RIAT 2022 and 2023

Simple, don’t require visitors to be in uniform.

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Sorry, but that is all rubbish. There will be loads of cadets there with their family - how would anyone know or exert control over them?

How can the RIAT team risk assess people and things they’re neither in control of nor present for?

I would say it is wrong to lump everyone in together and consider normal, “paying” visitors as part of the volunteer crew. It blurs the lines and risks confusion and poor communication should there actually be an incident or something goes wrong. I’d argue it makes no difference if someone “get’s a call” and turns up to find me there - what practically changes whether it’s me and my cadets, or John Smith and his scout group?

Who sees Cadet Control as the HQ for all the cadets on site? Is that an HQAC thing? A RAFCT thing? Or some other organisation seeing it that way? Ultimately they can see themselves as responsible all they like but it isn’t true. I’m the one who authorised our trip on SMS, I’m the one in control of our cadets on the day and whilst they might request something of me, it’s still my decision and choice as to whether I agree or not.

This isn’t a dig at you, I know you’re just explaining some of the behind the scenes goings-on people deal with, but it does seem balmy that by attending an event I’m somehow lumped in with people who are actually involved in running the same event. The equivalent of me having my cadets helping at a county fair and then assuming command of any from another squadron who happen to turn up - it makes no sense.

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It also massively seems to blur the lines on where the DDH line falls. If you’ve approved your attendance via SMS then your RC is the DDH if something goes wrong. But does that transfer to COS once you get on site as they are then ‘in control’? All seems a bit odd.

If you’re attending with your own cadets in your own SOV, authorised your self via the currect CoC on SMS, then why should you need to have another RA read out to you? :thinking: :thinking:

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Same with the “you must attend in uniform” dross that goes with it. If my Cadets are sleeping in 2 and 3 man tents in a farmers field they won’t be attending in blues.

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Ill support by being an attendee :slight_smile:

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Or attend for the first 50yds past the entrance gate then get changed into more comfortable clothing.

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Who remembers the Youth Day on the Friday, cadets and staff went free :man_shrugging:t2:

Practise and arrivals day :+1:

So my understanding re uniform for air shows was

-working party helping out with logs - MTP
-cadets on stands & official PR wedge wood
-daytrip Sqns not part of the official - Working blues.

MTP is too hot for a lot of air shows, working blue shows presence in an air cadet capacity but not officially part of the event.

It then makes it easier for everyone to keep track. Sqn polo tops are another alternative.

I completely agree

Those cadets are not attending as cadets though nor in uniform

:man_shrugging: but they like to havr control?

Probably all of them.

HQAC thing wanting it all to come under one CoC
And RAFCTE not understanding some jist attend for the day.

A RAFCTE volunteer will see a cadet uniform and assume part of the working party (so why nothrr attending in uniform? See below)

And this is exactly why when attendioir annual (but not local) airshow that we attend in civilian clothes notbto get included in, confused as or lumped with working cadets.

I csn only talk from someone on the inside looking out (my only visots to RIAT jave befn when camping) but based on what the Staff brief says it would seem clear day visitor’s were expected to do

We poll the Cadets we are taking and either go in Working Blues or Civvies as the majority wish.

There are obvious benefits to them being in uniform, in terms of access opportunity - but 9 times out of 10 they would rather enjoy the show in civvies and dress for the weather as they are more comfortable.

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After the issuing of the calling order, had anyone heard anything else?

Expressions of interest or anything else along those lines?

Radio silence down south.

What are you expecting?

If you check the calling notice nothing should be expected until at least 13th March (next week)

(That said, on the RIAT Staff FB group it would seem our Wing is not the only one who has been silent in sharing anything but the calling notice, no requests to show interest or express any interest to offer Wing an idea of the interest it should answer with…)

The calling notice wasn’t shared in our Wing, I believe the WAvnO completed an Expression of Interest though, I know I have cadets that are keen, interested and over 16

oh well that is poor and a bigger issue altogether.

i am sure there is plenty of interest around the wings but a thread on FB does suggest Wings are not sharing anything with Squadrons to collect the interest - which is fine providing Wings are replying “we’re interested, and will take our allocation” on the expectation they can fill it…but the comms as ever is less than ideal

All I saw of the calling notice was the RAFAC announcement, that I get as I have alerts configured, I don’t know how else it was shared, seems to be the classic trickle down comms failure.

Many of the things that you have pointed out. Nothing mentioned at Wing after calling notice.

What are the chances that HQAC are relying on their being greater interest from cadets in attending, now that most won’t be able to go to Nijmegen that weekend…?

I doubt that’s been considered

Nijmegen has always clashed with Nijmegen. In the past it didn’t matter so much but now both are 16+ events, the pool of cadets is only so big.

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