There are elements of what I see as " the truth" in many of the most recent posts. There is a need to look forward and not backwards, the way air cadet gliding was delivered was both effective and character building and yes the RC's these days are not usually pilots. In addition, there is much more form filling than there has ever been. However, the environment that the leadership of the Air Cadets finds itself operating has been shaped by others; the cessation of an RAF maintenance organisation for gliders which forced outsourcing, the "rationalisation" of the defence estate that has led to a rapid reduction of available airfields, the imposition of a safety regime designed for fast jet assets rather than far more simple aircraft and the legal sword of damocles that hovers above all those with responsibility, an overly bureaucratic Health and Safely regime.
What concerns me most is the delivery of effective experiences for cadets that build their knowledge, skills and resilience. It is the last of these that causes me real concern. When cadets of yesteryear spent whole days in an outdoor environment dealing with the practical issues of running an airfield it built the foundations of the resilience so necessary to deal with the many challenges that life would throw at them. While I see the current air cadet training system building knowledge and skills I see no evidence to date that the technology-based approach to flying will build the resilience that I believe will be more important than ever for our young people as they face a progressively more complex world. I would be delighted to be proved wrong.