We have a cadet who has gained Civilian Wings having privately funded a Private Pilot Lisense , Another cadet in a nearby wing gained the same wings for flying one solo in a civilian glider.
Can anyone explain why there’s a difference - it must be more difficult to get a license then to do one solo flight ?
You only need to fly solo in either aircraft is my understanding. @tmmorris authorised C Wings for one of my cadets after a first solo flight in a plane as part of the PPL course.
Yep awarded for first solo in a civilian powered aircraft or glider = wings
I’ve had a look at the ATCOs
Individuals who have completed civilian flying scholarships to solo standard may be awarded the RAF Air Cadets Civilian (C) Wing in recognition of their efforts. SO2 CAPE, HQ 2FTS will consider each case on its merits. As these particular scholarships are provided by non-public funds, cadets are responsible for the cost of travel between their home and the flying school and will not be eligible for the issue of a travel warrant.
Any cadet achieving a Light Aircraft Pilots Licence (LAPL), National Private Pilot’s Licence (NPPL) or EASA Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) will be entitled to wear the RAF Air Cadets (C) Wing, subject to confirmation of qualification to SO2 CAPE, 2FTS.
So it would seem that if solo is gained through scholarship then C Wings are permitted, if gained through bank of mum and dad then they have to wait for license .
So it seems
Interesting. Pretty sure I had one awarded after solo, not either of the PPLs. Unless that was updated at some point?
What if it’s a scholarship from the bank of mum and dad?
I would imagine that’s just a badly worded regulation.
If you’ve solo’d in an aircraft I’d submit an application to your Wing Aviation Officer with a scan of the logbook showing the solo entry.
Not true; the regulation hasn’t been updated but 2FTS (who actually authorise the wings badge) have confirmed it is for first solo however funded, and whether glider or powered.
I haven’t yet tested this theory but I believe it would also apply if they did first solo in a helicopter. As @Farmerdan says your RAvnO or, for CCF, I will check the application and forward to 2FTS for confirmation and I’ve not had one turned down yet.
A cadet can qualify for “C” wings if they have gone solo in a civilian glider at the age of 14 (which is currently the minimum age).
Thanks y’all - Hope then that the ACTO might be updated, even if it maybe approved by HQAC if WIng won’t progress as the paperwork says no cadets will miss out on a set of wings sported by others
You can get your C-Wings after flying solo in a Powered Aircraft also.
But not at the age of 14.
Yes you can @Flighty , I did.
I’ve just double checked the caa website which confirms that the minimum age for solo flight in a powered aircraft is 16. (14 for a glider.)
You assume it happened in the UK 
(Maksim has a handy link to a BBC news site in his profile)
With the decline in flying in the ATC, I was informed by my Adj and Sgt, having just attended a Wing( Essex) conference, flying and shooting is now , virtually non existent.
As a former cadet (now CI) of the 1970s , I’m at a total loss for words as to how did it come to this? ( I thought we had it bad then!)
Apart from the lack of flying , we seem to have become so ‘risk adverse’ that we can no longer do very much at all!
We have problems with teaching Field Craft , because of the very many restrictions, and now we are told those restrictions, on where we can do it, have been tightened even more; we have access to our own training area 4 miles away, and that’s where the problems start.
If you are a squadron lucky enough to be sharing with the ACF , shooting will not be a problem.
If you are lucky enough to be on , or near a base likewise , for flying, shooting and Field Craft. For the rest of us , we may as well send them all off to Scouts!
Our only saving grace is we concentrate , very hard , on leadership, service and citizenship and AT, ,as a result we have former cadets achieving great things ( which I believe Scouts don’t do)
we can boast having shaped former cadets ,and glider scholars, are now aircraft engineers and self funded PPL’s
; one an aerobatic trophy winner.
We promise our new recruits , Flying and Shooting , a promise that we have had to break so many times now I can’t count!
I have cadets , after 4 years service, have never seen a rifle , or range, never mind a glider .
When is this going to change?
Never.
It’s all stems from the health & safety regs tightening, serious lack of funding but also people being un able to follow the simpler rules hence the tightening of trust on these activities.
I hear what you are saying, but it’s killing us!
It’s not just you dont worry