Commanders Message
Welcome to the website for Group 8 of the California Wing of your Civil Air Patrol. We are comprised of six squadrons and serve both the San Diego and Imperial counties. Our six squadrons located in San Diego County, California, in Group 8 of the California Wing of Civil Air Patrol. Our mission is to serve the community in all three of the core Civil Air Patrol programs: Aerospace Education, the Cadet Program, and Emergency Services. To learn more about our programs, please click here. To join CAP click here to start.
Group 8 has two Senior squadrons, serving El Cajon from the Gillespie Airport and Fallbrook based at the Fallbrook Airpark. A senior squadron is open only to senior (adult) members, requiring a minimum age of 18 years old. There are three squadrons for cadets serving Chula Vista, Kearney Mesa and Escondido. Young people from the age of 11 to 21 years old learn leadership, aerospace and emergency services in our cadet squadrons. A cadet squadron is primarily for cadet members, but it must have three senior members. In Carlsbad at the Palomar Airport we have a composite squadron, composed of both senior and cadet members.
We are volunteers for the Air Force. Costs associated with volunteering include $82 for annual dues to National headquarters. The standard uniform for our Senior squadron meetings is grey slacks and a CAP blue polo shirt. As flight crew, we have the option to purchase official Air Force flight suits. After your third meeting we can begin the application process.
Our missions involve hiking and first aid for ground teams. Radio communications are another area of training. For our search and rescue activities we perform photo reconnaissance and disaster relief. Most of our flight profiles call for flights at 1000ft and mountain terrain. It is challenging and rewarding. There are support positions as well, encompassing administration, communication, airborne photography and ground team coordination.
Currently we have a Cessna 206U with G500/G430, a Cessna 172S G1000 Nxi and a C182T G1000. We're always happy to meet prospective new members at our squadron meetings. All meetings are open to the public.
In service to the community,
Maj. Mark Nicholson
