Overview

The Royal Air Squadron Trophy Competition, also known as the National Ground Training Competition, was created as a way for Royal Air Force sections of the Combined Cadet Force to contest the Air Squadron Trophy.

The trophy has been competed for since 1985, when it was awarded to the "year's outstanding CCF(RAF) Section". Starting in 1998, the winner of the National Ground Training Competition would be awarded the trophy, marking the beginning of the modern format of the competition. The trophy had originally been presented by the Royal Air Squadron as part of the British Aerobatic Association's annual competition, first contested in 1967. The names of some of the inaugural winners are still engraved on the trophy.

RAF Air Command and the Royal Air Force Air Cadets have recognised the annual competition provides "substantial external profile and value", particularly for the competitive spirit, camaraderie, and experience the competition generates amongst cadets.

Competition structure Any CCF(RAF) section that can field a full team of 13 cadets, ideally drawn from a wide range of age groups, is able to take part in the competition. The Training, Evaluation & Support Teams (TEST) Officers & SNCOs, who act as a training and support liaison between CCF contingents and the wider RAF, tailor the "composition and conduct" of the six regional competitions to the local needs of their area, held in Autumn or Spring. The first, second, and third placed teams from each of the six regions qualify for the national finals, held at RAF Cosford in Spring each year. The competition involves a round robin of activities that include:

Space (13 Cadets) Drill and Uniform (13 Cadets) Command Task (13 Cadets) Shooting (4 Cadets) Cyber (5 Cadets) First Aid (4 Cadets)

More than 230 cadets from 18 different CCF sections took part in the national finals in 2016, after the number of teams qualifying for the national round was increased from two to three per region for the first time. Individual event winners at the national finals, such as in Drill or First aid, are usually invited and given direct entry to the national competition of that discipline within the Royal Air Force Air Cadets or the wider UK Military Cadet Forces in the following year.

In 2025, changes were made to the activities on offer, modernising them inline with the RAFAC Astra campaign. Activities such as the RAF Knowledge quiz and Aircraft Recognition activity were replaced and renamed to Space and Cyber respectively.

Requirements for entry Each team has 13 cadets: one team captain at a rank of Cadet Corporal or above, and 12 other cadets. The team should represent a "wide cross-section" of age groups from their RAF Section. The Team Captain manages the team and delivers orders in the Drill competition. An RAFAC Officer should accompany the teams to the competition.

Royal Air Squadron Day

The first, second and third place teams are invited to attend the Royal Air Squadron Day which is usually held in June or July each year at the Shuttleworth Collection, a working aviation, automotive, and agricultural collection at the Old Warden Aerodrome, Bedfordshire. During the day cadets are offered flights in aircraft belonging to the Royal Air Squadron members. Past aircraft have included Tiger Moths, Dragon Rapides, YAKs, Cessnas, and helicopters.

The cadets also attend a formal parade, where the captains of the three teams receive the Geoffrey de Havilland Flying Foundation Medals for CCF Achievement along with the presentation of The Air Squadron Trophy to the first placed team. The Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword is also presented on the day to the best overall cadet in the CCF(RAF), along with Flying Foundation Medals to the six finalists of the interview process.

Results Year 1st place 2nd place 3rd place 1985 Bedford Modern School 1986 George Heriot's School 1987 Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall 1988 Bedford Modern School 1989 Judd School 1990 Birkenhead School 1991 Adams Grammar School 1992 Monmouth School 1993 Birkenhead School 1994 Lancing College 1995 Maidstone Grammar School 1996 Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall 1997 Maidstone Grammar School 1998 Dulwich College Victoria College, Jersey Lancaster Royal Grammar School 1999 Maidstone Grammar School Dulwich College Bedford Grammar School 2000 Maidstone Grammar School 2001 The King's School, Grantham 2002 The King's School, Grantham 2003 Victoria College 2004 Maidstone Grammar School 2005 Hampton School 2006 Maidstone Grammar School 2007 The King's School, Grantham Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe 2008 Maidstone Grammar School The King's School, Grantham King Edward's School, Birmingham 2009 Maidstone Grammar School Monmouth School King Edward's School, Birmingham 2010 Maidstone Grammar School The Judd School The King's School, Grantham 2011 The King's School, Grantham Victoria College, Jersey Wilson's School 2012 Dulwich College The King's School, Grantham Maidstone Grammar School 2013 Dulwich College Maidstone Grammar School Kimbolton School2014Kimbolton SchoolDulwich CollegeWilson's School2015Kimbolton SchoolDulwich CollegeThe King's School, Worcester2016Dulwich CollegeWilson's SchoolKimbolton School2017Wilson's SchoolDulwich CollegeKimbolton School2018Kimbolton SchoolWilson's SchoolLoughborough Grammar School2019Wilson's SchoolKimbolton SchoolDulwich College2020Dulwich CollegeGeorge Heriot's SchoolVictoria College, Jersey2021 Not Contested (COVID-19 pandemic)2022Wilson's SchoolGeorge Heriot's SchoolDulwich College2023George Heriot’s SchoolLoughborough Grammar SchoolDulwich College2024Loughborough Grammar SchoolGeorge Heriot’s SchoolDulwich College2025Loughborough Grammar SchoolMerchant Taylors' School, CrosbyGeorge Heriot's School2026Loughborough Grammar SchoolThe King's School, WorcesterReading School

See also Combined Cadet Force Royal Air Force Air Cadets Royal Air Squadron

References

External links Air Squadron Official website Air Cadets Official website