// CanTeen’s Fly
Six members of the CanTeen Manawatu branch visited Pilot Training Squadron and No 3 Squadron on 12 November. It was a reward for the hard work they put in during CanTeen’s annual fundraising appeal “Bandana Challenge”, and the work they have done as committee members for the branch.
Caitlin Kilpin
CanTeen is an organisation that caters for 13- to 25-year-old cancer patients and their siblings, and is run by the members with guidance from a member liaison.
CanTeen is a place where members can get support from others through shared experiences, and gives them a place where they can talk openly about their cancer with others so that they don’t feel alone in what is happening to them.
Caitlin Kilpin and Craig Trodd were lucky enough to go for a flight in an Air Trainer and do some aerobatics, as well as actually flying the aircraft themselves. Both landed with huge smiles on their faces and it is an experience that they won’t forget for a long time. After the flight, the group was shown around the Pilot Training School hangar, the historic aircraft, and then to No 3 Squadron where they were shown the Iroquois and Sioux helicopters.
Big thank yous go to Squadron Leader Pete Richardson, Lieutenant John Stanton, Pilot Officer Phil Johnson, Sergeant Karen Peacock, Corporal Scott Ackroyd, and Leading Aircraftsmen Dwah Wanoa and Josh Sunnex for the flight and tours of their respective Squadrons, and Squadron Leader Anthony Budd for doing the work to get the flights to happen. CanTeen’s experience of the Royal New Zealand Air Force was one that will be long remembered.