If you come to our AEF I’ll gladly arrange for you to make that point out to our pilots in person.
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Not wanting to poke anyones ego’s here, but if I have the opportunity to come home after finding out there is no flying, or hang around whilst I/someone else teaches a mixed bag of Cadets some form of lesson that is clearly a back up and not totally relevant to all, then I will come home and salvage some of my day thaks all the same.
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I understand what you’re saying and it would be very nice if an AEF had lots of relevant alternate activities prepared should there be no flying.
There are opportunities for this and sometimes it happens and sometimes not. The reasons for this are varied. I don’t believe it’s because ( as some think on here) the AEF staff can’t be bothered?
Why should it be a relevant activity? Why can’t it be what the cadets want to do as an alternative?
Some visitors to my AEF are proactive and ask what the alternatives are? If you don’t ask you don’t get.
After over 30 years of flying with cadets I’ve heard many criticisms of flying and gliding provision and what we’re discussing here is nothing new. What often happens is that a group of staff and cadets will visit, may have an issue during the day, but don’t say anything at the time. It then festers until their next parade night when the frustration comes out and a complaint is made.
My appeal to escorting staff would be, if you’re not happy about something, raise your concern at the time and then the AEF/VGS staff may be able to do something for you or give you reasons why they can’t…
Because the cadets have come for flying… don’t get me wrong, an unrelated concurrent activity is better than nothing, but it seems perfectly reasonable to say that if actual flying is unavailable, then the next best thing would be some sort of ground-based flight training delivered by actual pilots.
I’m with @bigmalcmk.
Cadets can do leadership or whatever at the squadron. I’d rather get back for a decent time and do something with my family.
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Again, I understand what you’re saying. But if that alternate relevant activity isn’t available? Which it may not be, there may be other alternatives near to an AEF or VGS?
Some of those alternatives may be more appealing to cadets than sitting in a classroom for an hour?
The offer of an alternative at an AEF should not be expected, but if it happens is a bonus. The VGS are better equipped to deliver the alternatives with the PTT and access to the ground training syllabus requirements for progressive wings training. One of my bugbears is that little thought appears to have been given to the locations of AGS in some regions, such that cadets have difficulty in completing a blue/ bronze wings package. The AGS should be where the AEFs are located. At least then cadets could complete some syllabus training if there were no flying?
Question then is… why isn’t it available.
Answer - attitude at AEFs. And at 2FTS / 6FTS.
All these “qualified pilots” can’t instruct. Really?
Or won’t instruct.
Can’t fly on the day, then won’t help cadets on the day. That’s all I’m hearing here.
As an ATPL holder and examiner I think your attitude stinks.
Why am I on a Sqn not a AEF because AEFs opitimise the failing of our organisation.
I’m done with this as sky gods are not for turning.
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And we’re suggesting that it should be (and the resources to do this provided by HQAC if needed)
I think we are never going to resolve this and should just chin off the expensive flying nonsense (unless it’s to do a bit of skydiving) and just do AT instead. 
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Don’t threaten me with your ATPL…
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I remember when I was a cadet in the early 90’s doing AEF flying and you turned up (various AEF’s) and there were boxes of equipment to carry out a number of activites whilst waiting for a flight. Leadership, map reading, one place even had a plane spotting comp (based in an airport).
for some reason come about 2000 it seemed the norm to sit back and stick in “top gun” to the TV.
Having something to do and see if there is poor weather even just for an hour to a younger cadet would make the effort of getting up early and travelling for hours that bit more encouraging to put your name down again for flying
Really? whilst I enjoy AT why have air cadets with little or no flying??
maybe thats for a different topic 
That is what we already have…
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And if HQRAFAC decide that’s what they want then I’m sure AEFs will oblige.
Watch out, or I’ll add mine! 
In the good old days, the AEF would fly to you!
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The associated resources are obviously used for UAS flying, & the various ACO Pilot / Nav scholarships, so binning AEFs wouldn’t help there.
What might help is funding towards also using external resources, such as an CAA-approved flight school, especially if access to a “local” AEF is problematical.
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Thread drift, but given that UAS flying no longer counts towards EFT, that’s not as important as it once was.
As that system is now a direct recruitment tool, the people who join already want to join the RAF, so the need to ‘entice’ them has gone.
Another reason to sack them off and save some cash. Let them do the FP guff to their hearts’ content.
I can only hope the dreadful comments on here are not representative of CFAVs across the organisation. Like all of our pilots, I have spent this year working my socks off, at significant impact to my young family, to deliver AEF to thousands of cadets in 2018. The absolute lack of basic dignity from some on here, whether we have issues we can mutually work on or not, is a discredit to the uniform I presume we both wear. I would start to have a worthwhile debate about some of the issues raised and some of the nuances visiting staff may not be aware of, but I’m just not sure whether it is worth it anymore.
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Believe me I wouldn’t and with the expertise and knowledge of bods at AEFs I doubt they would do that. What would annoy me is getting to the AEF with less than 80% of flying and being told it ain’t happening.
TBH with a 2½-3 hour each way drive I don’t want other things to fill the time, I would sooner as said get home, than sit around for the sake of it.
Why HQAC? Can you not speak to your local Wing or Regional Avo and suggest maybe everyone get together and come up with some concurrent activity for the supervising staff member to run with the cadets whilst you are flying and possibly something totally different in the event of bad weather.
it would be easy to say its up to the Sqn’s to bring something but ideally it should be something that you only get to do at an AEF and more orientated towards AEF activities. Also it is then ran out to every squadron in your area.
I am sure if you asked for assistance then people will help.
I and many others have spent years doing the similar, but its not a peeing competition though…
My comments were not aimed at anyone in particular, in fact the local AEF is pretty good but there are somethings that could be made a it better and would need everyone to work together on. A simple concurrent activity plan would be good for all I think if its produced towards AEF activities instead of bog standard things.
1 simple thing though is when we turn up only 1 member of staff actually interacts with the staff or cadets. he does the brief, and checks the records etc. the rest I can appreciate are busy getting prepped but surely it is just manners just to say “Hello”. I have been in a room and they walk in and past you without saying anything, I have said hello previously and numerously but still not a response to me thats just good manners, but hey-ho maybe its me