Have I missed something…
I saw a cadet on a wing event get their jumper out which had on it, blue wings but instead of an A or a G, it had RAFAC in it. Not a proper set of wingsike for adults, it looked exactly the same as the A or G wings but with RAFAC in.
Have the flying badges for cadets changed? If so, when did that happen?
Thanks!
Yes.
See IBN 29/21.
There are other threads about it on here, but can’t find them on my phone.
Yes. They changed in January (great Comms).
One set of wings now rather than separate A&G Wings.
In short, to the best of my knowledge:
Blue - design as before but with RAFAC in middle.
Requires FFC flight operations, synthetic training and a flight in either a tutor or viking
Bronze - design as before but with RAFAC in middle. Harder to get than old style bronze. Essentially for completing most of a GS/FS but no solo.
Blue and Bronze still worn on the shoulder patch.
Silver - similar design to RAF wings but with RAFAC inside a silver wreath and no crown. Awarded for completion of GS/FS. Worn in the same position as RAF wings.
Gold - as silver but with a gold wreath. Awarded for completion of AGT or a PPL through an approved provider (just Tayside ATM)
Civilian - similarish to gold and silver but with a C in the middle and all white stiching. May be awarded for any solo flight outside of cadets. Will be awarded for a PPL from a non approved provider. Worn in the same place as gold and silver wings.
Some photos of the silver wings here You’re Temporarily Blocked
Still nothing for those staff with PPL (or higher). Only for VGS pilots
So if I’m reading this correctly …you get a badge for one flight in a glder and a dabble on the ground trainer!
…It really has turned into the boy scouts!
Except the scouts probably get more flying
Been like that since the PTS came in
Plus a classification subject. Its still harder to gain than most blue badges, but considerably easier to get than the old flying syllabus permitted.
It’s the jump in difficulty (through scarcity of opportunity) between blue and bronze that gets me.
That and making bronze a consolation prize completely devalues it.
Cadets are already calling it the, ‘you failed your scholarship’ badge!
I’ve heard it called this too. But maybe that’s just sour grapes. My response would be at least I got on the scholarship!
As with everything aviation, someone so far removed has taken a look and tinkered to create something that sounds good - but actually has little bearing on the real life lived experience.
Another win for the shambles that is 2FTS.
A broken PTS syllabus, a now irrelevant AGS fighting to get their voice heard and discover what it’s actually for, no VGS provision, just add it to the long list of 2FTS wins recently.
Maybe instead of insisting on “delivering at pace” we could actually spend a moment before making decisions that are trashing the organisation.
Don’t hold your breath.
That’s no different to the old blue and silver wings for gliding.
Walk before you run 
How so? In the old system the order was :
Blue : Same as current syllabus albeit PTT at AGS/VGS rather than Sim on sqn.
Bronze : Further flights and more advanced PTT & Groundschool
Silver : Gliding Scholarship resulting in first solo.
Gold : Advanced Glider Training
It was perfectly possible to gain Blue/Bronze without being a failing to do a first solo on a scholarship.
They mean in the good old days before the PTS participation awards.
Blue wings with GS in the middle for not completing a gliding scholarship, silver wings with S for going solo, and gold wings with A for doing AGT
Pre PTS/ATP there were blue wings if you didn’t solo with ‘GS’ to show you had attended a gliding scholarship, silver with ‘S’ for solo if you had gone solo and gold with ‘A’ in for advanced, letters where the RAFAC is in the current incarnation.
Attending fam/experience flights you generally got a smile on your face and a good day out and that was it.
I meant the old syllabus, whereby you went in your scholarship and if you went solo you got Silver Wings and if you didn’t you got Blue Wings.
Fixed that for you 
I’m glad there’s some conversation here.
I’ve a cadet that’s just gone solo at Tayside on ACPS and under the new system (per IBN 029 - 2021 which has been withdrawn and apparently incorporated into ACTOs 031, 034 and 036 - not that there’s any reference to the updated content) he has only been awarded Silver wings. The only way to get gold is to have completed a PPL at Tayside, so only the wealthiest among our cadre may get this.
Am I missing something?
Gold wings are also for those who complete AGT (so need to be able to commit to FSC roles) or who are rich enough, and live close enough to Dundee, to complete a PPL with Tayside. There are a few scholarships to help do a PPL which can help the richest.
But if we are going to recognise a PPL (which in my mind we should whether or not it’s available through cadets) there will always be the money divide. What annoys me more is the irrational and arbitrary nature of whether you get the gold RAFAC wings or white civilian wings depending on where you did the training for your nationality recognised PPL.
