Cats
It varies. Depends what sort of training they are getting.
1. Early flying used to be just Air Experience, later on it changed and all flying was instructional. Target was for Cadets on Basic training (GIC) that they got at least 3 launches a day - sometimes 5. Primary Effects of Controls type stuff.
2. If they were doing the later stages of Training then 5 - 7 launches a day, if they were on a continuous weeks course they could do up to 10 launches a day on the Viking - covered the full syllabus including further effects, selection of attitudes, speed and effects on controls, co-ordination exercises, airbrakes, stalling, soaring if conditions allowed, circuit planning and practice, Launch, Approach and Landing, launch failures and solo check plus solo circuit.
3. These were all taught in the standard way of Demonstration, Teach, Task, Check of Understanding and Student practice until a satisfactory standard is achieved. When judged satisfactory a progress check is undertaken by another instructor and training progresses until solo standard is reached. This is then assessed by an 'A' Category instructor and includes checking all the above exercises including Launch Failures. If OK student is sent solo. At all stages assessment is made.
4. Not all students go solo - if they do not reach the required standard they have their training reduced and a lower standard of proficiency award is given. I would think probably 75% of students make it to solo. The remainder are not sent solo - something of the military way of things and there are limited launches per student. Our target is (was) to get them all solo where possible and 100% solo records on continuous courses was not unusual.
5. We would run 4 - 6 1 week residential courses per year and on average sent 30 - 40 students solo on my VGS on these courses, in addition we would train probably another 12 - 20 students to solo standard over several contiguous weekends on top of that number. In parallel we were teaching ground school (basic aerodynamics, airmanship, syllabus specific stuff etc) on the white board. It's hard telling a keen Cadet that he doesn't have the ability to go solo - especially when they really want to go................. but it's something of a life lesson for them there.......
If you multiply the above by 13 (it was the same at all Winch Launch VGS) and then add the same number of solos in the Motorglider at the Motorglider VGS and you can see the throughput/output of the organization.
6. In the old days some Cadets would do 10 -12 launches a day on the Cadet Mk3 and potentially be solo in the circuit within 2 - 3 days. On the Viking it usually took us 4 days to get them to solo standard (included training on Launch Failures and a solo check). On average Cadets went solo on the Viking in about 28 - 30 Launches (unless they had a Soaring trip or two where multiple training exercises would be covered and reduce the Launch total). IMHO the standard of instruction and student experience improved greatly when we went to GRP gliders, although also (IMHO) the general experience of aviation reduced because the Airmanship for the older gliders was higher (people will know what I mean).
7. Advanced training in Thermal, Wave and Ridge Soaring is available to a few students who show aptitude but places are limited as it is not the primary task of the VGS.
8. All of this is undertaken by largely unpaid VGS staff who give up time and money to participate in an organization and operation they feel is worthwhile and changes lives - I know it changed my life and outlook on so many things.
I think that is all for now - but gives you an idea of the capacity and capability of the organization we have destroyed. And also an idea of how hard it would be for a BGA club to replicate (not to 'dis' the BGA at all - I've flown with a foot in both camps so I understand the whole shebang).
Hope this helps you to understand why the thread generates so much passions (anger) over how this has been handled by those above us. Betrayal is the best word.................
Arc