I still feel that the wrong decision has been made with regard to equipment.
The Winch Launch gliders which are better for teamwork and so on (fully recognized benefits) are harder to place in terms of real estate than the motorgliders. Regular units are happier to take Motorglider VGS as lodger units as they fit better with the working patterns of these units. And the FOD risks are much reduced.
The right decision would have been to re-engine the Motorglider airframes through an OEM programme run by Grob. Shuffle the airframes to keep a capability (reduced) in the UK until all Vigilants are re-engined. Then possibly have a reduced number of larger regional Motorglider VGS's afterwards. This also consolidates the approach which has been taken in the past where Vigilants have been temporarily detached to be 'nearer the customers' (such as 618 to Manston where there is no local permanent VGS). You just cant achieve that flexibility with a winch launch VGS.
Sell the Vikings 'as is', get rid of the new winches. Put the money in the pot.
Cost savings from consolidation of sites, standardization of equipment and standardization of training make the business case an absolute 'no-brainer' - but it doesn't fit with the model which appears to be that they don't like the VGS being powered operations.............
But what is done is done and sadly we are where we are................
Arc