Civil Air Patrol North Dakota Wing

01/09/2026

There's more to Civil Air Patrol than flying airplanes.

Aviation may be at the heart of what we do, but our volunteers and cadets put those skills to work in all kinds of ways.

✈️ We fly. Cadets get hands-on aviation experiences through programs like Cadet Orientation Flights, while volunteer pilots help prepare the next generation to take to the skies.

🚁 We search. Our emergency services teams use aircraft, drones, electronic search equipment and ground teams to help find people and provide critical information during missions.

🧑‍🔬 We teach. Our volunteers bring hands-on aerospace and STEM activities into schools and communities, helping students discover what they can build, create and accomplish.

And that's only part of the story. Civil Air Patrol also develops leaders, supports communities and gives volunteers of all ages a chance to serve.

Over the weeks ahead, communities across North Dakota will have opportunities to find out more about Civil Air Patrol. Whether you're interested in joining as a cadet, volunteering as an adult or simply curious about what we do, there's a place for you.

Check our Events tab to find an upcoming Open House or regular squadron meeting.

Click through the photos to learn more about each of these Civil Air Patrol activities.

25/08/2026

What does it take to train search and rescue teams?

We'll start answering that question this week.
The reality is that no search is exactly like another, so Civil Air Patrol trains multiple teams with different skills that can work together when someone needs to be found.

Flight crews learn techniques to scan the ground for evidence of crashes or other signals. Equipment operators become proficient with electronic search equipment, while pilots practice precise search patterns designed to maximize the area their crews can cover.

But not everything can be seen from an aircraft.

Ground teams are an essential part of a complete search. Members learn to operate independently in the field, navigate with a map and compass, mark locations of interest and use electronic direction-finding equipment to locate aircraft equipped with emergency locator beacons.

Drone teams bring another perspective. Crewed aircraft provide a broad view from above while maintaining a safe operating altitude. Small unmanned aircraft can get much closer to the surface, helping crews examine difficult terrain and areas where a different perspective can make all the difference.

And then there's the challenge of making all those teams work together.

Aircraft and ground teams don't simply pick up their normal radios and start talking. CAP crews train with additional communications equipment that allows air and ground teams to share information in real time. That's where all those individual skills become a coordinated search effort.

It takes pilots, aircrew, ground teams, drone operators, communications specialists and support personnel working toward the same goal: finding the person who needs help.

Believe in serving your community and being ready to save lives?

Send us a message, visit GoCivilAirPatrol.com/JoinCAP, or visit one of our upcoming Open House events. Check the Events tab to find the one closest to you.

Sharpening skills. Cadet Gulbranson receives an urban direction-finding lesson from a CAP instructor in Minot in October 2022. The handheld receiver is a crucial tool for ground teams searching for aircraft equipped with emergency locator beacons. (Civil Air Patrol photo by Maj. Jeffrey Slocum.)

21/08/2026

Ready to learn more about CAP Cadet Orientation Flights? Civil Air Patrol recently shared this great overview of one of the most exciting opportunities available to our cadets. Check it out!

20/08/2026

We've enjoyed taking in all the aviation experiences today for ! ✈️

We're blessed to live in a state with great aviation supporters — from the Dakota Territory Air Museum and Fargo Air Museum, to University of North Dakota's great School of Aerospace Sciences, and the FBOs and flight schools serving communities across North Dakota.

With back-to-school season in full swing, school districts are especially on our minds. It's great to see so many North Dakota high schools offering aviation through CTE programs and Workforce Academies.

Does your school have an aviation program? Let us know — we'd love to hear your story! ✈️

From first flights to lifelong careers in aviation, inspiration often begins with a single look toward the sky.

This National Aviation Day, Civil Air Patrol celebrates the pilots, aircrews, educators, mentors, and cadets who keep the legacy of aviation moving forward.

Here's to chasing horizons, finding new perspectives, and taking to the skies. ✈️

18/08/2026

Ever wondered what it's like to fly an airplane?

Cadets in Civil Air Patrol don't just learn about aviation in a classroom—they get to take the controls.

Through the Cadet Orientation Flight program, cadets can receive five flights in a CAP aircraft at no additional charge. During each flight, cadets learn basic aerodynamic principles while actually flying the aircraft under the instruction of a qualified CAP pilot. The pilot remains responsible for the aircraft throughout the flight.

