‘Up, Up & Away with the CAP

Local Civil Air Patrol Cadet gets first orientation flight

news@theeveningtimes.com Cadet Noah Taylor 99th Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol got his first orientation flight Saturday at the West Memphis Airport.

Cadets in Civil Air Patrol get orientation rides to introduce them to aviation and think about becoming pilots. Cadets actually get to fly the plane for a better understanding of flight.

The CAP offers scholarships that can give cadets the opportunity to earn their pilot certificate which opens the door to many possibilities in aviation. In addition to Cadet Taylor receiving his first orientation flight, he was promoted to Cadet Airman First Class prior to his flight.

The plane, a Cessna 172, is the newest aircraft to the Arkansas Wing CAP fleet.

It was picked up in Wichita, Kansas and flown to Little Rock two weeks ago. When it landed in West Memphis, it had only 22 hours of flying time.

One of the cadets remarked the plane still “has the new car smell” after getting in it. The cadets who flew in it were the first cadets to