Having now gained visibility of the RAF’s Internal Briefing Note, there are still some questions to answer, however the following points do suggest that due thought may have gone into this process.
Now is this on a per cadet basis, or per squadron? Either way, 3 days of British weather, and there still be no flying or gliding.
Here’s a question for you to think on… What trades are / have been the ex RAF staff???
STeflon,
Not strictly true. As pointed out the move had to happen as the Wyton site had to be vacated. The provision of ATC was of course tricky as there was no radar room at Wyton - it relied on other agencies for ATSOCAS. The RAF is stretched enough already and has had issues providing manning to resurrect a radar room at Wittering. It is also a more difficult problem as Babcock are contracted solely to man and run the VCR, whereas the RAF man and run Ops and the Radar control room.
Sadly for the ATC (the CCF have obviously been relatively unaffected), RAF EFT, provided by 115 and 16 Sqns (note - initially only one had planned to move, but then expected overlap with MFTS provision forced the move of the second Sqn) had to be supported as a priority. The problem also became more difficult as the rules for operating almost all Tutor sorties had changed in the interim time (fallout from 2009/props falling off etc).
So to say the RAF didn’t do its job and planned poorly is a littl unfair. Not completely, but it’s not as black and white as people try to make out.
The following is a copy of an email I sent today to the First Ministers of the three devolved governments. I make no apologies for any comments contained therein but do recognise the fact that the English Squadrons have suffered as much pain as those in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The future for the latter though is much more bleak than that for the former.
I have to ask, does anyone know if the Honorary Air Commodore in chief is aware of this fiasco? If not I think it is time that she is informed. I wonder what our future King but one will think when he knows that there is no more Air Cadet flying for cadets in his fathers and, ultimately, his Principality. I would ask that no matter how vehemently you might disagree with my comments, you do reply in a civilised manner.
"First Minister,
The Air Training Corps in Northern Ireland has been in existence since the early days of the second world war. Among the many activities available to cadets is the opportunity to be provided with gliding induction flights between the age of 13 3/4 and 16 and, from age 16 are able to apply for a gliding course which, if showing the aptitude can lead to them flying solo (long before they can legally drive). Those cadets who show a high aptitude can have further advanced gliding training and where applicable may become staff cadets at the gliding school, eventually rising through the organisation to become instructors themselves.
Gliding training for cadets in Northern Ireland, up until the pause mentioned in the written statement, has been provided by 664 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS) based at Newtownards airfield, with, occasionally, weekly residential courses at Central Gliding School at RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire.
Many cadets in Northern Ireland have caught the “aviation bug” through flying with 664 VGS and have been spurred on by their desire to continue flying professionally. There are now ex cadets from Northern Ireland flying with the RAF, the Fleet Arm, The Army Air Corps and the Irish Air Corps. Others are flying with the Airlines many on long haul with Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. If you are flying out of the International or City airports and the captain or co-pilot has a Northern Ireland accent, it is highly likely that their interest in aviation was kindled by their first ever flight with 664 VGS.
This has now come to an end. With the ministerial statement the cadets in Northern Ireland are now going to be restricted to applying/competing for what will be much sought after residential courses at the Central Gliding school. If the weather at the time is poor, it is highly likely that the cadets will not complete the course and will return home without their wings and no possibility of being re-coursed. And, of course, for those who show the aptitude, there will be no opportunity to become staff cadets, thus removing the likely first step in their possible future career.
It is worthy of note that these decisions mean that all air cadet flying within the Principality of Wales will cease. With the choice of 661 VGS at Kirk Newton being chosen as the only gliding squadron in Scotland and the problems associated both with the squadron and infrastructure problems at the airfield, it is my contention that this will not happen and that, therefore, there will be no air cadet gliding within Scotland.
This then leads me to think that the organisation and locations of all air cadet gliding will now be England centric brought about by “Little Englander” thinking by those decision makers in Headquarters Air Training Corps (HQAC) and No. 2 Flying Training School. Furthermore the opportunities and advancements offered to English cadets will be denied to those cadets fortunate enough to be living in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales."
