CCF AEF
WOKKA; AEF was never really a 'hands on' experience even in Chipmunk days as one struggled out to the rear of the machine and only saw the back of a bone dome inner up front. The Grob at least saw you sat alongside the pilot,but a Cessna 172 would have seen 3 Cadets aloft together sharing the experience all on 150hp.
When they started AE gliding the 'experience' meant complete involvement with the operation and had far more team input.It also sowed the seeds of eventually being able to go on a course and go solo in the same aircraft.
Your CCF is suffering from the fact that the 'Organisation' up top has lost its way in realising that the Cadets join an 'Air Corps' because they have shown an interest in the 'Air' bit. With little of that on offer (and reducing) why would they stay when the 'goods' do not materialise. Gliding WAS a very simple way of getting Cadets involved and hands on with AIRCRAFT; it encompassed the entire operation from moving the machines from a hangar,helping to get them airborne,getting airborne themselves,and seeing them back indoors later.This was the unique nature of what was on offer,and frequently they would also see other Cadets being trained to go solo. That was an experience no other organisation could offer and the decades of results speak for themselves. Sorry about your local problem but the change has to come from the 'leaderless top' who do not have a clue what is needed,as they have 'seen off' a first rate operation that did what it said on the tin (and at very good value for money)