2402 Burghfield Squadron - Royal Air Force Air Cadets

01/11/2026

Special time for Cadet Forces up and down the country as preparations are made for Rememberence Sunday.

2402 spent Sunday 1st Nov doing uniform prep, and plenty of drill. We are proud of all our new cadets who recently joined us playing their part in preparations and will be wearing their uniform with pride next week.

04/10/2026

What a superbly busy September! We've been so excited to welcome 20 new cadets to 2402.

We've been busy getting them settled in and started on their journey as a cadet, starting with FIRST CLASS.

We've also been working very hard getting theory and ground training completed for Blue WINGS, with Corporal Waters and Cadet Neal achieving theirs.

We are also very fortunate to welcome Cadet Warrant Officer Pond to 2402 and supporting our staff team.

We have 7 new staff members joining the SQN too so its all go go go as we enter October and look ahead for preparations to Rememberence.

21/09/2026

We've been blown away by the September intake with 20 new cadets starting their wonderful journey. We've also been fortunate to find 6 enthusiastic adults to support the squadron and its cadets.

As the new cadets get acclimatised to life in the RAFAC We've wasted no time in getting them going on their FIRST CLASS CADET badge, with history of the Air Cadets, Ranks and roles, as well as a fair amount of Drill.

Next intake March 2027

Congratulations to Cadet Neal and Corporal Waters who were tonight awarded their Blue Wings badge having completed their theoretical, and practical flight training including going flying in a Grob Tutor out of RAF Benson

Thames Valley Wing RAF Air Cadets

15/09/2026

We've loved welcoming our new cadets for our September intake. 19 enthusiastic, bright young people join our ranks.

Very excited to get them into uniform and watching them as they grow into young adults.

If your child is interested in Air Cadets our next intake will be March 2027.

14/09/2026

We are incredibly proud of now Corporal Waters. She has shown incredible attitude, leadership and teamwork.

We look forward to watching Corporal Waters cadet career blossom.

So very well deserved.

08/09/2026

WE HAVE THE CADETS. NOW WE NEED THE ADULTS WHO CAN HELP THEM THRIVE.

2402 (Burghfield) Squadron has had a fantastic response to our latest intake.

We now have a growing group of young people turning up each week, ready to learn, develop, challenge themselves and take advantage of everything the RAF Air Cadets can offer.

But those opportunities don't happen by themselves.

Behind every flying experience, training night, expedition, camp, qualification and new skill is a team of adult volunteers giving their time to make it possible.

And right now, we need more people to join that team.

We're recruiting ADULT VOLUNTEERS at 2402 (Burghfield) Squadron.

You do not need to have served in the RAF.

You do not need to have been an Air Cadet.

You do not need aviation experience.

You simply need to be someone who wants to make a difference.

Our volunteers help young people develop confidence, leadership, teamwork, resilience and practical skills through activities including aviation, STEM, first aid, fieldcraft, adventurous training, camps, leadership development and much more.

And you don't have to arrive knowing how to teach all of it.

You'll receive training and support, with opportunities to develop your own skills and qualifications along the way.

There are different ways to volunteer, including joining as a Civilian Instructor, with opportunities to explore uniformed roles in the future if that's something that interests you.

Maybe your children are getting older and you have a little more time.

Maybe you've recently moved into the area and want to become part of the community.

Maybe you've built skills through your career or hobbies that you could pass on to the next generation.

Or perhaps you're simply looking for something worthwhile to do with your time.

Whatever your background, we'd like to hear from you.

You don't have to know exactly what role you'd like to take on.

Come and meet us. See what we do. Ask questions. Find out whether it might be for you.

2402 (Burghfield) Squadron
Willink School, Burghfield
Monday evenings, 7pm–9pm

Interested?

Send us a message here on Facebook or email:

[email protected]

You can also find out more about becoming an RAF Air Cadets adult volunteer here:

https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/volunteers1/volunteer-with-the-air-cadets/

We have the young people.

We have the ambition.

Now we need a few more adults prepared to help us give them the opportunities they deserve.

Come and be part of it.

The RAF Air Cadets offer young people exciting opportunities for personal and professional development.

06/09/2026

Tomorrow evening (Monday 7th September) we're incredibly excited to welcome more than 10 new cadets to 2402 (Burghfield) Squadron for our September intake.

But there’s still time to join them!!

If you have a young person who has started Year 8 and is under 17, we'd love to hear from you.

RAF Air Cadets gives young people opportunities, including:

Flying, drone and other aviation experiences
Camps, expeditions and adventure training
Target shooting
Navigation and fieldcraft
Cyber and STEM activities
Radio and communications
Leadership, teamwork and responsibility
New friendships and experiences that build confidence

You don't need to be considering a career in the RAF. Air Cadets is about giving young people experiences, skills and confidence that can benefit them wherever life takes them.

