Four cadets - Danny Dixon (17), Ross Lakhrif (16), Jennifer Nixon (16) and Charlotte Partington (16) - from 1921 (Lewisham) Squadron have taken to the skies over the summer, as they completed gliding scholarships at local airfields.

Each of the cadets was taken through an intensive period of theoretical and practical training, with plenty of time spent at the controls of a state-of-the-art modern glider.

Jennifer Nixon did particularly well, working hard to master the complex course. She was rewarded with a solo flight - in which she took the aircraft for a flight on her own, and was awarded silver wings to show her solo status.

"Charlotte is still part-way through her course so we are hoping for another set of silver wings on the squadron," said the squadron training officer, Plt Off David Preece.

The scholarships were made available through their squadron, at no cost to the cadets, and are just one of the opportunities for the cadets to take up.

"The squadron has not had scholarships for some time," said Flt Lt Caroline Tracey, the squadron's commanding officer, "so to have four within a few weeks is fantastic. It's great for the cadets - who have done really well - and great for the squadron to see them wearing the wings. We hope that these are the first of many."

These four cadets were not the only ones taking to the skies from the squadron - 16 more cadets on the squadron have recently completed their gliding induction courses.

This is a basic course of flights, held over a day, which teaches cadets the basic flying skills needed to be considered for the scholarship.