Is there a simpler way to use the FOI process?
In most of the MOD retain/disposal/sale issues I am aware of ( and certainly if there is wide interest) a Business Case had to be drawn up. That document would then be used as the reference for discussions/decisions. If one exists it can be requested under FOI and would make a good start point. If there isn’t one, why not in this case?
Who the fu…….err, hell, is this MajCalamity guy?
Sounds like a first-class ar……………troll to me.
I don’t know much about FOI, but that reads like you could just split it into multiple smaller requests, each with a couple of your questions? Bringing each one under the £600 limit?
Hmmm, it depends on the area(s) that you are trying to probe - & how soon subsequent questions are filed. What I might do is have a “re-focus” & ask for specific documents / over a set period; for example, “please provide papers relating to X from between 31 Jan 2018 & 31 Jan 2020” - or something along those lines.
From the response, it is clear that anything related to the topic that requires “people” to drag stuff out / look in depth into correspondence, etc, is the major issue.
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Hmmmmm, nice to have your endorsement
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You’re welcome.
I have a response from my MP’s office!
As soon as I can redact the document (it has my name and address on it…) I’ll get it up here.
From what I can tell however, it seems that Aerobility were willing to take on the costs of the maintenance / upgrade of the aircraft and the MoD weren’t (although once I post the letters, let me know if I’ve misinterpreted it).
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Update, if anyone can help me redact the letters it would be muchos appreciado!
Someone with the paid version of Adobe - or, scan as a photo, then block out the pieces of relevant text with the appropriate tool.
Basic = copy the document, use a sharpie / marker pen to block things out. Scan / photo & upload.
I have the full version of adobe acrobat if that helps?
Take a photo/scan document
Upload and paste into word or PowerPoint
Insert shape
Drag boxes over elements to be redacted
Then “group” shapes and right click “save as picture”
Alternatively print/photocopy sharpy out the redacted parts. Scan in your work…???
You could go all out and get one of those fancy redacted roller stamps
http://www.mediafire.com/file/scl8pbj84qr44jh/S20051211520.pdf/file
File is only available initially for 14 days but I can extend this if asked!
Well that was interesting… and infuriating.
Apparently “the increased STEM and other aerospace opportunities have been well recieved bt staff and cadets”
Erm… what increased STEM or aerospace?
Would rather have the money to send each cadet gliding at a Bga site each year.
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The new offer provides an appropriate balance of gliding, flying, simulation, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and front line air experience
The appropriate balance being… little flying and very little gliding?
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Because I’ve heard soooooo many cadets say “YAY Maths”.
“Oh and can we have more powerpoint STEM. It’s so great”
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These letters make very interesting reading. For example from the NAO letter the following:
"…The aim was to clear gliders for service, but this proved more complex than expected and in early 2018, the company recovering the Vigilant gliders decided that it could no longer proceed."
Given the restricted glider repair capacity and the difficulty of GRP repair referred to in Stephen Lovegrove’s letter and, as I understand it, Southern Sailplanes being the company referred to above (but I stand to be corrected ), how is it they are now in partnership with Aerobility to deliver the very aircraft they were unable to recover before? Either they have suddenly upskilled their workforce or the budget under the Aerobility recovery scheme is considerably more than the MOD were willing to invest. If it wasn’t Southern Sailplanes and they have always had the skills and capacity, why weren’t they originally selected to repair the Vigilants?
I suspect the following from Stephen Lovegrove’s letter indicates that a shortage of funds was the issue:
" The department has had to make some tough decisions as a realism measure "
Given a shortage of funds (my interpretation) the following course of action was taken:
" Subsequently, consideration was given to five options for the Vigilant fleet - sale to the open market; government to government sale; sale to charities; sale to the original manufacturers; or scrap. MoD decided to consider the charity option and a working group was established to consider this further. Defence Equipment and Support (within MoD), was then approached by two organisations, one of which was Aerobility. "
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the options were considered and seen who was represented in the working group. Whatever their deliberations, I wonder if formal minutes were taken? More importantly how were the charities invited to bid, if it was via a public invitation I must have missed it !!!
As I have stated before on this forum I have the greatest respect for Aerobility and similar organisations, the work they do is outstanding and I hope they make Project Able a great success. However, while our own organisation and its parent service operate under the principles of RISE, the complex saga that surrounds the re-organisation of Air Cadet gliding might appear to indicate that they have fallen far too short in more than one area.
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Also, what on earth is this “Aaron Aerospace Academy” that was due to open in 2019?
In addition to imporoved aerospace-focused annual camps and changes to the cadet syllabus in space and cyber to bring exciting opportunities to undertake practical training, the RAF is partnering with the Aviation Skills Partnership to support the development of state-of-the-art Aerospace Academies. The first of these, the Aaron Aerospace Academy, is due to break ground at RAF Syerston lkater this year.
From what I can tell this was supposed to have been open in 2019 and has presumeably suffered the normal delays. I’m not clear how the cadets benefit from this though, other than 2FTS getting shiny new offices . . .
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And the former 2fts gets a role aswell…
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Blimey, if I was some tin-foil-hatted conspiraloon, I might get the impression that this whole affair was some inept, corrupt, covered up, massively embarrassing pile of poo…
Fortunately, the ACO has been blessed with the leadership and care of one of the great moral and intellectual titans of our age, so we can safely put that idea to bed straight away.
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