Welcome 525 Pathfinder.
 
Training in-person is an essential part of our program. Training this way allows for leadership exposure for a senior cadet and more hands-on experiences for our junior cadets.
 
As promised the adult staff to have completed and received approval to conduct the in-person training along with our senior cadets helping put together a robust training program for the cadets.
 
Cadets will return to weekly evening training at our LHQ in West Vancouver, this will continue and expand as time goes on. As some or all our training on Monday evenings will be conducted outdoors, please look ahead at the forecasted weather and weather a jacket, gloves and or hats etc. as required to remain dry and warm. Once you arrive, please follow the instruction of the adult staff as inside access is limited.

Masks must be worn inside or outside at all times.
 
Date:   Monday Evenings (Starting 18th Oct)
 
Time:   1800hrs for Level 5 Cadets till 2145hrs
            1830hrs for Level 1-4 Cadets till 2130hrs.
 
Dress: Field Training Uniforms (FTU’s) – if you have not been issued FTU’s yet business casuals   dress. (Remember jackets etc. as required for the weather)
 
Bring:  Water Bottle, Snack, Notebook, Pen, Mask
 
Parents, we will be having our closing parade and announcements outside in the parking lot starting at 2110. We invite you to join/listen in, so you are aware of the upcoming activities / requirements as well.

As a reminder please check out our calendar regularly along with our SLACK communication channels for updates and additional training opportunities. 


Questions to your level officers.

The Cadet Command Team and Adult staff would like to invite everyone to our first meeting of the 2021-2022 training.
 
Our first “night” back will be conducted Virtually on the Zoom platform. Links for the meeting are already available via our SLACK messaging service.
 
Dress: Civilian Attire
Time: 1830 – 2100
Camera: Off – (unless you are speaking)
Mic: Off – (unless you are speaking)
Display Name: Ensure your name is Rank, Last Name, First Name
 
Participants will be given a briefing on the current plans for the upcoming training year and the steps required to return to in-person training. After, they will be broken up in to their training levels prior to dismissal.
 
Returning Cadets
- please contact WO2 Frankowski, T or WO2 Frankowski, G on SLACK if you have any questions.
- If you have any IT difficulties, please reach out to Capt Mok, Z
 
For our new recruits:
- if you have not heard back reference your application, please contact kenny.wu@cadets.gc.ca
- if you are having any technical difficulties or required access to our SLACK messaging service please contact leve1@525pathfinder.com
 
We are looking forward to “seeing” you this Monday.
 
 
Thank You
 
Capt Khan, Z
Commanding Officer
525 Pathfinder RCACS

Ground School is one of the pillars of training required from every potential pilot. 

A significant change in the GPTC/PPTC selection process this year surrounding ground school and the entrance exam has just been announced. 

Candidates will now be required to complete a 45-hour, self-paced, nationally-delivered, online ground school course prior to taking the exam in January (also online). This new course will allow all Air Cadets across Canada to access quality ground school training and even the playing field for candidate selections

Please see the link below for more detailed information along with attached quick FAQ guide for reference.

Those that are eligible and for the GPTC or PPTC must notify the Admin O - OCdt Wu, K via email or SLACK message to enroll in the program NLT 1 October.

As a reminder participating in virtual ground school program is a requirement attend the GPTC or PPTC. Locally we will run review sessions closer to the exam date.

Questions to the Admin O

CANCDTGEN 015/21 - Canada.ca

See the attached letter from the Commanding Officer of the Regional Cadet Support Unit Pacific regarding a change to a COVID restriction for our upcoming training year.

Questions to the Commanding Officer 525
Capt Khan, Zakir
zakir.khan@cadets.gc.ca

Good afternoon,

My name is Capt Khan, Zakir the Commanding Officer of 525 Pathfinder squadron. Attached to this message is a letter for the CO of the Regional Cadet Support Unit Pacific that outlines the public health restrictions that will be enforced at the local cadet level and how it will affect our return to training for this 2021-2022 year.
 
Please take a moment to read his letter to all parents, staff, and cadets before continuing.
 
As you have read, the cadet program is going to take a proactive stance in preventing this excellent youth program becoming a vector for COVID-19 transmission. For example, we will continue using prevention methods such as mask wearing, social distancing along with the added need to confirm vaccine status for our members for any in-door activity.
 
To provide an inclusive program not segregated by a cadets’ vaccine status whilst prioritizing an attempt to normalize our training evenings the decision has been made to move our training program 100% outdoors at our normal LHQ located in West Vancouver. Cadets will be required to dress for the weather, social distance between members and always wear a mask. This benefit of this approach will be that the squadron can once again parade as a single unit and patriciate in our practical and theoretical education that the cadet program stives to deliver.
 
Being completely outdoors on our regular training evenings is a new concept for 525 Pathfinder, the adult staff will closely monitor the effectiveness of the outdoor training and the prevailing weather conditions and will update our training delivery methods as required.
 
As stated in my last communication out to the squadron no matter the situation our local program will strive to deliver an excellent opportunity to develop in youth the attributes of good citizenship, an interest in aviation and the development of the cadet leadership abilities. The health and safety of the future leaders of cadet and their extended families are our utmost concerns, and we hope you understand and embrace and requirements / changes that are required to continue this program in West Vancouver.
 
