Cadets in Scotland do it…
Tayside aviation run a flying aces scheme
They go
Along and 3 of them go up for a 30min flight in a piper whatever
The paperwork is a bit of a pain but seen worse
Edit:
The Paperwork goes through 2FTS based at RAF you can’t fly
I don’t know about other wings but we were told
Last year in our wing quite clearly…
If you do not submit an activity request 2 weeks before the scheduled event then wing will not approve it. It is then the sqn OC who will be responsible if they attend the event and anything goes wrong.
Being someone of sound mind and a way of
Looking at things… if it was me
Check the insurance of this place if it’s all good no
Dodgy you fly at your own risk…,
Apply to go, 5 days before hand don’t look at Bader emails and have fun
Tayside are one of the approved providers, given that they do flying schols there, so it’s a different situation.
Yes I know it’s one of the approved centres but it’s slightly different.
The pilots are not the training pilots,
There is no ATC/RAF input
You are told you are to attend in civvies and you are flying not as part of the ATC and the parents are to sign the form that they are aware of that.
That should be the case across the board.
Indeed it should - I think local initiative and ability to recognise opportunities which benefit the Cadets is good but I feel it is the job of Wing to stifle it, probably because they believe it is something to be shared with everyone. Risk is a factor but NOT risk to Cadets.
BTW there was an apparent concern at the cost of air fares to Cyprus, which led to a motion to cancel Cyprus Camps, although I noted they were up and running in 2018 with CAC putting in an appearance.
Staff on ‘business’ appear to use service flights (from Brize) where possible but Cadets going to camp have to use commercial flights, but I doubt that a Service flight could be provided any cheaper than with a commercial scheduled airline.
Another example of cut backs and the reduction of facilities for Cadets, compared to what the ATC AND ROC used to get.
Cadets travelled on a Voyager to Cyprus this year.
Was it charged per head on a commercial basis as Voyager comes under the Air Tanker contract.
Ive a suspicion that Ryanair are really an offshoot of 2FTS. They both provide a crap service and cancel loads of flights
Service flying is very cheap, at least for members of the forces - I travelled to and from Cyprus for £30 and €40 respectively.
The issue is that even if cadets can get that price that the seats aren’t guaranteed - if someone more important comes alof then you’re bumped off, and they only fly twice a week. This means that to use the system you need to be prepared (inc finacially) to get a civvy flight instead at short notice - especially when it comes to returning!
Look at the size and operations of Ryanair, all airlines have days when they canel flights, just RYR get the publicity when they do. It’s a case with any LoCo airline of buyer beware. I’d rather fly RYR than one other UK airline anyday.
My dislike of RYR goes beyond the media headlines/Ive no time for O Leary and whilst all budget airlines have extra charges he has gone above and beyond with his.Plus the working conditions for his cabin and flight crews arent brilliant.One of the reasons flights were cancelled last year was down to pilots striking theres also his fast and loose interpretation of compensation laws for his customers.Ive never flown with his airline and never will.
RYR have since day 1 played fast and loose with all people, but you can’t dismiss that they are succesful at what they do. Indeeed the T&Cs are not perfect but what employer is ever perfect. have flown them because I had no choice in the matter as that is what the company booked for colleagues and myself at short notice.
I think we might be getting a little off topic.
At least RYR/EZY are airborne every daay.
I think someone has been telling Porkie pies.
The cadets flew on British Airways flights from Heathrow and Gatwick.
Only The Camp Commandants and adjutants flew on RAF trooper flights.
It was a Cyprus autumn camp, pics are on the W&W fb page.
I stand corrected. Good spot!
No breakdown of the costs was provided to know how much of the overall cost was the flight but it was pretty much the same price a previous Cyprus camps where they did fly on commercial flights
The trouble with trooping flights is that if they get redirected when you are out there, you either have to wait for the next one out or go cap in hand to Civil Air!!
The dates of the W&W Cyprus camp did change befote they left due to the availability of seats. Luckily they could factor for this and i believe the camp was pushed back a week.