Welcome to 2499

Captain Tom Pearce-Carr - Chief Aviation Instructor

Captain Tom Pearce-Carr was a CCF cadet from 1956 to 1961 reaching the rank of Sergeant. He attended three Annual Camps and flew in Varsities, Lincolns Shackletons and Hunters. In 1961 he was awarded an RAF Flying Scholarship, flying DHC1 Chipmunks at Exeter.

Following the Flying Scholarship he spent two years as a Cadet at the College of Air Training at Hamble flying Chipmunk and Piper Apache aircraft. He joined British European Airways in 1965 as Second officer Flying Vickers Vanguards, converted to BAC 1-11 in 1971 and became a Captain with British Airways in 1975. He then converted to the Boeing 747 in 1982, retired from BA in 1996 and became Chief Pilot of Air Foyle Passenger Airlines flying Boeing 737's in UK, Belgium and Norway. Looking for a change to short-haul, Tom then flew 737's for Easyjet from Luton and Gatwick.

Tom joined 2499 Squadron as a Civilian Instructor in 2001 specialising in teaching Air and Pilot Navigation. He also taught boat handling skills during the summer on the River Thames and was the Squadron Health and Safety Officer.

Tom sadly passed away in 2012 after a long battle with cancer.

Ranks

Everyone in the ATC (and the RAF) can be identified by the badges of rank that they wear. This list of basic adult and cadet ranks will help you identify them. The list starts with adults (instructors and senior staff) followed by cadet ranks, with the most senior in each group at the top.

At the bottom is a list of the cadet classifications. These show how much training a cadet has done.

Officer ranks

Wing Commander

Squadron Leader

Flight Lieutenant

Flying Officer

Pilot Officer

Non-commissioned Officer ranks

Warrant Officer

Flight Sergeant

Sergeant

Cadet Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) ranks

Cadet Warrant Officer

Cadet Flight Sergeant

Cadet Sergeant

Cadet Corporal

Cadet classifications

Master Air Cadet

Senior Cadet

Leading Cadet

First Class Cadet

Second Class Cadet

Junior Cadet

The Squadron Crest

The Squadron's crest borrows from the town crest a Berkshire stag, holding the Bishops crozier which refers to the ownership of most of the town by the Bishop of Salisbury until 1574, when it became a Royal town.

The stag stands over a quartered disk representing the four wards of Wokingham; Emmbrook, Evendons, Norreys and Wescott.

The motto "E Glande Quercus" is also the motto of Wokingham Town and translates as "From the acorn, the oak"