Personally, if the axe has to fall I would like to see the AEFs go. As a young CGB I spent endless weekends chasing winch launched gliders around a soggy, cold RAF Catterick. Cadets had plenty of opportunity to fly whilst also engaging in proper, aviation related, team building activity. Right now, the organisation is more aligned to the Army Cadets/Scouts than aviation. Indeed, it is depressing to get a message from WHQ asking if you have any aviation minded cadets who may want to attend an undersubscribed aviation training day; there's only so many times you can enthusiastically marshall a landrover.
Perhaps the BGA is the solution? They quite happily and safely service Air League scholarships and I'm sure they would be willing to embrace the ACO as a customer/partner.