What is gliding like?

Cadets The Crew Room
21

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).

22

Argh
I wouldve done my synthetic training yesterday but couldn’t go😔

23

True this! A friend fell foul!

24

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

25

As soon as you do the flight simulator part you are eligible for the blue wings. Ideally you’d do the theory bit before a flight but it’s not always possible

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26

I would have but by the time i checked it was full and it was just a lot of new cadets signing up for it​:man_facepalming::man_shrugging:

27

Hopefully another chance comes up soon though ill ask my CO about it

28

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

29

Been a while, but basically the VGS Staff medical is a ‘standard’ aircrew medical which must be completed by the VGS’s designated nearest Med centre.
It’s not particularily hard to pass if you are ‘healthy and well’ and inside the weight limits …that last bit was something I always flirted with :wink:

I always felt it was a good annual MOT …even 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 …but I bet not for the easier!

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30

Unless you had an inhaler when you were younger… or wear strongish glasses

31

Then in the RAF terms …you are not fit for ‘pilot’ duties :wink:
Unfortunately, that’s the downside to the system of having generic medicals …but 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.

I’m sure this will affect more people in the years to come if the rules don’t change …as nowadays nearly every body seems to use or has used a prescription inhaler!

32

I resemble that description :rofl:

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