Originally Posted by
Geriaviator
So true for all youth organisations. Long ago I took along some aviation bits and pieces to illustrate chats to casual gatherings; they can't have been that bad as the youngsters sometimes wouldn't let me away until 11pm, to the extent that my dear wife thought I was conducting other activities (I wish ...)
A decade ago when I was still fit enough to do so
I offered a repeat performance only to encounter such an obstacle course of risk assessments, police inquiries etc that I didn't bother, and that was before mention of my WW2 sectioned ASI and altimeter with the dreaded luminous paint.
The attitude of some RAFAC staff in reaction to apparent guidance is often laughable. Had you offered to come along to my Sqn (back in the day admittedly) there would have been no CRB/DBS requirement as you wouldn't have been given unescorted access to the youngsters. A commonsense approach using Bader's "...guidance of wise men....obedience of fools" is what is missing from the ACO in particular.
That said - and getting back towards the topic - I remember a good few years ago a nearby ATC Sqn having its .22 rifles stolen. Armourers arrived to carry out the routine six monthly inspection and servicing, but needed to take the weapons away for some remedial work. The Sqn staff were somewhat taken aback when the real armourers from the PU turned up shortly afterwards....... To be fair, we weren't 100% certain we wouldn't have fallen for the same con.