The Corps is constantly complaining that they never get enough flying, yet as many have pointed out they rarely full their slots. Makes you wonder...
Having been on a VGS for a number of years as a cadet instructor, I was often amazed at the number of adult staff complaining that their cadets don't get enough flying, yet the slots they bought along were as i said were often short one or two bods.
Also, for a while I have been wondering actually how much use an AEF is... the number of cadets I flew who when asked about flying experience "oh I've done 10AEF's" yet the cadets had rarely covered anything other than aeros. Yes there are some AEF pilots who do insist on teaching the standard how to fly, but so many cadets it appear just want to go upside down (why not go to Thorpe park for the weekend....).
VGS's seem to be more useful in teaching cadets to fly and even take the successful ones on further. Also, the CCF sections (vast majoritory) seem to be flying a lot more than the ACO, have met many a 13 year old CCF cadet with 15 AEFs or thereabouts under their belts!
As with venturing onto bases, many VGS's are still on active and in some cases frontline bases, so cadets wouldn't be missing out on that aspect.
I'm all for binning the AEF element, and having more VGS's to do AEF etc. (there are apparently a large number of viking airframes unused at syerston..so why not put them into use and get rid of those dam Van Gelder money eating winches!)
I'm not sure entirely what should be done about the UAS's however...I'm in it for the RAF not the social club.