The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. The ATC is largely composed of individual units known as squadrons. These squadrons are organised into several different wings, which in turn are organised into six different regions. Together the regions make up the corps.
Headquarters air cadets (HQAC) is located at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Lincolnshire and headed by Commandant Air Cadets Air Commodore Allen Lewis.
Founder squadrons and detached flights The first 50 squadrons formed have their squadron numbers followed by an F to show they are "founder" squadrons (e.g. No 2F(Watford) Squadron). Only 29 are still in existence, as the other 21 have disbanded over time. Founder squadrons that have reformed after being disbanded do not retain the F status, such as XIX (19) Crawley .
In towns not large enough to sustain a squadron of 30 cadets, or as a supplement to an existing squadron in a larger town or city, a detached flight may be formed. This operates much like any other unit, but is technically a component part of a nearby larger squadron. There are currently approximately 48 detached flights, denoted by the letters "DF" after a squadron number.
Central & east region Region HQ RAF Wyton
Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire wing
Wing HQ RAF Wyton
Previous 2523 (Linton) (DISBANDED)
Hertfordshire wing Wing HQ RAF Halton
Norfolk & Suffolk wing Wing HQ Norwich
South & East Midlands wing Wing HQ RAF Wittering
Trent Wing Wing HQ RAF Digby
Essex wing Wing HQ RFCA Chelmsford
London & South East region
Region HQ RAF Northolt
Kent wing Wing HQ Maidstone
London wing Wing HQ (shared London, Middlesex, Surrey WHQ)
Middlesex wing Wing HQ RAF Northolt
Surrey wing Wing HQ (merged WHQ with London & Middlesex)
Sussex wing Wing HQ Eastbourne
North region
Region HQ RAF Leeming
Central & East Yorkshire wing Wing HQ RAF Leeming
Cumbria & Lancashire wing Formerly Cumbria and North Lancashire wing, merged with East Lancashire wing in 2011 Wing HQ Inskip
Durham & Northumberland wing Wing HQ Knightsbridge, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne
Greater Manchester wing Wing HQ 247 (Ashton-Under-Lyne)
Merseyside wing Wing HQ RAF Woodvale
South & West Yorkshire wing Wing HQ Castleford
South West region
Region HQ Devizes
Bristol & Gloucestershire wing Wing HQ RAF Quedgeley
Devon & Somerset wing Wing HQ Wyvern Barracks
Dorset & Wiltshire wing Wing HQ MoD Boscombe Down
2506 (Corsham) formerly 1304DF (Rudloe Manor)
Hampshire & Isle of Wight wing Wing HQ Newburgh House, Winchester
Plymouth & Cornwall wing Wing HQ RAF St Mawgan
Thames Valley wing Wing HQ Edward Brooks Barracks
Wales & West region
Region HQ RAF Cosford
Staffordshire wing Wing HQ RAF Cosford
West Mercian wing Wing HQ RAF Cosford
Number 1 Welsh wing Wing HQ Maindy Barracks, Cardiff
Number 2 Welsh wing Wing HQ Queensferry TA Centre
Number 3 Welsh wing Wing HQ Ty Ifor Morgan, Park Road, Gorseinon, Swansea
Warwickshire & Birmingham wing Wing HQ Coventry (Army Reserve Centre Canley)
Scotland & Northern Ireland region
Region HQ Leuchars Station
With effect from the 1st of February 2021, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be restructured and encompass the following Wings;
North Scotland wing (merger of Highland and North East Scotland wings) Central Scotland wing (merger of select units from North East and South East Scotland wings) South East Scotland wing (with modified footprint) West Scotland wing (with modified footprint) Northern Ireland wing (no change)
North Scotland wing Wing HQ RAF Lossiemouth
Central Scotland wing Wing HQ Leuchars Station
South East Scotland wing Wing HQ Redford Barracks, Edinburgh
West Scotland wing Wing HQ Paisley Cadet Centre
Northern Ireland wing Wing HQ Aldergrove Flying Station
See also List of squadrons in the New Zealand ATC
References
External links
Air Cadets - Find a squadron Air Cadets (ATC) Squadron Finder - a searchable list of all ATC Squadrons by location and postcode providing Squadron and Wing contact details