It also potentially means sharing sites with organisations that are willing to offer accommodation at very low rates or no cost at all.
Hosting in a school may not be ideal for ATC cadets, but it is, for most places, a feasible option that could come with no cost. Less likely, but Scouts & Guides might be willing to lend their venue for shared bills.
If the above is true, less money would need to move out of the organisation enabling local units to invest more into their cadets at a local level.
And ultimately, with all the pauses and lack of availability of core activities, what does the org actually get for paying up into the GPF/charity anyhow?
This comment and my previous one aren’t to say that this is the right course of action, but if we don’t do something radical as an organisation there will be no reason for us to exist in only a few years. The same old thinking as always is dangerous for the org’s sustainability, so let’s think outside the box.
I thought the SCC still received public funding, but in such a way that they can lump it in with their non-public funds and spend the lot on whatever they want?
To be honest, I’ve met one QAIC cadet in the last ten years and they struggled to explain to me what they did beyond ‘super master air cadet’ and MOI. They also got confused when I assumed at least they got a reasonable amount flight time if they warranted their own flying suit.
It could evaporate tomorrow and I don’t anybody in the wing would even notice.
In my wing they are on the Immersive Tech team, Regional aerospace team, instructing on this years QAIC, train the trainer and delivering Blue ATP, delivering drone courses, delivering flight planning and flight sim weekend courses.
The problem comes from an ignorance of the course content by Sqn and wing staff, leading to them not knowing what to do with, or ask of, the QAI’s.
Ignorance of the staff & cadets - I’ve heard a lot of derogatory comments regarding QAIC describing it as the nerds course , they geeky one & other put down comments primarily coming from those involved in JL.
My main understanding is that JL is more beneficial to the individual where QAIC is more useful in terms of skills returned to swn.
Now you say it…i cant remember the last time i met one.
And don’t forget their issued “callsign” too!
I’ve known staff within Wings boundaries attend and support with success bit they’ve either moved out the Wing or left now so im not sure who in the Wing would notice
To be selected for QAIC you have to be able to demonstrate that you are seriously ‘aviation minded’.
The vast majority of successful applicants have already completed ACPS, a gliding scholarship, or are FSC at a VGS or AEF. They therefore already have a flying suit.
