Originally Posted by
chevvron
Agree with you POBJOY.
I was still short of my 18th birthday and still at school when the CFI, after doing 5 launches with me in very rough weather, told me that as from that moment I was a P2 grade pilot and 'here is your first air experience cadet.'
On that day also, there was a Scout Jamboree on part of the airfield (Halton) and several scouts who were pupils at the same school as I were amazed to see me taking a leading role.
To look back and know that I flew several hundred more cadets on AEG flights, many of those having their first ever flight in anything, makes me proud of the system which we operated in those days.
Years later I went on to fly a few cadets on their 'first ever' flights in microlights (which were only about 5 - 10 kts faster than a Mk3) at Halton and I'm proud of that too; pity that although HQAC funded microlight Flying Scholarships they wouldn't fund AEF in spite of the fact AOC Air Cadets at that time (1991) came down from Newton and flew one (Cyclone AX3s initially) and pronounced himself very happy with them.
An important comment re AOC coming along and actually FLYING the machine. He did not come along to give them a brief on Twitter or Faceless book but could FLY a machine. The only way to head up an organisation and we know what happens when that does not happen. Venture Adventure, the message is still the same now if they could get themselves sorted.