[quote=“XN150, post:908, topic:1152, full:true”]
So, with this new approach to gliding (as I understand it) we are probably loosing one of the greatest successes of the VGSs. The fact that a cadet can go solo, become a staff cadet and, sometimes within a year if he/she puts the hours/days/weeks in, be carrying other cadets as passengers. That was an enormous thing for other cadets to see; inspirational.[/quote]
One could argue that in today’s world, and certainly post 2009, that the reputational risk (aka Daily Mail factor) of a staff cadet and a cadet pax being involved in an incident is too great.
I’d be interested to see the factual basis of this. Babcock aren’t god’s gift to aviation, but on the whole the employees I have dealt with, particularly “at the coalface”, are very professional. Referring to the AEFs - I don’t quite see what you are getting at. Maybe previously, but not now.
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News story
Minister visits RAF Cadets and volunteers in Scotland
From:Ministry of Defence and Julian Brazier MP First published:12 March 2016
Minister for Reserves, Julian Brazier, has visited RAF Kirknewton to see how RAF Air Cadets and volunteers gain flight experience training.
After being shown around the facilities of 661 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS), the Minister chatted to Cadets and volunteers as they demonstrated radio controlled flying. He also took the opportunity to see how he performed on their newly installed flight simulator – known as a PTT (part task trainer) and funded by the RAF Charitable Trust – that will help teach Cadets the basics of flying before they get to try out the real thing.
The Minister’s visit follows the re-launch of Air Cadet gliding, which will focus the units on regional hubs and provide Cadets with more opportunities to experience fixed-wing flying as well as rebuilding gliding programme, and allowing Cadets to obtain the coveted ACO Glider Wings. He also praised the work of the committed volunteer staff at Kirknewton who help to keep the RAF’s Air Cadets flying.
Mr Brazier said:
I am very impressed by the enthusiasm and skill of the cadets here in Scotland, as well as the commitment and dedication of the volunteer staff who offer this high quality flying training, and provide inspiration and leadership to generations of air cadets.
Squadron Leader Eddie Carr, Officer Commanding 661 VGS at Kirknewton said of the new simulator:
Without funding from the RAF Charitable Trust this wouldn’t have been possible. Everyone involved in Air Cadet gliding is very grateful to the Charitable Trust for its generosity.
The Minister also saw the work undertaken to improve the airfield, the cadet and staff accommodation blocks and the administrative area. As part of a wider strategy on Air Cadet basing, the Kirknewton site will expand into the regional hub for Scotland, and become a Glider Centre of Excellence to support Air Cadets from across Scotland.
Speechless!! Or can’t put my comments on a open forum
Eddie Carr is the ex-ARC of SNI
Perhaps someone should of taken the minister to see the actual runway which hasn’t been used for 5 years because they can’t get the grass to grow after repair works.
For interest, here is a quick map I made of the locations of all of the VGSs that will be retained. Not sure why one is grey. Scotland and Wales looking very sparse… I didn’t put a marker in NI for the potential new AEF because 1. it isn’t to do with gliding, and 2. it hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Hmm, interesting.
I suppose most of the decisions are based on the pot of money to ‘unpause’ that is available.
It will be interesting to see how many of the sold off Viking’s and Vigilants appear on the civil register over the next few years, having been gone through by the new owners.
Seems a bit strange that there will be no schools in Wales or Northern Ireland and also only one in Scotland. Hopefully the organisation will be paying for the hours of travelling to and from involved!!
Personally, I am not impressed with the lack of proper briefing and communication for the VGS staff , or for that matter the volunteer staff as a whole. Rather ‘unprofessional’ in my view . I was told recently that one school has dropped in numbers from 14 pilots/instructors down to 4!
Ah well, one just hopes that something good eventually comes out of this announcement and the situation doesn’t get infected with management speak and spin!!! Maybe by 2018 the dust will have settled and EVERY cadet will get a chance to fly at least once a year, wherever they may be.
according to the map we’re theoretically ok - we’ve 2 VGS at around 90-120minutes each way - however, thats a 90-120 minute drive at the end of what by then will have been a 12 hour day, during which the driver will have been sat around doing absolutely nothing and being bored out of his/her wig.
if the VGS doesn’t mind me nipping into Shrewsbury, or Chester, or into Oxford for the day, or for a walk around the Cotswolds, i’d probably do it, but if its the current/previous ‘sit around for the whole day while i tell you how great i am’, then i’m afraid its a bodyswerve from me…
a few of my 2 cents on the situation
12 months after Julian Brazier calls for industry to support the armed forces, the government does this to cadet gliding.
