The AvMed forms are an overkill and right PITA for us to deal with, only having a 3 month life doesn’t help, of course there are ways round it. The reason for some odd answers is because whoever designed the form did it ■■■■ about face. Who puts NO before YES? I have to double take as it doesn’t follow convention.
I think there needs to be lot more honesty from AEF about what they can do. I would sooner get a no fly notification by Thursday so staff, cadets and their parents can plan to do something, rather Friday or phoning up on the day only to try and let cadets know it’s not happening. I’ve also had too many times where a ½ way phone call has revealed no flying, even more fun if it’s an AM slot, which means a 0445 start, so up at no later than 0400.
AEF staff need to realise that last minute call offs are no fun and when it comes to the next time, it’s bloody hard work to fill the slots and staff to think about giving up a day, so it’s not all the squadron’s fault that places don’t get filled, the AEFs need to take some responsibility for a lack of interest. It was only in the last year or so of 5AEFat Wyton, I would put a note on the letter to parents that it could get called off before we’d got ½ way, so they didn’t go out, thinking little John or Jane was out for the day. IMO, especially Nov to Mar I wouldn’t bother with PM slots at all. These might be OK for squadrons a shorter distance away <30 minutes bringing 2-4 cadets.
I understand your frustration but believe it or not, AEFs can not control the weather and, as we all know, this can change in a matter of hours.
I’m sure you’d be royally miffed if you were cancelled on a Thursday due to the forecast to wake up on the Saturday to find the sun shining and glorious blue skies.
We have a tendency not to call off flying until cadets get to us unless it’s going to be a dead certainty the weather will be bad.
Unfortunately the AvMed form is a requirement. I have the email address of the chap that wrote it if you’d like to send him your thoughts. The 3 month life span allows for any changes in the cadets medical history over that period. The form is pretty straight forward if parents take the time to read it rather than just ticking what they think is correct.
yet it was never required by a VGS/gliding - go figure???
boil down the two experiences of a 20 minutes AEF and GIC experience and the “dangers” in the cockpit are equal.
A qualified, trained and competent pilot in the RHS seat next to an unknown child in the LHS seat they take off and twenty minutes later (if Vigilant and Tutor) anyway return…
Flying in a Viking has different risks to flying in a Tutor.
Not sure what your point is about the Avmed form? It’s simply a requirement that it’s completed correctly, otherwise that cadet may not fly.
AEF staff sometimes have to spend time trying to resolve admin issues with cadet paperwork that can and does have a detrimental effect on individual cadets or squadrons visit.
that I don’t deny, but the health of that child is no more or less likely to cause an issue in a Viking than a Tutor
getting airborne is getting airborne.
Ok so 20-25 minutes of AEF versus a 10 minute winch launch circuit and land there is a reduced time exposure but if someone is unfit to fly (which is what the AvMed Form1 tries to determine) then they are unfit to fly.
The form doesn’t indicate which is more risk to the passenger (the Cadet) it determines how much risk there is for the Child to be a passenger….
Firstly please keep this civil. No party is perfect and we’re all volunteers. Please express your opinions more constructively and let’s not all jump on the offended bandwagon.
Secondly, this thread is about gliding being paused. If you want to continue talking about AEF provision please make a new one.
The point I’m trying to make is that some AEFs and VGS’ do try and make the effort to ensure cadets don’t sit around doing nothing and I agree with the low ropes issue. Admittedly it was a bit tongue in cheek but its there to use should there happen to be a member of escorting staff low ropes qualified.
Hopefully, the ranges at Woodvale will be up and running early 2019 after a refurb so, again, these should be available.
I would ask that if folk on here have an issue with their local AEF then they should grow a set and speak to the AEF OC to discuss but dont be part of the problem, be part of the solution and offer up some ideas.
My door is always open (I’m not an AEF OC btw) for CFAVs to discuss how we can improve the way we work. Some things we can change but some we can’t. Its all well and good being a keyboard warrior but if you feel so strongly about it you should have a proper grown up conversation and express your concerns.
…our wing has over 1500 cadets. For the next quarter, we have been allocated 8 places at Syerston, which has pretty much been a average recently. That’s 32 cadet places over a year.
If the wing want to give every cadet a glider flight, it will take…48 years and 4 months! Shame they age out at 20!
