BB
It's all terribly sad when I look back over my thousands of launches and days happily gliding, but my airfield has gone now and I think there is nothing to do but look forward. I feel for the Vigilant crews as now looks like they have lost their mount and the sites closing, but we have got to consolidate and make the sites that are to remain open work. We owe that much to the next generation of cadets.
I'm also expecting very few Vigilants to come back as they must be beyond economical repair with new engines now needed that aren't manufactured anymore. Running a few with remaining spares might be an option, but the cost of putting different engines in the rest (with all the testing/modification/paperwork required) is likely going to be too expensive with everything else that needs to be done on top of the engine work. I wonder if they will buy something else in the longer term? What will be mildly amusing (embarassing!) is when all these ex-mil Grob 109s start appearing on the civil register in airworthy condition on an ex-mil permit to fly with a VW derived engine. I wonder if they will be broken up and not put up for disposal as complete assets to save any embarassment?
I did see your original post making some sad reading. I suspect that you won't be far from the truth in your numbers - if it was good news then it would have come out by now! Saving what is left and coming up with a plan that delivers maximum opportunity to Cadets has to be the main mission now. I hope that we are 'out of the woods' with the Viking, even though only a handful have so far returned to flight after 9+ months of effort. I fear that any delay to that recovery programme will see the end of all Air Cadet provided gliding as we know it. That would be a total tragedy for everyone involved.
For the Cadets, the last 4 years have been a disaster. I hear rumour that since the Grob Tutor propeller issues began, and then gliding 'pausing' shortly after the Tutors returned to flight, that Cadet numbers have fallen by 10% or so. If that figure is broadly correct then we need to try and generate flying opportunities for the remaining 90% and fast. RAF Gliding, Flying and Microlight Clubs make an obvious choice as they operate from Govt Aerodromes and there are over 20 of them accross the UK. They can be scrutinised by the RAF and now fall under the responsibility of AOC 22Gp - he now holds the risk for all RAF sports. As the Govt are planning to increase the size of the Cadet Forces in general for 2020 then with an expanded UAS/AEF fleet (thanks to MFTS), a reduced VGS fleet and the use of service flying clubs then we might just keep to the 'deal' of offering Air Cadets flying a couple of times a year.
I don't get the 'DIO basing review' piece. You can announce a VGS closure without giving away the basing review - unless it is used solely for VGS activity like Kenley or Kirknewton (there are others). But then if it is them then so what? Just start getting on with it before we lose another 10%!
In my humble opinion, of course
LJ