Gliding "paused"

I am sorry but the term recovered will mean that staff at my local VGS will be getting their hours in to regain currency, that my cadets will be able to go to my local VGS within 3 months and do a GIC and older cadets will be able to apply for a Scholarship complete it within 6 months. Any thing else will not mean recovered but recovering

Yeah but “recovering” will still be a great step in the better direction wont it? Of course our local VGS will need to get themselves sorted but then once all is good to go and 2FTS are happy I am sure the idea of getting cadets up will be right up there.

Not so sure about the Scholarships though, I think they will be further down the line. The VGS recovering is one thing but then getting back to full business may take longer? I can only assume here?

Lets hop the big brief comes soon, my VGS chum seems to have some very positive vibes but sadly does not mean a fast recovery, a better vibe than this time last year :slight_smile:

Eh? Gliding “recovered”?

Oh yes, that will be the slack handful of Vikings that have been cleared, the reduction in the number of VGS sites around the UK and the Vigilant fleet being written-off, never to return.

Gliding looks very much like it won’t be back on the menu for some years.

If that’s your idea of “recovery” you’re seriously deluded…

Has anyone actually got the update?

Other than some MOD statement saying that some 12 sites are being sold off for efficiency drives (I only know Hullavington as a glider location), I’ve heard nothing. There’s nothing on sharepoint either.

We were briefed at a formal meeting last week. Sadly, I’m unable to disclose anything more than I mentioned in my last post.

Other WO’s were tweeting most of it so it’s not that confidential really is it.

Then I’m sure they won’t mind filling the rest of the membership in with the detail.

I doubt it. They’re too busy constructing their own secret warrant officers’ only website.

Nice the see the minutes of their conference have been shared in an open and transparent manner.

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There are minutes?

The minutes from 2014 year’s minutes got lost in the system until late last year. This years will need to be prepared and approved through HQAC before they get out. It would make sense for them to be posted openly on sharepoint.

There’s slowly and this which makes geological time/processes look positively speedy by comparison. We haven’t even had a tectonic event.

At no time since this was initiated has there been any real end date, just a vague dates to raise hopes. When you look at this you can see just how poor project management in the MOD is and fully understand how and why the situation that was revealed in 2010 in terms of financial black hole ÂŁ36 Billion came about.

There had been several ÂŁmillion chucked at this and for this to only realise a few serviceable gliders in 21 months is something that needs to be raised in the house as a flagarant waste of public money and the people responsible, given an indication as to where the door is and not some lowly minion put up as a scapegoat.

I can’t imagine any of us who have been involved in / managed projects at work, would be sitting pretty in a job probably commanding an £70K+ salary after so much procrastination. Most work based projects have a budget, end date and ‘milestones’ which are decided at the outset as you can only have so much money, to assess progress and give a focus as you probably have a need deadline. It would be really interesting to see that document for this project.

Indeed will take a while, All the Vigilant’s going, you sure? Not what I heard :slight_smile:

Once again we should all await the briefs and accept major change, our cadets will glide again! Will be very different though and what sad news for 621 VGS at Hullavington, the first victim of the DIO and MOD review.

I hope all the staff and cadets there can join another VGS.

As normal with an issue of this magnitude the jungle drums have been working overtime. The big decision on the future of Gliding in the ACO was made on the 18 Dec 15 and the power that be have yet to make an announcement. This in its self doesn’t does look good as any good news would have been sung from the roof tops straight away.
The roomers are that the Vigi’s are going, this is bad for South Wales as both 634 and 636 are both Vigi Sqns. The next closest unit is 621 at Hullavington and this is closing and 621 are homeless. Furthermore there are strong indications that 636’s future at Fairwood Common is not assured as there gliders and MT have been removed to St Athan and the Partial Tast Trainer was never delivered. Also St Athan cannot operate Vikings because of the DARA super hanger was built on the airfield and 634 converted to Vigilant because of this.
With the issues around AEF, full bore shooting it looks like Wales is going to be stiffed again with the corps core activities unless you want to travel.

[quote=“Bigspoon, post:622, topic:1152, full:true”]
Indeed will take a while, All the Vigilant’s going, you sure? Not what I heard :)[/quote]
Quite sure. I know what I heard at the briefing.

[quote=“Bigspoon”]
Once again we should all await the briefs and accept major change, our cadets will glide again! [/quote]
Either you’re a troll, an eternal optimist or someone who’s unable to grasp the reality of the situation…

Who briefed you lot I have to ask, was it AOC 22 Grp or Comdt 2FTS? If it wasn’t one of them I am sure it wont be full story.

I am not a troll, as I said I joined as my mate said it’s interesting reading on here. I too face many cadets on weekly basis and it it what it is, I was also on a VGS a few years back so I do have some knowledge of the VGS world. I can tell most on here do not.

It is a rubbish situation but, I am not moaning in front of the cadets, it’s unfortunately is no longer 1979. Money is tight and the pause has exposed ACO gliding to the highest, very influential level I can only guess.

Once the first cadet goes up the winch launce I suggest a party. Saying that some cadets did fly in Vigilant’s last year at Syerston, not many granted.

Keep smiling we might get snow.

Too true. No change in the paucity of the information flow since this all started. Over one month on & no-one is pushing out the news; the longer it takes, the worse it will probably be. Management by “mushroom syndrome.”

To be fair, that isn’t a new problem. As a cadet at the end of the last century I got the opportunity to glide once in my 4-5 years as a cadet. After our local VGS closed we didn’t get a look in with the alternative.

Announcement due tommorrow which has ministerial approval. It was delayed due to Government instructions. Read: we didn’t want the bad news at the time, but this week looks OK.

Sorry Chaz… It is a problem!
the fact you only got gliding once is an issue too,
However it maybe for reasons such as space allocation etching, I would hope that your sqn got offered it more than what you as a cadet did.
Ultimately the point I was raising is in 6years we have had no gliding opportunities in our area to say that this is pathetic is an understatement. Some people on here claim to be in the know and have inside knowledge, I would ask them if in their honest opinion do they believe that to be acceptable?

What else is due to happen in the world tomorrow then?
Is it scheduled to be “A good day to bury bad news”.