Also has anyone paused to think about how this effects our agreement with the Hong Kong air cadets to give them so many scholarships a year?
And clearly what was announced was no surprise to those at the top of the chain of command, any half decent school boy with a computer could have created an announcement within the ACO that would be released as soon as something went up on the government website about the axe… sorry “relaunch” of air cadet gliding.
The failure of the gliding system which led to the pause is entirely at the feet of generations of leaders who seem to have let the maintenance system deteriorate, though the aircraft were likely never not airworthy.
It does seem to have been somewhat systemic and the Haddon-Cave enquiry after the Nimrod loss over Afghan heralded changes and created the MAA. Their rules are playing havoc with what used to be a flexible and adaptive system.
Then OC2FTS happened. While I personally don’t like the guy I do not question his interest and enthusiasm for cadet aviation and I think if he had his way that is all we would do. When he lifted the bonnet of the gliding system he genuinely had little option other than call a halt to the whole show until it was brought up to current standards. I admit I am somewhat amused that the man who I had thought finally found his perfect job with the ACO seems to have been the one holding the bolt-gun.
Take a grounded fleet, a shrinking pot of gold, a defence basing review and throw them into a bowl. Stir thoroughly with the Military Aviation Authority and bake for 2 years. I think we are lucky to get the soufflé we are getting and hope it doesn’t collapse when it is taken out of the oven. The risk will be if the imaginations of those devising the re-launched system fail to match up with the reality of aviation in the ACO: If that soufflé is sprinkled with turds we won’t be swallowing it.
Just at a guess is the greyed out one where the Vigilants will be going?
Nope, I’m not quite sure why it did that when I made the map. The darker red one, however, happens to be the CGS and 644 VGS merged together.
A very well written and emotionally charged blog. Well worthy of a read: https://blondegeography.wordpress.com/2016/03/12/we-would-like-some-answers-please/
Bigspoon is conspicuous by his absence…
Emotionally charged yes. Does it help? No. Rather than think geographically (take his point of Scotland having only 1 VGS post change), it is worth considering how this affects cadets numerically. I’d venture a far worse problem is the fact that a huge population of cadets in London and the SE are served by only 2 AEFs (The same number as the whole of Scotland).
Maybe people should be thankful they are getting gliding back AND are likely to hav an increase in AEFs, with strong rumours of them serving NI, Northern Scotland and, at long last, another to serve the rather larger concentration of population in the SE, rectifying a situation that’s been unsatisfactory since AEF stopped at Manston.
The answer to your first quote is “Stop being influenced by what the Daily Mail might make up”. This is dishonest and has no bearing on flight safety. You do what you consider safe and proper, not what the gutter press might say.
We can start by pointing out that the Babcock employees are not even CRBed (or whatever the current term is).
What I am getting at is that cadets learn about flying by being involved in all of it. A great number of the jobs can and should be carried out by staff cadets (Who would be CRBed if over 18). The great strength of the VGSs was they were ACO staffed (however unpopular that might be with certain senior RAF officers). AEF is just a flying shop.
Bearing in mind the plans for “super” gliding/AEF centres it may be interesting to say what happened today.
AEF was doing very well with 5 aircraft and enough pilots. They took off and then, because they have to, called for a radar service. This was denied to a number of them as the radar unit was too busy to cope with the numbers.
The upshot was that a number of aircraft had to remain in the circuit. You don’t need the radar service to fly in the circuit.
This could have been a one-off situation, although I got the impression that it isn’t. The AEF concerned is due to get four more Tutors under the new rules. Not quite sure how they are going to cope with six of them having to stay in the circuit for AEF flights (which means cadets don’t get to handle the controls and there are no aerobatics).
I presume that someone has worked out how these super centres are going to cope with this. Actually I presume no such thing!
Well in our wing AEF was cancelled yesterday no reason but a few week previous they cancelled as they had no pilots available and it seems to be a recurring theme this year so far
