UK Youth in Aviation Panel

Youth in Aviation: Highlighting the importance of the voluntary organisations involved in aerospace

The Air League convenes the UK Youth in Aviation Panel on which sit representatives from all of the organisations that appear above.  The Youth in Aviation Panel is a valuable forum for these organisations to network, share knowledge, champion best practice and decide upon the common goals and strategy concerning UK Youth in Aviation.

All of the organisations who sit on the Youth in Aviation Panel seek to open the door of opportunity to young people from all walks of life.  They demonstrate that involvement in aviation is not just for the privileged few.  It is thanks to these organisations that there are no financial barriers to experiencing aviation at first hand – and enjoying the benefits that it brings in terms of personal development.

Members of the UK Youth in Aviation Panel

Aerobility www.aerobility.com

One in 20 young people in the UK has a disability and Aerobility are here to represent them, using aviation as a tool to improve their lives. The charity was founded in 1993 to represent the needs of disabled pilots and was called the British Disabled Flying Association (‘BDFA’).

The Scout Association www.scouts.org.uk

The Scout Association provides adventurous activities and personal development opportunities for 400,000 young people aged 6-25. Internationally, we have over 28 million young people enjoying the benefits of Scouting  across 216 countries. Personal development means promoting the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual well-being of the individual, helping them achieve their full potential. In Scouting, we believe that young people develop most when they are ‘learning by doing,’ when they are given responsibility, work in teams, take acceptable risks and think for themselves.

British Gliding Association www.gliding.co.uk

Gliding is a sporting and recreational activity exploring the potential of unpowered flight. Gliding is a challenging, rewarding and accessible sport open to all. There are over 9,000 flying members with a further 25,000 people participating in gliding each year with around 150 newly qualified pilots each year.

Brooklands Museum www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Brooklands Museum is an independent charitable trust, established in 1987, whose aim is to conserve, protect and interpret the unique heritage of the Brooklands site and to use that heritage to inspire and educate future generations.

Fly 2 Help www.fly2help.org

Fly2help is a flying charity dedicated to helping those who have suffered disaster, difficulty or tragedy by allowing them to experience the joy of flying.

GAPAN Young Members www.gapanym.org

The Guild Young Members Group, “GYM” is open to all members of the Guild aged 35 and under. The GYM Committee aim to support and encourage young people involved in piloting, navigation and aviation in general through a number of initiatives.

Heartstone Festival of Flight www.heartstone.co.uk

Heartstone is a UK based non-profit organisation which builds contact, communication and understanding across different nationalities and cultures challenging many forms of prejudice and intolerance. ‘Festival of Flight – Ultimate Skills, Open Spirit’ is a photo documentary exhibition which celebrates the thrill and passion of flight.

Light Aircraft Association www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk

The LAA sponsors flight training through the Armstrong-Isaacs Scholarship, and has recently set up the Light Aircraft Association Educational Trust to help with its extensive programme of Youth Aviation activities.  Every year, through the generosity of LAA members, several hundred youngsters from all over Britain receive free air experience flights in a light aircraft, under the Young Aviators programme, which has now been running for some 12 years.

RAF Air Cadets www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets

The Air Cadet Organisation (ACO) comprises the Air Training Corps (ATC) and the RAF sections of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). Cadets are based at 1156 units throughout the UK and 4 locations overseas. Currently, there are over 45000 cadets supported by over 11000 adult volunteers.

RAF Museum www.rafmuseum.org.uk

The Royal Air Force Museum is a charitable trust which exists to promote the history and traditions of the Royal Air Force; to educate present and future generations about its values and ethos and to encourage young people to understand aviation, science and technology.

Royal Aeronautical Society www.raes.org.uk

The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) is the professional body dedicated to furthering the art and science of aeronautics. The RAeS has 17,000 members – including over 4000 young members – worldwide.

The Royal Aero Club Trust www.royalaeroclubtrust.org

The Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom (RAeC) is the national coordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom and in the guise of The Royal Aero Club Trust, it offers a number of bursaries and grants as part of its Flying for Youth program.