From the 645 VGS Facebook page this afternoon , 7 May ;
The Grob Vigilant T1 formally retires after 27 Years of service with the Royal Air Force.
At 1600 hours on Sunday 6th May 2018 the RAF retired from service a beloved aircraft which has been close to the hearts of many Air Cadets, Staff and instructors alike.
The Grob Vigilant T1 Motor Glider entered service in 1991 and has served the Air Cadets proudly over her 27 years in service. Allowing cadets aged 16 and over to fly a powered aircraft solo on either their BGT (Basic Glider Training) or Sliver Wings Gliding Scholarship as it is now or AGT (Advanced Glider Training). Cadets of all ages have also been able to fly the Vigilant through aviation packages.
Many an Air Cadet and instructor have used the Vigilant as a stepping stone into careers in aviation, and the training they received was second to none. We have had 2 of our ex-instructors; Flt Lt James Sainty and Flt Lt Paul Kitczma join the RAF and both are Flying the mighty Eurofighter Typhoon. Another instructor James Nealings has just started on the path to become an RAF pilot.
We also have ex and current instructors flying for Easyjet, Jet2, Ryan Air, Cathay Pacific and Emirates who all started flying on the mighty Vigilant.
One senior instructor with 645 VGS, Sqn Ldr Paul Watts had accumulated over 5000 hours on the Vigilant and flew the aircraft from when it entered service.
The Vigilant offered instructors a fantastic training platform compared to the Viking where instructor and trainee were sat side by side and could stay airborne for as long as the sortie needed, ensuring consistent and effective bespoke training for each student.
The basic and very simple cockpit layout and controls made it very easy to master the Vigilant and all that flew her would agree she was a pleasure and a dream to fly. There will be many a tear shed following her retirement and it’s an aircraft you had a passion and love for.
It has been an honour and a privilege to have been given the opportunity for 645 VGS to be the only unit to have continued flying the Vigilant for the 20 months we have following the pause. We have also had the pleasure of 631 VGS (Woodvale) flying with us at RAF Topcliffe making up a joint unit flying the Vigilant.
We always knew the Vigilant was nearing the end of her service but we expected this would not be as soon as it has been.
645 VGS at RAF Topcliffe was the last unit to fly the Vigilant and they gave her a fantastic send off even awarding Flight Staff Cadet FS Dan Griffin his Grade 1 pilots (G1) wings. Also FSC Nathan Jennions was awarded his silver wings after being the last cadet to fly the Vigilant solo and FSC Harley Preston completed his Gold Wings Glider Training. Well done to them all.
The final flight was flown in ZH207 which was the same aircraft that saw 645 VGS return to the skies on Saturday 17th September 2016. The final sortie flown by OC 645 Sqn Ldr Stephen Hughes took to the air in the final flight of the Vigilant at 15:37hrs. His student was Cadet Edward Goulding from 610 (City of Chester) who was completing his Blue wings aviation package.
They touched down on runway 13 at 15:57 as the aircraft taxied back it was given a guard of honour from the squadron staff as well as an amazing and heart warming airborne salute from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Eurocopter EC145.
This sad but proud moment marked the final flight and retirement of the mighty Grob Vigilant T1. She had been the flagship for the Air Cadets for 27 years and will be greatly missed.
OC 645 Sqn Ldr Stephen Hughes said “it has been an honour and a privilege to fly the last ever cadet flight in the Vigilant Motor Glider. We all understand the reasons, but can’t help but feel it’s a shame it is being removed from service early. She has served as an excellent platform to train and give the experience of solo flight to thousands of Air Cadets all over the country”.
He continued “As the squadron moves forward I look forward to moving the squadron back to the Viking, which 645 VGS operated from its entry into service in November 1984 until March 2003 when we moved to RAF Topcliffe. There will be many challenges to face in the conversion process as well as a completely different way of operating, however I hope we will be flying cadets again soon”
He also said “I am delighted to announce that in the interim we will continue to offer the cadet aviation ground school packages and PTT training at RAF Topcliffe”.
Cadet Edward Goulding of 610 (City of Chester) squadron was the last ever cadet to fly in the Vigilant. It was also his first flight. He commented “This memorable flight was my first ever in a Glider. I really enjoyed it and look forward to flying in the Viking”.
As OC 645 VGS confirmed, Instructors from 645 VGS will in the coming months convert to the Viking conventional Glider and we hope it won’t be to long before we will operate out of Topcliffe with the Viking. Until then we will still offer cadets Ground Based aviation packages.
We would like to thank all the squadrons, cadets and VGS staff over the years that have flown in or operated the Vigilant and join us in remembering all the fantastic experience and opportunities this great little aircraft has offered.
Flt Lt Aaron O’Roarty
645 VGS
Media Communications Officer