That’s a good shout actually
Well, it took a while, but I call this a policy win - shame it wasn’t considered earlier to maximise availability.
OC2FTS has advised that following our meeting in Aug (with AOC22Gp & Cmdt RAFAC), Gliding Scholarships have been offered to the cadets who will age out for their ACPS slot.
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Probably because the allocations are managed by then region aviation officers rather than 2FTS (both ACPS and GS)
But have additional GS slots been allocated, or with some cadets this year miss out on GSs.
The proposal was for extra GS slots.
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If they can suddenly provide extra GS slots, it tells me that, up till now, they weren’t operating at 100% capacity.
Something I’ve suspected and complained about for a long time.
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Of course they can add extra GS spots, they will just take them out of your Blue/Bronze allocation.
What blue/bronze allocation?
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I think that it’s a bit of both - “new” VGS coming on-line but also a small hit against the number of slots available for “normal” gliding slots (one GS = approx 12 such slots).
If only they had considered this earlier, as I suspect that several of the cadets ageing out (including one of mine) would have been able to commit to a GS with better longer-term planning options.
It’s not going to be dozens of GS given away, I suspect it will be single figures, maybe just into double figures at best?? At least 2 cadets who will age out had previously done a GS before the rules changed.
Some cadets haven’t responded to the GS offer - if you know any such cadets (ageing out for this yr’s ACPS), please prod them!
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Try one GS being between 20 and 30 GIF as opposed to 12….
Not as outlined by the big-wigs when we had our Teams meeting.
40-50 launches is a weekend based GS. Occasionally straying a bit higher if they are on course in winter, as these appear to be. If this was a summer residential course it would be shorter but that’s not if they are getting them moving.
Each GIF is 2 launches (unless you get 20 mins soaring, which you almost certainly won’t in winter).
For GIF, it depends I guess on how many cadets would be launched using the same resources.
Confirmed via the Weekly Brief that this will not resume in it’s previous form, more details to follow from this FOI
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Oooh, cat, pigeons, go!
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Complete shambles, as with many high-level things in this organisation currently.
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The communication route was dire, hide the bad news away in a Fri afternoon weekly brief. No follow-on email yet with more details as to the whys & wherefores (although I suspect £££!).
“Work to mature alternative options is now underway…”
Notwithstanding any finacial implications, that to me, says - “Haven’t a clue.”
So, one of my previous suggestions will now be raised again - give a cadet a bursary for ACPS, to be used at an approved CAA provider. To assist in duty of care, use the Air League as an intermediary as they have already pre-screened their scholarship providers. However, from my previous chat with those on high, there will be much sucking of teeth from Cmdt RAFAC about duty of care & that RAFAC paying out money would link them (even indirectly) to an external organisation if there was an accident.
The ACPS jewel in the RAFAC crown will become a tawdry piece of costume jewelry if we aren’t careful.
Oh, parallel approach, get a return to flying in Non-Service aircraft. Start lobbying your wg / region Av Officers!
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‘All air cadets previously selected will maintain eligibility for whatever scheme follows, while they remain air cadets; however, it is not currently possible to state when an announcement on alternative options can be made.’
Previously selected cadets are encouraged NOT to hold their breath!
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The whole point of the weekly brief is for these very announcements and to avoid ad hoc emails for this and that.
Not sure it’s unreasonable to expect that AvOs specifically would get a heads up and maybe some extra flavour text in a separate SME brief.
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