So reading between the lines...........<>
'Dear All <You Vocal moaners>
Following on from my note last week I wish to provide you with some additional information explaining the glider activity that will take place between now and Christmas. <I am giving myself a big time window>
First at the outset let me remind each of you that Gliders have the highest visibility with our Senior Leadership both in Air Command and the MOD, <I have done my utmost to stifle and camouflage the fiasco with senior management so they have no idea> and we retain their total support <They have no idea of the mess this is> to sustain gliding well into the next decade <Only 4 years away really and it'll take at least 2 to sort this mess out>.
Viking
So turning first to Viking. Commercial are actively engaged in outsourcing a comprehensive Viking recovery program. Once the details are agreed I can provided you with further information. We also continue to recover the Vikings with Southern Sailplanes. <Nothing to report of any substance so we'll submerge it in 'Commercials'>
Vigilant
22 Trg Gp and 2FTS are :
Continuing with Vigilant recovery at RAF Syerston
Undertaking a quick review of the merits of powered and unpowered gliding and powered flight <I am keeping the staff busy generating meaningless paper studies, the output of which I'll ignore but at least I can confuse Senior Management by making Activity look like output>
Reviewing the relative merits of Tutor vs Vigilant <Why ? the Tutor wasn't a glider of any shape or form last time I looked>
Producing a generic definition of the gliding (powered/ conventional) requirement for cadets <Management drivel that no one will understand and has no definable output that can be associated with me>
Once the above work is completed a second piece of work will follow to:
Review Options (cost, time , risk) <I hope no one asks what we have been doing for the last 18 months>
Mixes of fleets <I already know the answer in my head but this makes it look as though I have taken advice>
Basing <I can slide some cuts through here looking good>
Sqn attribution <I need to look like I understand my customer requirement and that I care>
This work is to be completed before Christmas. <No one will look at it until February at the earliest>
RAF Syerston Activity
Supplementary to this we anticipate Vikings at RAF Syerston soon <no idea of date> and once we have refreshed our QGIs we will be inviting some <not the vocal troublemakers> of the Viking Community to RAF Syerston to undertake flying to FAT standard.
We continue to fly our Vigilant alternating between cadets and VGS staff. We soon <no idea of date> anticipate <no concrete commitment so we are safe here.....> inviting some G1/2 Vigilant staff to fly at RAF Syerston. We have secured additional funding (RAFCT) for more staff motivational flying <no commitment to SCT whatever happens so we are safe here......>. Details to follow soon <no idea of date> from John Bradbury <pass the buck - I am Teflon WRT this>. Finally we are working on a program to deliver a formal part task trainer syllabus to cadets <another pointless hoop introduced and a few more people kept busy generating meaningless shelfware but hey-ho>. I am minded some of you are already doing this but we intend to make it a formal<That is another hurdle to slow down the line queuing at the checkout> element of the VGS training package to cadets in the future. I anticipate having this to you in the New Year <no idea of actual date>.
Personal Note
On a personal note I am well aware of your frustrations regarding recovery of gliders; they are no different to mine. From afar it must seem quite an easy problem to solve. But I can assure you, glider recovery is most probably the most challenging task I and my supporting staffs have had to deal with. Yes we have glitches, mistakes are made, assured deadlines move to the right to name a few <I will hide all this in the blurb>. But let me reassure you, some individuals are all working many long hours to solve the problems as quickly as possible.
And from myself, I am personally committed to getting this sorted. My maturity <?> tells me some of you are unhappy with decisions, timing of information etc- I can only do my best which I do with passion and total commitment. That said, whilst I remain on watch <until I leave>, I intend to leave a legacy for ACO gliding that is fun, safe, sustainable and demonstrates we are worthy as a community of the significant investment and confidence placed in us by wider Defence. There are still many hard decisions to come and some of you, most likely, will be disappointed <I know you will and don't care>. I sense the future “glider space” is most likely to change <I already know>, just like the RAF has changed over the years. That said, I encourage each and every one of you to work to the future alongside me and 2 FTS staffs. Moreover, encourage your VGS members to follow and contribute to it success. We must not lose sight we are all in this for the betterment of the air cadet - nothing more nothing less.
Thank you
Comdt 2FTS'
Hmm