets, put herself forward for this exciting opportunity as an extra-curricular activity to the usual cadet experience.
Over 100 applicants applied for the scholarship from which the Honorary Company Members selected their 12 favourite. These 12 were then invited to an interview, with a board of three members at their Headquarters in London on Thursday 1st June. The candidates were quizzed on their hobbies, future career goals, what the award would mean to them and also their technical knowledge of air power and associated subjects.
Holly took her Air Cadet portfolio, four character references and a big smile with her to try and impress them! She told them of her previous gliding experience of which she has ten training hours in a glider already under her belt with Peterborough and Spalding Gliding Club.
She then had an agonising four day wait for an email while the board discussed the applicants with the other members of the Company.
She was over the moon to receive that email telling her she has been awarded the scholarship.
This is a weeks residential course in the middle of August at the London Gliding Club for which she should then become a solo glider pilot.
Holly says, ‘I’m so excited! This is a massive opportunity for me and I intend to make the most of it!’