As a former VRT officer, now turned Ci, I often get the chance to meet and greet the new cadets as they join our unit. The best thing that the ATC has to offer the next generation is the opportunity to fly, after a bit of basic training on the squadron. This is what sets us apart from the other cadet forces and youth groups.
For the myriad of reasons set out in this enduring thread, we (the organisation) have not given our cadets the joy of flight for some time. I now see cadets I welcomed, quit, because they can't fly. Has anyone at headquarters Air Cadets actually looked at how this 'pause' has effected cadet recruitment and retention?
If they have, what has been the effect?