The Mission of the Air Cadet League of Canada, Ontario Provincial Committee is to provide community resources and funding for the Air Cadet Program, as delivered by the Department of National Defense (DND) in Ontario, for items not provided by the DND or the Government of Canada to support and enable youth to meet the challenges of modern society, through a dynamic, community-based program that is accessible to all young citizens of Ontario.

Flying is a big part of the program available to all cadets but it is very costly. Every community and its financial support for the local Cadet Squadron is different. The Aviation Program provides power tow plane aircraft, and gliders are funded centrally. This costs Ontario approximately $100,000 per year.

In 1941, the Air Cadet League of Canada (ACL) entered an agreement with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to jointly fund Air Cadets across Canada. That agreement is now contained in an updated Memorandum of Understanding. As a condition of their Affiliation Agreements with the ACL, Provincial Committees are obligated to fund portions of the agreement that apply to their provincial jurisdictions. A significant part of the agreement is the provision of aircraft to operate the gliding program.

Aircraft are the Tools

In Ontario, the Ontario Provincial Committee (OPC), also known as Air Cadets Ontario, has supplied thirteen power aircraft as tow planes and twenty-eight gliders used to qualify cadets as licensed glider pilots. The aircraft are used at Mountainview, located 9.6 km from CFB Trenton.

To move the aircraft from place to place, fifteen purpose-built trailers have been supplied. All the trailers need maintenance and, in some cases, rebuilding. Maintaining and licensing the trailers and other equipment supplied is part of the ACL obligation. An immediate budget of $50,000 will be required to repair and rebuild as necessary, and $5,000 for maintenance and roadworthiness ongoing.

While day-to-day maintenance and fuel is provided by the CAF, Air Cadets Ontario is obligated to fund engine rebuilds at 2,500 hours (one per year) and maintaining airworthiness and approvals for both power and glider aircraft. The aircraft move from location to location and that cannot always be achieved through flight. The aircraft obligation is estimated to cost $100,000 per operating year.