Gliding "paused"

CGIs definitely still exist. I know at least two! They are both however transferring into uniform but that’s been going on since the CFC was announced, not sure what the delay is.

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No new appointments are being made afaik

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We now have more cadets in the squadron with the civilian ‘C’ wings than those with RAFAC issued wings.

To put it into context, that’s more cadets who have done the full BGA syllabus, (approx 60 launches) outside of cadets, at a local gliding club, than Cadets who have done the Blue ATP and had ONE flight in a Tutor!

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I liked that but in sympathy, not that I like the situation

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I think we must be lucky with our allocations - we have lots of blue wings on squadron and we were getting three or four flying allocations a quarter.

We had flying allocations come out over last “wing field competition weekend” last year and I sent cadets flying instead, other squadrons told their cadets WFW had priority! We picked up an extra few spaces due to their stupidity.

I had 7 cadets fly that day… we suffered in the competition for it, but it was a no brainer for me. More fool the others!

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I should add we always make sure we fully fill flying slots. And we always get cadets to AEF by hook or by crook… I’m amazed at Friday night calls for more flyers due to drop outs elsewhere and we pick up extra spaces regularly like this…

Our cadets have even had extra time flying as squadrons just haven’t turned up to AEF - no warning given - meaning extra time for our cadets.

One of the bonuses to our Friday parade nights. We picked up so many extra slots because the WG Flying Officer knew we could ask cadets and get an answer straightaway.

Wg then decided that the flying officer was obviously not doing his job properly because one squadron got more flying than the others :roll_eyes:

Its not the slots at AEF that are the problem. There’s just no gliding slots, and with that, the chance to do the mandatory ground school that only the VGS can provide.

Oh gliding is another issue. We’ve not had gliding in over four years.

We’ve not had gliding but have been lucky to be relatively near to a VGS and got plenty of PTT slots so could get blue and bronze wings for tutor flying.

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Same here.

What’s gliding? Only flights (in 8 yrs or so) were had were under ACTO35 at a BGA facility & a (very) few on Aerospace Camp. PTT = Swanton Moreley = miles away & not due for aircraft for quite a while.

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Yes Swanson Morley was being discussed years ago and as far as I can see there’s still a (very) long way to go…

If you’re not at Syserston you’re out of luck.

Or any of the other locations that have been flying cadets for the past 3 years

And so raised with our R Av O - not helped that both our Wg Aerospace & Flying O’s have stepped down. :frowning:

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Yes I noticed that - although I think several people have expressed interest so hopefully will be filled soon.

So do I, but currently very little in the way of toys to play with; no AEF, no gliding if Swanton Moreley is the allocated VGS, no Aerospace Camp, etc, etc.

Waiting to see if the"ACTO35" replacement (or whatever) will give better opportunities.

Well we’ve been waiting since the IBN released a year ago, which initially said April. I appreciate things might have slipped a little but I don’t really believe there was a lot going on for those involved when we stood down, was there? What can the hold up be?

Correct - which to me, suggested that most of the staffing aspects would have been completed by then.

So, even with a month knocked off (Covid19 lockdown), there should have the opportunity by now to finalise any new policy / protocols.

I tried to get a direct reply from our new R Av O, who bounced me to the (currently post not filled) W Av O = pointless exercise, especially as the last update from the previous R Av O was Nov 2019! I’m trying via the WSO (who is holding the fort for the “flying” aspects) to get further information.

You see, his is one of the things that annoys me about the organisation. Why do some squadrons never ever get offered ground school slots at VGS or AGS, and other squadrons, who are close by, get plenty? Its almost as though its too much effort to distribute slots evenly and fairly and they phone local squadrons on a Friday night!