We offer a series of training opportunities throughout the year. Opportunities come in the form of parade nights, unit exercises, interunit exercises and specialist activities.
Held on Thursday evenings during school terms, parade nights are when we predominantly deliver our classroom theory training. This training is considered essential and it is expected that cadets attend the majority of parade nights, unless they arrange leave.
Several times a term a ‘range day’ will be held at Aylesbury Range, opposite from Burnham Military Camp.
Cadets will be advised of details as these shoots are coming up. Cadets will get the opportunity to shoot and have coaches available to help improve their shooting.
Unit Exercises
These are held on weekends throughout the year, usually in school terms. Exercises are an opportunity to put theory training into practice in the field. Locations will vary depending on the training being delivered.
Exercise Recruit is a barracks weekend, focused on military-inspired activities and skills. The exercise is considered compulsory for new recruits (Basic I). By the end of the exercise, the recruit intake will be brought up to the same level of foundation knowledge. Other year levels will enjoy firearms training and military familiarisation experiences. Exercise Recruit concludes the recruiting period for the year and is held in mid to late March.
Exercise Kākāpō was launched in 2022. The camp is designed to provide cadets with real aviation experience, with cadets participating in either one-on-one flight training or aerobatics flights. Run every two years, the camp is open to Basic 2 cadets and above
Exercise Ardua is a scenario based test of skills. Through a range of tasks and activities, cadets will be tested across all aspects of the training program. Ardua is usually held at West Melton Army Range in the second half of the year.
Exercise Taiaha is our annual spring bushcraft activity, held at Kidson Lodge in Arthur’s Pass National Park. The location provides excellent access to the Hawdon, Waimakariri and Poulter valleys. Based over Labour Weekend each year, cadets will experience three nights training in the field.
A new activity from 2022 onwards. Held in December each year, Exercise Survivor aims to test survival skills in a format inspired by the format of the famous Survivor TV series.
Interunit Exercises
No 17 (City of Christchurch) Squadron organises a number of exercises that are open to units within the Canterbury Region and further afield.
Exercise Sparrowhawk is a Southern Area Air Cadet skills competition, organised by 17 Squadron, that has been operating since 1986. In recent years Exercise Sparrowhawk has been adopted as the official regional pre-selection competition for National Air Skills. The competition is held in either the October or December school holidays at Burnham Military Camp, Canterbury.
Exercise Takahe is an annual interunit cadet bushcraft activity held in Arthur’s Pass National Park. Exercise Takahe is a Cadet-centred outdoor activity that focuses on training selected Cadets and NCOs in a wide range of bushcraft activities and encouraging their development through adventured based activities. The exercise brings together cadets from a number of Navy, Army and Air Cadet units.
National and Regional Courses
Courses are run during the school holidays, and most are free. All course participants are selected by the Unit Commander.
Spend a week on a military base with other cadets from around the South Island learning the skills you need to be an effective NCO: leadership, drill instruction, public speaking and more.
This document is a guide for the aviation courses, for cadets to read up on the requirements and information about the process. Any questions please ask.
A 10 day course that provides Cadets with power flying/navigation instruction.
Where the opportunity and student experience permits, students
should be given the opportunity to advance to solo flight
A 10 day course that provides Cadets with glider flying experience.
Where the opportunity and student experience permits, students
should be given the opportunity to fly solo.
Go on a 2 week exchange to another country, and tour that country as part of a group of air cadets from all over the world!
A 3 day course that teaches cadets the basics of drone operation and racing.
Specialist Activities
Within the unit there are groups and teams focused on specialist areas of training. These include the Tramping Group and Physical Training (PT) Team.
Equipment for Activities
Equipment for Activities
Some of our activities require specific gear which will be listed on the activity’s information sheet. If you do not have an item that is listed our unit stores has equipment that can be issued out on short term loan for the activity for no cost. Some of the items the unit can loan are:
- Sleeping bags
- Bedrolls
- Tents
- Thermals
- Raincoats
- Packs
- Warm Jerseys
- And more