A Kidderminster student has been extremely lucky to be selected to learn how to fly and is now working towards her next flying opportunity.
Holy Trinity School student and RAF Cadet at 888 squadron, 13-year-old Rosalie-Grace Parsons has always wanted to be a cadet for as long as she could remember, following in as her grandfather, uncle, and father’s footsteps.
Said Rosalie-Grace: “I suppose you could say it’s in my blood. Particularly after my grandfather died, as I wanted to make him proud.
“This was my very first flight, from RAF Cosford. I was nervous but incredibly excited all at the same time. We were given the option to do a loop the loop aerobatics manoeuvre which meant that I would not be permitted to handle the controls, so I asked instead if I might have more of a hands-on experience and took the controls, under the supervision of my instructor, and flew independently over Cosford and Ironbridge. I could see the Malvern hills and Kidderminster from the air.
“My nervousness simply evaporated; it was just so beautiful. I was in the air for 30-45 minutes and it proved to be one of the most remarkable experiences of my life to date and something which I will never forget.”
A new Cadet, she became a first-class cadet in October 2023, and following her flight experience has earned her blue wings and is eager to train further and attain more flying opportunities. Having never flown before, not even on a holiday, Rosalie-Grace said she committed every moment to memory and didn’t stop smiling throughout the flight!
She added: “I felt euphoric to be honest. It was like a dream come true and I can still recall everything, from the sensation of taking off, the weight of the plane through the controls to the heat from the fields below affecting the smoothness of the flight. It was all utterly wonderful.
“I want to do well and make my family, my squadron, my school and teachers proud of me. This has meant a lot to me and it’s now pushing me on to achieve more.”
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