Erik Yaremkewich takes to the sky

Erik Yaremkewich spent his summer in the sky. 

The Squamish Air Cadet completed a basic aviation course at the regional gliding school in Comox on Vancouver Island. The 835 Griffin Squadron member was one of 21 cadets from across British Columbia selected to attend the course. The program provided Yaremkewich with the fundamentals of aviation training by expanding his knowledge through learning, experience and exposure. 

“Like the cadet program itself, this course lays the foundation for so many of the concepts that the cadets will grasp as they move forward in their lives,” Lt.-Col Keith Stewart, Commanding Officer of RGS (Pacific), stated in a press release.

Throughout the course cadets learn radio communication, the principles of flight and propulsion, airmanship, meteorology and air navigation. They are also given the opportunity to tour the Comox Air Traffic Control Tower, 442 Search and Rescue Squadron, and meet with the Wildlife Control Officer to expand their knowledge of aviation as a whole. The course culminates with cadets building model aircraft out of balsa wood and completing the “round the pole” challenge where they must correctly assemble the aircraft in order for it to fly around a pole. 

The summer program was a great experience, Yaremkewich said. 

“If your goal is to become a pilot, this is an awesome course to take,” he said. “It could be the first step towards a career in aviation.”