Col. Brent Mizell, USAF delivers the keynote address to the cadets. Photos by Maj. Larry Stewart, Public Information Officer, Tennessee Civil Air Patrol
Photo: Cadet Myers receives instruction from Lt. Col. Dave Serafin, prior to his first flight.
During the third week of July, sixteen cadets and two dozen senior staff of the Tennessee Civil Air Patrol (CAP) from nine southeastern states converged upon Tullahoma for the Civil Air Patrol’s annual Southeast Region Glider Academy. The academy headquarters was housed within the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, where cadets received briefings and instruction each day during the event. The flight portion of the academy was housed and supported by the Tullahoma Regional Airport. The museum and the airport have generously offered their facilities to the Civil Air Patrol for several years for this and other aviation-related events.
Each year, the Civil Air Patrol hosts several flight academies, six of which are focused on flying gliders. Out of 350 applicants, only sixteen cadets were chosen for this prestigious academy held in Tullahoma. In preparation, cadets are required to submit proof they have completed CAP’s stringent training on how to work as part of a ground team, also called Wing Runner Training, to support various needs of flight operations. Academy Activity Director Lt. Col. Ron Adams said, “Being accepted to participate in one of these flight academies is an honor, and CAP utilizes these academies as one of many ways to fulfill their congressionally mandated purpose, to provide aerospace education.”
Instructors taught the aerodynamics of glider flight and safety protocols at the museum, where cadets practiced with glider flight simulators in preparation for live flights during the week. Cadets split into two groups; one remained in the classroom for further instruction, focusing on stall recognition and recovery techniques, as well as additional simulator time, while the other half headed to the Tullahoma Regional Airport, where they experienced their first glider flights. Working in teams of two, cadets (referred to as Wingmen) were assigned to a glider and a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor). They switched roles between flights to ensure everyone had a turn both in the cockpit and as part of the ground crew.
At Tullahoma Regional Airport, under the leadership of Airport Manager Jon Glass, the airport is available to multiple types of aviation interests (skydivers, glider pilots, recreational pilots, commercial aircraft, and helicopters), and the airport is a thriving asset to the growing town of Tullahoma. “We’ve hosted this event for nearly ten years and we’re proud to be a part of this amazing program with the Civil Air Patrol and the Beechcraft Museum,” said Glass. “There were ten cadets that earned their solo flight wings this year and several others that earned pre-solo wings. With a shortage of pilots in the aviation industry, we’re happy to see these young cadets start their journey to refill the aviator ranks.”
AEDC also supported the event, with base commander Colonel Grant Mizell delivering the keynote address at the academy closing banquet. Colonel Mizell is an accomplished pilot with over 3,200 hours as an instructor, evaluator, and test pilot, having flown more than fifty types of aircraft. His keynote address focused on personal anecdotes from his flight experience and lessons on balancing efficiency with resilience.
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
To learn more about the CAP program in the Tullahoma area, can visit the Tullahoma Composite Squadron Facebook page at facebook.com/TullahomaCAP/. You can also find squadrons in other areas by visiting www.gocivilairpatrol.com/.
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