We are thrilled to share that the Air Cadet Charity has received a generous donation from Lockheed Martin—230 Prepar3D® Academic Licenses, valued at over £10,000! This substantial contribution will greatly enhance the charity’s support for immersive training, education, and the development of Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Cadets.

The software licences were officially presented at the RAF Air Cadets’ National Air & Space Camp Industry Day held at RAF Syerston. Harvey Plant, an engineering graduate and training solutions engineer from Lockheed Martin UK, handed over the licences. Harvey, a former Air Cadet and a qualified private pilot, understands firsthand the value of such resources.

Speaking at the event, Harvey Plant said:

“I am delighted to represent Lockheed Martin today to formally hand over the Prepar3D® simulation software to the Air Cadet Charity to allow them to continue supporting the RAF Air Cadets. I know how important this donation will be to the Charity and the Cadets themselves, due to my own experiences as an Air Cadet, where I was encouraged to immerse myself in as many activities as possible. I passed the Qualified Aerospace Instructors Course (QIAC) in 2014, eventually reaching the rank of Sergeant before leaving to attain my Masters in Aerospace Engineering.”

The donation signifies a strong collaboration between industry and the RAF Air Cadets, furthering opportunities for young people and allowing them to reach their full potential. Wing Commander Martin Hughes, Head of Immersive Technologies at the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, expressed his gratitude, emphasizing the value of simulation technologies in training future aviators:

“We are grateful to Lockheed Martin for making a generous donation to the Air Cadet Charity to enable them to continue supporting the training and progression of some of our most dedicated cadets. Simulation technologies are a wonderful way of putting cadets into a virtual cockpit where they can learn nearly all of the functional elements of an aircraft that they are unlikely to be able to get near to the controls. Seeing industry willing to help in the education and development of our cadets is testament to a spirit of collaboration that will deliver the aviators of the future that industry and our armed forces need.”

A huge thank you to Lockheed Martin for their ongoing support and commitment to nurturing the next generation of aviators!