Have a flight an AEF or VGS, complete the Flying Ops part of First Class training, and complete some basic elements on the flight simulator (this part needs to be delivered by someone approved to do so).
Argh
I wouldve done my synthetic training yesterday but couldnât gođ
True this! A friend fell foul!
Yep they definitely do. My local VGS were very keen to recruit me actively last time I was escorting cadets there, especially when I mentioned my long lapsed silver wings. Not sure how long it would take to go from hero to zero
As soon as you do the flight simulator part you are eligible for the blue wings. Ideally youâd do the theory bit before a flight but itâs not always possible
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I would have but by the time i checked it was full and it was just a lot of new cadets signing up for itâ:man_facepalming:
Hopefully another chance comes up soon though ill ask my CO about it
I would just reach out to the VGS if your just interested in flying cadets, try and get hold of a copy of the medical manual, the latest one, I have heard has higher standards/requirements in some areas than a class 1 commercial medical
Been a while, but basically the VGS Staff medical is a âstandardâ aircrew medical which must be completed by the VGSâs designated nearest Med centre.
Itâs not particularily hard to pass if you are âhealthy and wellâ and inside the weight limits âŚthat last bit was something I always flirted with 
I always felt it was a good annual MOT âŚeven if I did hate every second of going for it - I definitely suffer from white coat syndrome!
As said, going back a few years so things may have changed âŚbut I bet not for the easier!
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Unless you had an inhaler when you were younger⌠or wear strongish glasses
Then in the RAF terms âŚyou are not fit for âpilotâ duties
Unfortunately, thatâs the downside to the system of having generic medicals âŚbut I guess they have a big enough pool of candidates for the regular service pilot opportunities (basically not many needed!) to be able to say that.
Iâm sure this will affect more people in the years to come if the rules donât change âŚas nowadays nearly every body seems to use or has used a prescription inhaler!
I resemble that description 
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Well, I did my gliding today!
Genuinely such an incredible experience. I did a morning and afternoon flight (weather wasnt the best but still decent in the morning) and everything still feels so vivid. You slowly get tugged along the runway, but as soon as the winch really kicks in (âall outâ?) you get LAUNCHED down the runway very very quickly and you can feel the speed and the wind. The lift off too was at such an incredibly steep angle like a rollercoaster and after all the sounds of travelling down the runway and the winch doing its thing you just hear air from the little hole in the canopy window, which did somehow feel quite calming. Even the banks (turns) felt very steep and I could really feel the aircraftâs movements and its speed(if that makes sense?)
Everything, from the briefings to the abandonment training and all the preparation in between felt a bit nerve-wracking but I got over it as soon as I was in the Viking. The instructors were incredible people, and I felt very reassured by them and they were very happy in letting me take photos and answer my questions.
Even the more trivial things like attaching the winch, levelling the wings and moving around the aircraft on the airfield was lots of fun and I did stay outside for quite a bit helping out the officers in preparing the aircraft and moving them around instead of sitting around in the little caravan.
Best part though was the afternoon flight. Because there were less clouds and the weather was really improving, I could see very far across the city and we had time to fly for a lot longer (due to the thermals) and I was even allowed to pilot the glider for a little bit myself!
Very long winded response, but genuinely all in all it was an 11/10 and I enjoyed every little bit of it. Would recommend
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Wonderful news!
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