Frying pan and fires...........
As Victor Meldrew said.............." I do not believe it "
I hear on my jungle drums that the TOTAL number of VGS aircraft ( Vigilant and Viking) that will be recovered for VGS use will only be somewhere between 31 and 41 !!!!
Remember chaps, we had in 1989 53 brand new Vigilants alone, then of course the Viking fleet on top. We have had all units grounded for just short of 3 years, got rid of huge numbers of very well qualified and experienced staff, and have dismantled about 14 Air Cadet VGS units.
Currently we have 1 Vigilant serviceable and flying at RAF Topcliffe, and one unserviceable in the hangar. Elsewhere, we have some emerging Viking operations in two or three places, but in ALL cases activity levels and achievements are but a fraction of what was achieved by ONE of the better performing units. Even at best, with aircraft availability and Winch capacity at 2/3rds of what we used to have on one VGS ( i.e., 6 drum winches as opposed to 2 x 2 drum winches) it is severely limited. We are also told that due to aircraft shortages, staff have now to be numbers limited - another kick in the teeth for the hard working long suffering loyal staff.
Cadet VGS training is back in business the spin doctors tell us, but look a bit closer and you find that is badges for bums off the ground, rather than what was previously delivered - i.e., structured training , and large numbers of GS Solo wings. As long as Cadets have some sort of badge with wings, that appears to be success, almost akin to Cubs, Scouts and Girl Guides, rather overlooking the quality of training behind the badge.
Now throw in the apparently hugely embarrassing story that the Navy are to acquire some of the "un-airworthy" Vigilants, as , the Navy may need some pilots themselves when they have some carriers in service. They are apparently to "repair them" (don't look too closely) and put them on the civilian register. Some of the others are going back to Grob as a free issue for them to convert to Mk II standard and then be SOLD by Grob to the Swedish Air Force !!!! Mr Grob must think Father Christmas has arrived early, thanks to our rotten fleet management and total lack of vision.
OMG what have we done ?