417 (City of Bayside) Squadron - Australian Air Force Cadets

417 (City of Bayside)Squadron is located in the heart of the Bayside and Inner South-East Metropolitan region of Melbourne. It is part of Australia's leading youth organisation, which provides individuals valuable life skills and will help develop qualities including leadership, self reliance, confidence, teamwork and communication.

At 417 we have open recruiting session at the beginning of every school semester. Keep an eye out for open days that are held during these periods also.

Some activities undertaken by the AAFC include flying, fieldcraft, adventure training, firearms safety training, drill and ceremonial, service knowledge, aeromodelling, navigation and gliding. Our fundamental aim is to foster qualities that will enable cadets to become responsible young adults, who will make a valuable contribution to the community. No matter what career you choose, the AAFC provides a foundation of knowledge and skills that will assist you towards your future.

History of 417 (City of Bayside) Squadron

17 Flight - Air Training Corps was formed in July 1956, originally a Town Flight at Caulfield. It relocated later to a new premises built for it at Noel Street, Brighton, adjoining the Army Drill Hall, sharing, when necessary some of the Army's facilities. No 3 Flight was amalgamated briefly in mid-1970's to form3/17 Flight, until No 3 Flight was re-raised at Dandenong in 1978.

On 17th December 1984, No 17 Flight was presented by Brighton Council with a Flag of the City of Brighton and a Scroll of Honour, conferring on it the title 'City of Brighton.' When The City of Brighton amalgamated with boarding cities (Sandringham, Mordialloc and Moorabbin) on 14th December 1994 to form Bayside City Council, the name was transferred, providing the title: 17 (City of Bayside) Flight. The Squadron was relocated to Labuan Barracks at Sandringham in November 2000 after the ADF sold the original Noal Street Premises.

On 1st July 2001 changes were made to better reflect the Air Training Corps relationship with its parent Service, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). This meant that the Flight was renamed to 417 (City of Bayside) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets, which remains the official title today.

In staying with the RAAF traditions all Squadron have recently acquired Banners as a means of fostering esprit de corps. The Motto on the 417 Squadron Banner reads "Ex Nihilo Nihil." In Latin the phrase "from nothing comes nothing" represents the Squadrons ability to create greatness from any situation or individual. The Squadron Crest contains the Bayside City Council Shell logo overlaid by a seagull representing the Sandringham location and the Squadrons proximity to the beach.

In 2010, 417 Squadron continues to further develop it's future aims and goals with an updated motto "praesumo volo altior" which translated from Latin means 'dare to fly higher.'