Cadet Staff Sergeant Alex Kornilaki aged 17, completed a parachute jump with the Army Parachuting Association at Netheravon airfield whilst on the Essex Army Cadet Fore Annual Camp.

Alex has been an Army Cadet since she was 13 and during her time has taking part in numerous thrill-seeking adventures such as mountain biking, climbing, shooting and archery and this year took it to the next level, jumping out of an aircraft from 3500ft. Along with her fellow cadets and adult instructors, Alex jumped from a Cessna 208 aircraft with a parachute deploying automatically as she left the aircraft.

Alex said: “We were all sat there nervous but so excited for what we were about to do. It was about 8pm and the sun was setting so I was looking forward to seeing the picturesque views.

“To keep ourselves calm we held onto each other and sang ‘Highway to Hell’ seems a strange choice of song for the situation.

“It was an experience of a lifetime and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I would recommend it to anybody no matter what your fears are, it’s a brilliant thing to overcome and it is something you will never forget.”

The Army Cadets aim to give young people, from all walks of life access to fun, action and adventure. They have 41,000 cadets in more than 1600 locations around the UK, including over 1000 in Essex.

If you’re 13-18 years old and interested in becoming an Army Cadet, or an adult volunteer, visit armycadets.com for more information.