For many cadets, it's their first time seeing their community from the air. For some, it becomes the beginning of a lifelong passion for aviation.

Have a passion for flying and love to teach? We're always looking for pilots to give more cadets the opportunity to take to the skies. A pilot certificate is required, but you don't have to be a flight instructor to become a qualified Cadet Orientation Pilot.

Ready to take off on an adventure as a CAP cadet—or volunteer as a Cadet Orientation Pilot?

Check our Events tab to find the nearest Open House or squadron meeting, or send us a message to learn more.

12/08/2026

Shaping futures while serving the community.

Promoting aviation and aerospace education has been part of Civil Air Patrol's mission from the beginning. Today, Aerospace Education gives volunteers of all ages opportunities to explore everything from rocketry and engineering to cybersecurity.

Cadets participate in a wide range of hands-on activities, including rocketry and engineering projects, and can even compete in CyberPatriot, putting their skills to work protecting network infrastructure from cyber threats.

But teaching is one of the best ways to learn—and that's where CAP's STEM outreach programs make an impact beyond our own membership.

Educator members, including classroom and homeschool teachers, can access a variety of hands-on STEM kits designed for different age groups. CAP volunteers can then bring those activities into classrooms and community settings too, helping students discover that science, technology, engineering and mathematics aren't just subjects in a textbook—they're skills they can use to build their future.

Pictured below, cadets and adult volunteers spent a morning sharing the Strawbees geometry kit with second graders at Minot Public Schools' Bel Air Elementary School last February.

Have a passion for teaching, aviation or STEM? We'd love to find ways to partner with you to give the next generation a bright future.

Stop by one of our upcoming Open Houses or visit a weekly squadron meeting to learn more.

(Civil Air Patrol photo by Robyn Stoner)

10/08/2026

OPEN HOUSES | MEETINGS

Looking for a Civil Air Patrol squadron near you?

We have four Open House events and three squadrons to visit on regular meetings coming up across North Dakota. Whether you're interested in the cadet program, aviation, emergency services, STEM or volunteering, we'd love to meet you.

Save this post for the date and location nearest you, and check the Events tab for more details about each location.

05/08/2026

Who is Civil Air Patrol, and what do we do?

That's the question we'll be answering over the next few weeks as we count down to Open House events happening across North Dakota.

Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, with volunteers serving communities across the state. Our members conduct search and rescue missions, capture aerial imagery to support disaster response, develop the next generation of leaders through our cadet program, and inspire an interest in aviation and STEM.

Our volunteers fly light aircraft equipped with advanced digital cameras and infrared imaging systems, operate drones, track emergency locator beacons from the air and ground, and serve on ground search teams. Every mission is made possible by dedicated volunteers.

Whether you're 12 and looking for adventure through our cadet program or an adult interested in flying, emergency services, mentoring youth or serving your community, there's a place for you.

With squadrons in seven communities across North Dakota, there's likely an Open House near you. Check our Events page to find the one closest to you—we'd love to meet you.

Ready to respond. A North Dakota National Guard helicopter departs Devils Lake Regional Airport to support Civil Air Patrol cadet orientation flights while a CAP aircraft taxis for another cadet orientation flight. Partnerships like these help provide unique opportunities for cadets while strengthening our state's emergency response capabilities. (Civil Air Patrol photo by Tech. Flight Officer Myka Unruh)

04/08/2026

National night out.

Stop by and check out Civil Air Patrol at Oak Park in Minot or connect with us for more information.

Thank you for setting up a great evening, Minot Police Department Trinity HealthBrady Martz & Associates PCTarget Northern Bottling Co, SRT Communications and Minot Park District

29/07/2026

High-flying cadets!

On behalf of the Civil Air Patrol North Dakota and South Dakota Encampment Team, parents and cadets, we'd like to extend our thanks to our partners at the North Dakota National Guard for another successful summer encampment at Camp Grafton.

Cadets arrived the weekend of July 19 to learn basic and advanced leadership skills through the guidance of experienced CAP cadets and adult volunteers. For many cadets, one of the highlights of the week was an orientation flight in a Black Hawk helicopter—a first-of-a-lifetime experience that brought plenty of smiles.

Thank you to the North Dakota National Guard for being such a great partner in promoting aviation and giving our cadets an experience they'll remember for years to come!