A TEENAGER from the Borders is flying high after being named as the best air cadet in the country.

Aaron Dickson from Jedburgh, who is from the 1716 (Roxburgh) Squadron, was honoured with the accolade this week of top male cadet in the Scotland and Northern Ireland Region of the Air Training Corps.

After achieving the highest rank of Cadet Warrant Officer, the 19-year-old from Jedburgh was nominated for the award after his long list of achievements including 140 flying hours, earning his Private Pilots’ Licence and visiting Canada as part of the International Air Cadet Exchange.

After being selected as the top in his region, Aaron travelled to RAF College Cranwell where the top male, female and Combined Cadet Force (RAF) cadets took part in a ‘dragons den’ style questioning in a hope to impress the judges to be named the top in their category.

Despite not winning the Dacre sword, Aaron is still one of the top six male air cadets in the UK, beating off 31,000 other cadets nationally.

Aaron told the Border Telegraph: “I am both humbled and honoured to be nominated for this award. I hope that I can show younger cadets just how many opportunities are out there – all they have to do is apply!”

“I also want to show that hard work and determination do not go unnoticed in the RAF Air Cadets.”

Aaron aims to complete his commercial pilots’ licence and become an airline pilot or apply to the RAF.

He would also like to become a flying instructor and instruct cadets taking part in the Air Cadet Pilot Scholarship to give something back to the organisation.