Kody, who lives on a dairy farm at Ngaere with his parents and siblings, says if he succeeds he will be the first pilot in his family.
Kody says he would recommend joining the ATC for anyone wanting a career in flying.
However, unit commander Julie Woods says you don't necessarily need to have your eye on a career in the military, nor have any prior training or specific skills to become a member of the ATC.
All you need, she says, is the desire to try something different.
The ATC is the biggest youth organisation in New Zealand and provides a structured three-year training programme.
This includes firearms training, drill, bushcraft, aviation and leadership. There are currently eight cadets at Stratford, having gained five new recruits following a Stratford Press advertisement a couple of weeks ago.
Julie has been involved with the ATC for 17 years and been running the Stratford unit for the past 11. She says membership is the lowest it has ever been.
The ATC hails from the Second World War when started as a pre-entry training to the RNZAF during the war. The Stratford unit was started in 1941.
If membership does not increase there is a possibility that it will go into recess. Julie says it would be sad for Stratford to lose this youth organisation.
You can join the staff as a civilian, doing administrative duties, and/or in time commission as a Cadet Officer in the New Zealand Cadet Forces.
"We really need some new faces, energy and ideas.
"It is hard to run with one officer."
