ACAEFC Ditched: another kick in the teeth

Everyone Flying
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I’ve just spotted this honest and open answer by Comdt 2FTS on the ‘Valuing our People’ Teams page, to a question about the other powered flying courses offered by RAFAC;

OK. There is going to be a review of the requirement and processes with the ACTOs over the coming months, when this will be confirmed; however, it looks likely that the ACPNTS will continue (with selection taking place at the same time as the ACPS Scheme), and the ACAEFC will be dropped completely. The latter course is resource intensive and only leads to a Bronze ATP badge. Better to use the hours to fly more Air Cadets. TBC, but this is likely to be the way ahead.

I had my suspicions about this further removal of opportunities, and this would seem to confirm it. Shame really, as the ACAEFC could have been used as a short term replacement for the ACPS, (once the current issue with the tutor is resolved).

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Whilst I can’t deny I want to give more cadets the opportunity to fly… removal of the ACAEFC is a bit of a blow as it doesn’t really offer ANY real chance of progression and is another big ticket item being removed

Also…

Are you saying Bronze ATP is too intensive? Even when VGSs manage it? Should we look at the reasons it’s too resource intensive or should we look at the syllabus requirements… or how they are delivered?

Does this also mean we’re - in a round about “saying it without saying it” kind of a way - removing the Bronze “A” ATP badge from the PTS… ???

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For us uninitiated, what does ACAEFC stand for?

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Air Cadet Air Experience Flying Course. One of the ACPS streams along with…

  • 125 Light Aircraft courses available, consisting of 12 hours flying, leading to solo, to be flown at Tayside Aviation, Dundee.
  • 40 Air Experience Flying courses, consisting of 10 hours to be flown on the Tutor aircraft, at several locations…
  • 36 Air Cadet Pilot Navigation Training Courses available, consisting of 10 hours flown on the Tutor aircraft at an AEF…

Something in the back of my mind says there is/was a microlight course at Halton as well???

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There definitely was at some point; it was my flying scholarship!

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There also used to be the 2 week Hang Gliding course at Joint Services Hang Gliding & Paragliding Centre Crickhowell which led to Elementary Pilot grading. A cracking course. Haven’t seen that advertised for some time now.

MB

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IBN 010 - 2023 directly says it. . .

Screenshot_20230811-161441
Screenshot_20230811-1614412400×1080 226 KB

Rationalising our aviation badges down to a single badge for each level. And the proposal for a Drone PTS suggests we’ll merge drone flying in with powered flight and gliding too.

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What does GBTE mean?

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And also, I thought the only two ways of getting bronze wings was getting halfway through ACPS or a gliding scholarship?

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Ground Based Training Equipment :person_shrugging: (don’t actually know)

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Is that simulators?

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actually, the IBN has it

Ground Based Training Equipment (GBTE), or Synthetic Training elements, previously restricted to 2 FTS Part Task Trainers (PTTs), can now also be delivered by a cadre of trained volunteers across RAFAC, overseen by the Regional Aviation Officers (RAvOs) and CCF (RAF) equivalents, using suitable and approved equipment.

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Given the size of the drone industry (aside from any military UAV systems) that seems a sensible thing to include, at least as an option.

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Real flying…to drone flying…to ‘synthetic’ flying…to paper airplane flying…to no flying?

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Start of the slippery slope…

In fact, we are probably half way down it. :frowning:

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Well, had a very nice reply from DCAS, AM Rich Maddison.

Basically, the option to look at alternatives is with AOC 22 Gp - who is the ODH for 2FTS.

Will see how the cookie crumbles, can’t go much higher! :wink:

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Is it a new AOC 22 Grp? Maybe they’ll start allowing us to fly at BGA clubs again if they are…

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Correct - AVM “Cab” Townsend - recently completed Tutor conversion…

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Not unexpected, at his invitation, I will be having a chat with AVM Townsend at the end of next week. :sunglasses:

OC2FTS will also be taking part.

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Hats on or off? Will there be biscuits? If so will they be chocolate ones or boring ones? What about tea?

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