Westbury's Air Training Corps has appealed for permission to use some open land locally so cadets can learn how to fly model aircraft, after safety concerns meant they are not able to take to the air themselves.

The Corps’ gliders have been grounded until the Military Aviation Authority checks the paperwork of each one and ensures that they are fit to fly, as part of an overhaul of military airworthiness regulation.

So far the cadets have not been given a date for when the work is likely to be completed.

Martin Button, training officer for 68 Squadron in Westbury, said: “We’d like the cadets to learn how aircraft work.

“They take exams on the principles involved in powered flight and we need to find a way of preparing them for this.

“If they build and fly their own aircraft, they will learn lessons about the physics of flying.

“Opportunities for the cadets to fly are very limited after the glider training was postponed, so flying model aircraft would be useful as a training aid.”

Mr Button, of Teale Close, Westbury, said the radio-controlled flying club that would be set up and run by the cadets themselves.

He said: “We need a field that is a reasonable size where the cadets can fly the aircraft safely. Some of models can fly up to 120 miles per hour.”

Mr Button had hoped to use the field around Keevil airfield but was told that the land was not available.

He said: “I would be extremely grateful to anyone who may have an area of land that we could use to fly the aircraft from.”

The squadron HQ is in West End, home to 22 member cadets, aged 13-16, some of whom hope to go on to have a career in the RAF.

If anyone can help, they should contact Mr Button by email: training.68@aircadets.org