Planning for the future
Cat F Like you I despair at the scant regard given to the Staff Cadet input.
This system was the backbone of the Gliding organisation as demonstrated by the numbers that went on to become senior (very experienced) instructors.
They knew all the jobs required and kept the standards of recruiting and training new staff cadets to a high level. At any school worth its salt the S-cadets would have the equipment checked and out on-line before the main staff arrived and it was a matter of honour to always see that cables got back down to the launch point without delay. The fact that this was done without reams of check lists and clip boards suggests the system was both capable and fit for purpose. One could even suggest that the ATC would not be in such a mess now if we had former staff cadets 'up top'.
As regards the 'planning' that has gone into deciding the future requirements why would you think there has been any !!!,I mean it looks like they are going to build a small factory just to 'recover' unbroken gliders (its like a Whitehall farce) Can you imagine the Cranwell big brief meeting with the equivalent of Brian Rix coming on stage to announce an estimate for the end of the 'Big Pause' followed by a big cheer before his trousers fell down. The fact that they do not realise what they have 'lost' says it all.