Photo By Senior Airman Albert Morel | Civil Air Patrol cadets, parents, instructors and members of the SFV Südeifel Gliding...... read more read more
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UTSCHEID, Germany – Perched on the side of a hill in the quiet town of Utscheid, Germany, the SFV Südeifel Gliding Club overlooks valleys and farmland stretching toward the Moselle River in one direction and Luxembourg in the other. On Sept. 20, 2025, Civil Air Patrol cadets from Spangdahlem and Ramstein’s Overseas Cadet Squadrons 119 and 126, gathered on the airfield’s grassy slopes to experience flight and expand their understanding of aviation.
Launched in 2022 by Spangdahlem CAP, this initiative was created to provide Civil Air Patrol cadets stationed overseas with access to hands-on aviation experiences. Since its start, the partnership has steadily expanded and now includes cadets from Ramstein, reflecting the growing interest and demand for aviation opportunities.
“Back in the U.S., Civil Air Patrol runs glider schools for cadets, but being overseas can be difficult and costly to attend,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Blaise Bressler, SOCS 119 commander. “This event gave our cadets the same flight opportunities as their peers, while also learning from German pilots who provide a unique perspective on aviation differences at home and abroad.”
Following an in-class brief on the fundamentals of flight, the cadets walked through every step required to get airborne, from preflight inspections to launch procedures. All under the guidance of Gliding Club members with decades of experience.
“I started gliding in 1983, and I remember having to ride my bike up the hill to the airfield,” said Jörg Eppers, SFV Südeifel Gliding Club vice president. “After all these years, my favorite part of this event is seeing everyone arrive and watching how interested the cadets are in our hobby.”
Using a 400-horsepower winch located on one end of the airfield, gliders are accelerated to about 100 kilometers per hour, climbing at roughly a 45-degree angle, to reach 1,000 feet in just seconds. After seeing this for the first time, many cadets expressed feeling both excited yet nervous as they prepared themselves for the launches.
“The first time I did a glider event, it really opened my eyes to how cool aviation is,” said Civil Air Patrol Cadet Senior Airman Yalena Dungca. “I was scared at first because of how high the gliders were going, but once I got in the air and had a chance to take it all in, I wanted to keep flying.”
Even with the gap in aviation opportunities overseas, Spangdahlem CAP cadets get to experience a closer look at what the Air Force has to offer.
“Here at Spangdahlem, being tied to the 52nd Fighter Wing, we give cadets a closer look at the Air Force than many squadrons back home,” said Bressler. “From flying in KC-135s to immersions with defenders and ammunition troops, these experiences help inspire the next generation of leaders.”
This year's event concluded with the cadets presenting the gliding club a U.S. flag flown in a U-2 aircraft as a gesture recognizing the club’s continued support of the CAP aviation program.
“I hope this event continues for years to come and that our partnership as neighbors grows stronger,” said Eppers. “Most of all, I hope the cadets leave with good memories of this experience and our sport.”
For many of the cadets, the experience of soaring silently above the village of Utscheid proved to be more than an introduction to aviation; the event taught cadets the importance of teamwork and partnership. With every takeoff they weren't just passengers but the next generation of aviation enthusiasts.
| Date Taken: | 09.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.30.2025 05:05 |
| Story ID: | 549645 |
| Location: | RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Inspiring Tomorrow's Aviators, by SrA Albert Morel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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