417 (City of Bayside) Squadron

417 (City of Bayside) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets Information for Prospective Parents & Recruits

Our 2026 intake is now open! Please submit an application through the link on this page for online applications! Please note, space will fill up fast and we will only be taking applications through the EOI page provided here.

Space will fill fast. Please ensure it is the cadet applicant submitting the details for the application, there is additional sections for that of the Next of Kin where suitable. Please ensure a personal email for the cadet is provided, there is additional space for next of kin contact emails. Please ensure no school emails (or icloud) are used as they will often reject or cause issues with .gov or .defence emails. It is important that the relevant emergency contact number for the applicant and next of kin are used and not copied from one to another, as this may jeopardise any needed emergency contact.

Once you submit an initial application, you'll first be prompted for an email verification, then hear back within a week from us as to the status of your application, and/or accepted to add additional information. Please be prompt for any details getting entered, delays to working through your application may result in an applicant being put back on the waitlist or denied for the intake.

Please note: AAFC staff processing applications are volunteers and may take a few days to action any needed items. We do ask for patience during this busy time.

Once an online application is received and in processing, you’ll hear back for opportunities for open days later on in the year. These will only be available to those applicants who have entered an EOI as there are security requirements for the unit in place. Final rounds of selection & acceptance will take place after that.

If space is not available a limited waitlist will be provided, however this relies on current applicants dropping off and no assurance is made for this intake or future intakes. Other cadet units in the area might be a better option to explore.

417SQN Continues to take adult staff volunteer applications at any time.

417 (City of Bayside) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets History & Formation

No. 17 Squadron - Air Training Corps, was originally raised in Caulfield on the 22nd of July, 1942 during the Second World War. What would become the Squadron of today was formed as No 17 Flight in July 1956, originally a Town Flight at Caulfield. It relocated later to a new premise 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 form 3/17 Flight, until No 3 Flight was re-raised at Dandenong in 1978.

On the 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 Noel 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 alignment with RAAF traditions, Squadron have acquired Banners as a means of fostering esprit de corps. The Motto of the 417 Squadron Banner read "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 continued to further develop its future aims and goals with an updated motto "praesume volare altior" which translated from Latin means 'dare to fly higher'.