I imagine they both got sick of tweets from cadets asking when they will be gliding again lololol
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And the staffâŚ
Zero publicity/information is much worse than telling the troops the bad news
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The silence gets the rumour mill turning and jungle drums banging. But you can understand the silence as what has been said / released ref the âgliding pauseâ thus far has been unmitigated manure.
In June 2014 we were told
I am hopeful we will see some military cadet gliding at a number of VGS sites towards the end of the year, but on current planning assumptions we will not return to full traditional gliding (ie a 25 VGS operation, GICs & GSs) until well into 2015.
In April this year
Our aim is to return Vikings back to flight and have 60 Vikings flying by Christmas.
The fact there was 10 months between these is telling in itself.
I suppose you could regard Christmas as being âwell into 2015â, but my interpretation of well into a year is August/September, December is the end of the year. But it seems this is a pie in the sky expectation. This IMO is akin to Davd Steel telling the LD to prepare for government in the 1980s ⌠no one took that seriously. Is OC 2FTS the new David Steel?
Strangely they went quiet the same time as that aerospace camp. Wonder why?
From 2FTS Via my local VGS
A brief resume of on-going activity at RAF Syerston.
We are currently flying 4 Vigilants at RAF Syerston and training 4 QGIs per week up to FAT standard.
I anticipate a 5 th Vigilant ac in October.
We wait delivery of our first 2 Viking ac from SS. This is imminent.
We still await the contract decision for outsourcing the recovery of additional Vikings.
The PT has moved into accommodation at RAF Syerston. The Dep Hd of the PT now resides at RAF Syerston Mon to Fri.
We still await the outcome of the DIO basing Strategy
Work has been accelerated for the installation of Flarm.
I have submitted a bid to the RAFCT for additional funding for motivational glider flying for the QGI cadre.
Please cascade this down to your VGS colleagues
So, what about the rest of the ACO�?
Sounds like theyâve had warning that Syerston is to closeâŚ
Or one or two of the other 23 sites may well come out with half a brigade from german on it when the report is published!?!?
Please could the acronyms (e.g. FAT standards etc) be translated into language that those of us who are not members of the two winged master race can understand!!
FAT = Final Aptitude Test.
DIO = Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
QGI - qualified gliding instructor
FLARM - FlightAlarm (Anti collision system)
RAF - Royal Air Force
PET = Polyester
WS = White Socks
LLASGAT = Looks Like A Security Guard At Tesco
AFJ = April Fools Joke
HNT = Habits, Not TraditionsâŚ
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FAT - Flying Ability Test
FAT - Fat (as in, eaten too many pies in the mess whilst gliding hasnât been happening)
Hey ho, no surprises, finally got a reply - send details of the gliding establishmentâs pilots, with their CRB expiry dates, instructor qualifications, etc, etcâŚ
So, what is good for BGA isnât good enough for 2FTS. I will ask that as per the âCAA Approvedâ for flight schools (powered aircraft), âBGA Approvedâ gliding establishments should be incorporated into ACTO35. Fenlands Gliding Club (under the RAFGSA auspices) is âapprovedâ in some way as there have been a limited number of GS allocated there this year.
The problem might come if what is good for the rest of the world mindset came into play in the ATC and we were able to use whoever, could potentially mean the end of a number of RAF and RAF related jobs. I imagine this is why CAA approved = not relevant, despite in all probability you could peel up, part with some readies and go gliding or flying.
Remember when the furore over staff having NGB AT qualifications was meant to mean you just got on with it and no need for extra authorisation, which seemed a bridge too far.
I think weâve seen extent of âfresh and original approach/thinkingâ in the new âkey documentsâ folder on Sharepoint.
Hmmm, not so sure - unless such âextraâ flying/gliding is at little or no cost, I would think that the financial aspects alone would artificially limit participation or entail contributions from the cadets.
As to the set standards/approvals, yep, as an individual = no restrictions, but for the same establishment = a no go for official cadet participationâŚ
Sharepoint - no polite comments available!
Well Chaps, the civilian gliding club where my son flys has getting on for half a dozen 15 - 16 year olds now. A couple are ex Air Cadets, three including my son are still ATC at least in theory. 5 local squadrons across two different wings represented, with one of those squadrons now deceased. Typical teenage lads, they barely say a word, but if pressed about the ATC the general reply is that there is/was almost a complete lack of any activities of any adventurous type, and no flying at all. Whilst not hostile, they just canât see much point in it.
I still try to support my sonâs Sqn. Not least by pushing him to keep turning out. The occasional AEF is worth itâs weight. The Civ. Com. such as we are have made it clear that we are happy to spend all our funds on any other activity they care to arrange, but with an average turn out of 3 to 4 Cdts permed from a total of about 8 or 9 itâs pretty hopeless, and Iâm afraid the writing is on the wall.
I donât want this post to be too negative, and really do wish the ATC well, but for the sake of those Sqns still strong and functioning some thing needs to change pretty soon, and provision for a bit of gliding would be a good start. The BGA are more than willing to help and I believe have made this clear to the ACO at a fairly high level. Our local club presently has 100% (admittedly small) fleet serviceability, a rotor of highly qualified instructors to cover every weekend, a functional system to cover DIs and a perfectly satisfactory child protection policy. We recently flew an Air Cadet who had won a trial flight provided by RAFA. It certainly put a smile on his face.
ACO gliding - on-going for fix & associated contract.
New version of ACTO35 being looked at, to try to make approval process easier, such as specifying pilot experience, for example a brand new PPL club member would be a no, whereas say 200-250 hrs, & in recent experience, would be a yes.
BGA- I believe that they will take on a FTO role for all BGA clubs, which will allow a club to receive approval to fly cadets; until then, as itâs as per the long-winded approval process (ACTO35), which will need another revision when the BGA FTO action has been completed.
funnyâŚthat reads EXACTLY like the previous version of the ACTO that was reworded about 6-9months ago!