I> envisage all VGSs to be operating gliders by the end of Summer of next year
Envisage … what a good word that says everything and nothing.
I envisage winning the Lottery by next summer.
i thought the expectation was “within 2 hours travel time”?? I cannot remember where or when I saw it but i have a recollection it would be that “local” - i’d predict that 30-40% of Units are further than that anyway but still that is what i heard
here’s hoping! - my provisional request for a coach for a museum trip for ATC Sunday has been rejected due to a lack of available budget…
There is only a slack handful of Sqns in my wing that are under two hours away from 637 with some from west wales having a journey close on 4 hours.
i thought the expectation was “within 2 hours travel time”?? I cannot remember where or when I saw it but i have a recollection it would be that “local” - i’d predict that 30-40% of Units are further than that anyway but still that is what i heard[/quote]
If I’m correct our one will be 3-3½ hours each way, which if you go for a day means it’s a long, long, long day. Leave at c0430 and get home c.2100-2200. I’d want a comfy chair while the cadets are doing whatever if I was driving there.
here’s hoping! - my provisional request for a coach for a museum trip for ATC Sunday has been rejected due to a lack of available budget…[/quote]
They’d probably spent that on rank slides and badges.
That aside I imagine it will be by sqn arrangement and claim … then they’ll say we’ve run out of money to pay claims.
I don’t disagree with the above comments
perhaps it was “Within 2 hours” for a day visit - anything more then accommodation was a given?
I think that 2 hours would be pushing it for travel to either of the equidistant VGS to my Sqn. OYF if you think I’m overnighting it to take 4/5 oiks for a half hour flight.
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So potentially limited slots during the school summer holidays?
Absolutely.
I think we have an organisation that hasn’t realised it has grown ups in it as well as teenagers and thinks adults like things the cadets do, some of the young guns just out of cadet life might, but I want creature comforts.
I’d sooner drive home and stop somewhere for food on the way home (charged to HQAC) and be in my own bed rather than face a long drive the day after and ruin the entire weekend for as suggested cadets getting a ½ hour flight and spending most of the day with their thumbs up their backsides.
Let’s face it where ever the new VGS are going to be it won’t be an easy drive to somewhere nice and warm to eat.
I agree, things are going to be a little more difficult and staff may have to put themselves out a little more?
Not quite sure what this cadets who are keen to go gliding would think of these recent posts?
If you’re not going to be out of pocket by putting yourself out a little for some of your cadets to experience some gliding on the odd occasion then surely this is not too much to ask? Some staff will be eligible to claim pay for this?
Getting cadets to places to give them experiences has always been a core function of being an adult volunteer. You shouldn’t consider venting your frustrations by working to rule on this…!
I just no longer see why we are spending so much money on the VGS system which is so reduced in size and function to be non-existent, surely it would be cheaper and more efficient to scrub 2FTS completely along with all the sites and aircraft and instead pay the BGA to provide our Gliding. (They have 8 times the number of sites, are accessible to all and have all the skills and admin in place).
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They need to justify jobs for the boys and what would the current 2 FTS staff done without the gravy train that was created? 2 FTS staff have had less relevance that than a MEP, which is going some and like MEPs, 2 FTS do things purely to justify their existence.
TBH the whole flying side of the ATC could be scrapped and just use local “civilian” schools. It would save shed loads of dosh. The need for “military flying” is defunct, as for getting a better instruction etc, every single PPL I know has learned with a ‘local’ school and never had any ‘military’ instruction. The persistence in the ATC is just people hanging on to the dream. But as we have seen, the MOD will sell off estate or let things slide, with no regard for the impact. I’ve not seen any of the civilian airfields local to me close, get sold etc. But I can drive for an hour and go past many former military sites that are now festooned with houses and or industrial / ‘enterprise’ parks.
Except it won’t be for a 30 minute flight
As far as I can remember these “super schools” will be offering more than just 1x flight (ok so that could just be 2x) but also is supposed to be offering PTS training – sound familiar? G Moulds idea regarding the original plan with RACs? Turn up for flying but also get X, Y and Z done? Yes
But that is how I recall reading it.
Issued a gliding weekend. Where some will be spent in the classroom (perhaps doing the theory elements to the PTS wing badges) while the rest on the airfield active with the aircraft.
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Are you going to have the staff for all these activities?
Are you going to have the right facilities and equipment?
One of the failings of RACs was the range; from bells and whistles to small clapper for as per plastic bell Christmas decoration. Then there was staff available to do things.
As I understand it this would be VGS Staff (on the assumption by combining 2/3 into one there is a larger Staff pool for ground training) - although if it is “super school” you’d expect the flying hours to increase proportionally and so those VGS Staff who have moved would still be required in the air
NB - this is not my plan this came out in the last month what the super schools/VGSs would look like!
ah!
found it - well kinda, not exactly what I am looking for (i suspect it is the words of Dawn on Faceache which I will not scroll through in work’s time to find)
see my bold and underlined - the VGS will have with them ground schools design to provide the PTS gliding/flying syllabus
Problem is do staff really want to do a weekend away like this?
What’s in it for the staff?
I’m not sure civilian Flying clubs or BGA gliding clubs have the appetite to fly thousands of air cadets every year?
You shouldn’t under estimate what military Flying training exposure can do for the right young person who wishes to persue an aviation career? For a young person that doesn’t it’s good fun. I appreciate not every young person or adult in the organisation likes flying, but we must fight to hang on to what we’ve got? After all we are the RAF Air Cadets. The more core activity supported by the RAF the better, surely…?!
A question HQAC will have the answer to I am sure as it is part of the master plan…
…or are you indicating that VGS pilots/Staff will not want to give up their weekends at an airfield to teach in a classroom?
Ask enough people in the RAFAC and you’ll find a handful+ who would say the MOD/RAF/RAFAC don’t have the appetite to fly thousands of Air Cadets a year either
[hashtag]3yearpause
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Depends if your staff are prepared to support squadron activities?
They might even enjoy it???