2402 (Burghfield) Squadron
The Willink School, Burghfield
Mondays
7:00pm–9:00pm

Interested?

Message the squadron here on Facebook or email:
[email protected]

WE ALSO NEED ADULT VOLUNTEERS!

If you're aged 20 or over, we'd particularly like to hear from you.

You don't need military experience. You don't need aviation experience. And you don't have to wear a uniform — you can join us as a Civilian Instructor.

We're looking for ordinary people from our local community who could help us:

• Teach and mentor young people
• Run activities and practical challenges
• Help organise trips, camps and events
• Share useful professional or life skills
• Support aviation, STEM, sport, leadership and adventure activities
• Simply provide another capable adult pair of hands to help us give our cadets more opportunities

Volunteering can be fitted around work and family commitments, and you'll receive training and support along the way.

The more adult volunteers we have, the more experiences we can provide for our young people.

If you've ever thought, "I'd quite like to help with something like that", message us.

You might be surprised just how much you get out of it too.

Message us on Facebook
[email protected]

2402 (Burghfield) Squadron — helping young people develop confidence, skills, friendships and a sense of adventure.

27/08/2026

Finally some rain!
So whats going on?

The area of low pressure over Spain on Monday has managed to dislodge the high pressure area in the north Sea. Think:

Low pressure = unstable

Unstable means convective (lifting / rising) and usually wet weather.

Why does rising air create weather? Air holds water vapour. As the air rises it cools. As it cools the air is unable to hold as much water vapour and the water vapour condenses into liquid water. = clouds. When the rising air can no longer support the weight of the water droplets, you get rain.

The biggest point is CB. Cumulonimbus. Latin for a heap (cumulo) rain (nimbus). Otherwise known as thunderstorms. These are hazardous to Aircraft and not because of lightening but because of the huge vertical up and down draughts that come with them.

On the chart the front is an Occluded Front. Where a cold front has caught up with a warm front and lifted it off the surface. Think:

occluded front = messy, and yuk!

Thames Valley Wing RAF Air Cadets Royal Air Force Air Cadets

19/08/2026

SEPTEMBER INTAKE CLOSING SOON ✈️

If your son or daughter is aged 12 (and going into Year 8 ) to 17, the RAF Air Cadets might just be for them.

Our next intake begins on Monday 7th September, when a brand-new group of cadets will join 2402 (Burghfield) Squadron and start their journey together.

Over their first few months, they’ll work towards becoming a FIRST CLASS CADET, learning a mixture of practical skills and theory including:

✈️ Aircraft and aerodrome knowledge
📻 Radio communications
🩹 First aid
🗺️ Map reading and navigation
…and much more.

And First Class is really just the beginning.

Once qualified, cadets can take part in opportunities locally, regionally and nationally, including flying, gliding, camps, watersports, climbing, road marching, shooting, drone flying, cyber activities and many other experiences.

Some will discover a passion for aviation. Others might find they love adventure training, leadership, sport, technology or simply being part of a team.

You don’t need any previous experience — just come along and give it a try.

For parents, the first month is FREE. After that, subscriptions are £10 per month. Uniform is provided on loan, although appropriate footwear needs to be purchased.

The RAF Air Cadets is not a recruiting organisation for the Royal Air Force. We are a youth organisation supported by the RAF, giving young people access to experiences and opportunities that can be difficult to find anywhere else.

Interested in arranging a trial session or joining our September intake?

Message us here on Facebook or email:
[email protected]

📍 Willink School, Burghfield
📅 Mondays
🕖 19:00–21:00

Come down. Meet us. Give it a try.

13/08/2026

!! Did you know an additional 150 kg is pushing on your body today? !!

That's because we're in an area of high atmospheric pressure, with around 9 hectopascals (hPa) more pressure than the International Standard Atmosphere.

But what does that actually mean?

The International Standard Atmosphere at sea level is 1013.25 hPa.

One hectopascal is 100 pascals, and one pascal is one newton of force acting over one square metre.

An average adult person has a body surface area of roughly 1.7 m², so:

1 hPa × 1.7 m² = 170 N of force

That's equivalent to the weight of about 17 kg.

So an extra 9 hPa gives:

9 × 17 kg ≈ 153 kg

In other words, compared with a standard atmosphere, today's higher pressure represents roughly 150 kg-worth of additional force distributed across your body.

But don't worry — you won't feel 150 kg sitting on you! Atmospheric pressure acts from all directions, while the pressure within your body pushes back and keeps things balanced.

So enjoy the high pressure and sunshine — and don't forget your sun cream! ☀️