First, I would like to welcome all of you to our virtual Welcome Back evening on Oct 4th. Zoom virtual links will be distributed through SLACK so please pay attention to the announcement. I will provide an update to the program, be able to answer any questions followed by break out sessions with your training levels. Our first in-person training night back pending the required regional approvals will be October 18th.
 
The resilience of our cadets locally and my adult staff to navigate this pandemic whilst still delivering a very successful program is still one of my greatest moments of my CO tenure here in West Vancouver. I have no doubt that with our walk before we run approach to returning to training will allow us to work on our foundations and bring our squadron back from this footnote in our history better then ever.
 
Thank You

Capt Khan, Z
​zakir.khan@cadets.gc.ca

Good Afternoon,

My name is Zakir Khan, and I am the Commanding Officer of 525 Pathfinder squadron located in West Vancouver.

I hope all our adult staff and cadets had a safe and fun summer break and are excited for the upcoming training year. In this regard I wanted to provide a quick update.

Provincial the decision on if we will be meeting in-person for our weekly training or continuing virtual has not been made and won’t be made till closer to mid-October. Due to this we will be starting our training year in a virtual setting. I know this plan of action will be disheartening to some but provincially the decision to ensure the safety of our cadets and their families is the upmost necessity while we navigate through what is hopefully the later end of this pandemic.

The adult staff, senior cadets and I will strive to be agile and respond quickly to any loosing of restrictions and or resumption of in-person activities. We will also strive to deliver a robust training program for our cadets that is worthy of the youth in West Vancouver.

More information regarding our virtual start is to come out over next week, in the meantime please ensure you begin monitoring our social media, website and SLACK communication channels. There will be a few messages and announcements referencing our year start activities.

I am excited to see what the next training year holds for us as an organization, and I can’t wait to virtually “see” you all on October 4th our first virtual training night.

​Don’t hesitate to reach out to any of the adult staff or myself if you have any questions or concerns.
 
Thank You
 
Capt Khan, Zakir
Zakir.khan@cadets.gc.ca
 
 

Hope all is well.
 
I wanted to just a quick moment to again thank everyone from our wondering parents, Sr. Cadets and Adult Staff that went above and beyond for this training. If you missed our Annual Ceremonial Review please contact the DCO - Capt Mok, Z to be given access to the digital version.

The West Vancouver Air Cadet program is very much alive and will be continue stronger then ever when we return hopefully to in-person training this upcoming training year. We have a specific committee of a Sr. Cadet and Adult Staff member dedicated to telling the community at large that we are still strong and ready to train the future leaders of Canada.

I just wanted to send a reminder to everyone to continue to be checking their SLACK and email notifications through the summer months as any updates reference the upcoming training year or summer training opportunities will be communicated via this method, some inquiries will also require a prompt response so please stay vigilant. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the SSC Chair or myself if you require any assistance.

To help answer any questions that a parent or cadet may have between now and September I will holding office hours on Saturday evenings and can meeting with anyone who has questions or wishes to chat by appointment only, please email the Commanding Officer or send a SLACK message to set up an appointment.

I wish you all the very best for your summer plans, for those who are attending the summer training opportunities good luck, and I know you will make 525 proud.
I will hopefully see you all again in-person in September for our year start registration.

Commanding Officer - Capt Khan, Z

To celebrate and acknowledge the hard work of our cadet over the last training year the squadron will be hosting a virtual Annual Ceremonial Review.
 
Date: 31 May 2021
Time: 1930 hrs
Location: Virtual Zoom (same link used during regular training nights)
Dress: Appropriate Civilian Attire
 
Parents are also welcomed to join us celebrating the squadron accomplishments this training year. Please contact the Squadron Sponsoring Committee for the link for the ACR.
 
Cadets, please log in using the normal link we have used for the training year for our Monday night sessions. Contact your level officers if you have any concerns or questions.
 
We ask everyone to please be signed on for 1920, to ensure a prompt start.
 
Thank you in advance for attending, looking forward to “seeing” you on the 31 May.

​

A reminder that Virtual CTC application are due by midnight 13 May 2021 to OCdt Wu.

Please see the attached letter from the Commanding Officer of the Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific) Lieutenant Commander S. ​Gresmak.

The Canadian Cadet Organization has signed a contract with Microsoft to provide a collaboration platform for the organization which will be called Cadet365. Cadets selected for virtual CTCs will be using the platform over the summer, with the remainder of cadets receiving their accounts for the 2021/2022 training year. 

In order to ensure a seamless roll out of this program at 525, it is imperative that all cadet confirm that they have a personal email address attached to their file FORTRESS. We have received specific direction from national that this email is NOT to be an email for the parents, but a personal email owned by the cadet. Cadet365 accounts are being autogenerated from the information provided in FORTRESS with information being sent directly to the provided email accounts. The officers at 525 are not involved in the process and will be unable to help once the process has begun. All requests for assistance will be managed through a national help desk.

Please note that the information contained in FORTRESS is the information that was submitted parents during the annual validation in September. If you are unsure if you have a personal email address on file in FORTRESS or need to change the email from that of your parents, please contact OCdt Wu before May 31st. If you have a sibling in cadets who you share an email with, you will need to ensure that you have separate emails on file for an account to be created for each one of you.