But what is the root cause of that drift?
The decimation (or maybe restructuring) of the South Wales economy and the attendant demographic shifts.
Not something HQAC can be held responsible for.
Again, knowing some of the squadrons that have closed in South Wales in recent years they just werenât viable - without the staff we canât expect to see squadrons remain open.
On the flip side Iâve seen some squadrons massively reinvigorated by the injection of some fresh blood in the OCâs office.
Staffing is the absolutely crucial factor.
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Putting QAIC on a par with master?
Nope, just other gold courses.
Iâd suggest that the old leading trg would be blue (and a pre-req for leading)
Two old sen/mas subjects for bronze
Four old sen/mas subjects, plus MoI for silver (so MoI is required for silver, but cadets wouldnât necessarily have to be studying the aviation PTS to do MoI)
QAIC for gold
What would you replace first class training with?
Nothing - I wouldnât suggest any significant change to the 1st class system
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I think it is worth harmonising it with the blue badge book where possible
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First class training is the most basic stuff you need to be able to function as a cadet, I see it as having a great deal of relevance to everyone who walks through the door.
Understanding battlespace management and how UAVâs work - not so muchâŚ
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thats interesting as the Scottish government never paid for BTECs either, although someone did mention the classification levels can be given scottish Qualification awardsâŚbut I am not 100% sure I have that correctâŚ
Classification was always problematic as you never had anyone really to teach it. we should be actively looking to combine theoretical and practical training with emphasis on the practical.
Such area would be principles of flight get the theory, but then use simple RC aircraft for the practical.
the aircraft I am talking about are design to fly indoors in something like a TA drill hall and made of foam it wouldnât take much to get it going.
or rocketry, where they can build and fire their own simple rockets in a suitable area.
Something that wonât be mentioned probably is CEP.
in Scotland it is totally different due to devolution there is no CCF units being set up in schools, however they did allow some schools to set up a ârevisionâ class idea where an officer goes along to after school study group (paid btw out of CEP) and the existing ATC cadets can get help and assistance doing CVQO trainingâŚ
what would you feel about for this in england opposed to what is happening now?
Iâm pretty sure a school near me has a new CEP CCF
There was a big discussion with Holyrood and this was the result.
it was a strange halfway house kind of thing, all the cadets attend the local 2 sqns
I know the officer who got the payed position and that is what he does now CVQO mostly all through CEP.
unless they have changed their mind or they are not a council school
Edit: found the RFCA infoâŚ
I would keep the majority of it the same, although i would get rid of the Map Reading Section of the book.
I would then add NNAS as a stand alone activity, potentially with its own PTS badge to go above the road marching badge and of similar dimensions. (Mirroring the Comms/Cyber Badges on the other side).
For me this PTS Navigation would go:
Blue = Bronze NNAS
Bronze = Silver NNAS
Silver = Gold NNAS
Gold = LLA
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TBPH as soon as we moved to open book online exams and away from printed books, the classification system has become irrelevant, but too much of the PTS has to be done âoff sqnâ. Iâd agree about PTS being all encompassing if it was deliverable at sqn for all things at all levels and no external silliness, excl shooting and flying. The external elements seem to want to make PTS something more than it is, although much of it will be as equally irrelevant to cadets in their future as the classifications.
The big advantage of the classification system was (Iâll use the past) any member of staff could pick up a subject and get cadets through the exams. Which at the moment is not the case with PTS.
We try and do some different things around making and doing, but it doesnât feel like Air Cadets, and the staff Iâve got have no practical âtoolâ skills, so itâs me and the Chairman bringing our toolboxes and directing the cadets with the staff looking on bemused. But the cadets enjoy it and hopefully some of it sticks into their future life.
The one thing that HQAC seems to have forgotten about in PTS is STEM. Lots of noise and fanfare about STEM and then nothing. We should be supplied with woodwork and metalwork tools and things like soldering irons, and things like Meccano / Lego / Kânex, things that our kids would get out and play quite happily with making all sorts of things, even when theyâd left school. This plays into the STEM agenda and gets kids thinking about construction and planning. We were told at a staff conference 3 or 4 years ago that we would get STEM kits, never seen one. Iâve not asked as it would be pointless.
First Class and Leading syllabi do their job and give cadets what they need to know. They could do with a bit of updating here and there but generally I would leave them as they are.
Senior and MAC however, could be modular so that cadets get more choice and could follow one particular route depending on their own interests. There could be modules for a number of routes:
Aviation
Leadership and Management
STEM
Adventure Training⌠etc
Cadets could choose modules for one of those and then a mix of electives from another. Thinking as I type I suspect this might be difficult to deliver but training could be e-learning and practical Sqn/Wing based exercise s and it could be progressive.
An approach like this could give cadets more choice about what they learn and the coloured lanyard could reflect their chosen route?
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So, you want to broaden an already varied scope of topics, AND add more new lanyards?
Saint John Ambulance cadets apparently have aiguillettes. Letâs look into that.
I challenge the premise that the current SAC/MAC syllabus is varied. It is 12 largely aviation related topics. I donât have a problem with that per se but they are quite technical so squadrons struggle to deliver in a meaningful and engaging way. Cadets are largely uninterested too and for those that are not into aviation at all it is positively torturous.
Iâm sure most would agree that the current SAC/MAC syllabus needs reform. Iâm not bothered what that looks like provided it is engaging, deliverable, varied and above all, fun.
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If lanyards offend you so much get rid of them if you will, I really donât care. There are more important things to worry about.
that is dependant on the topic and the instructor.
pilot nav and air nav taught by a pilot in a practical manner can engage the whole class.
what looks complex on a powerpoint becomes some very simple maths which can be delegated out around the class making âflight planningâ tasks a team effort.
i speak from experience and quickly moved from an explanation of a theory to actual practical using maps, rules, protractors and dry wipe markers plotting routes.
I appreciate my situation is not typical, not every Squadron has a pilot in the CFAV team, nor has aviation maps to have the class gathered around it. I agree that some squadrons will struggle but not all and some of us can make the training/lessons meaningful and engaging and in such a way which interests the whole class