Air Cadets grounded?
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Wethersfield Airfield (former home of 614 VGS) Now Remaining Open Until At Least 2025
Announced that Wethersfield Airfield (former home of 614 VGS) now remaining open - until at least 2025.
https://assets.publishing.service.go...for_gov.uk.pdf
And it still has a hangar and usable runways. Great news for ATC units in Essex, North London, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire etc.
https://assets.publishing.service.go...for_gov.uk.pdf
And it still has a hangar and usable runways. Great news for ATC units in Essex, North London, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire etc.
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Wethersfield Airfield - Recent Photos (Late 2018)
Runway 28 (Main Runway)
Runway 10 (Main Runway)
Runway 22 Left
Runway 04 Right
Runway 14 Right
Runway 32 Left
Aircraft Hangar
Aircraft Hangar
ATFQ,
The closure delay announced refers to the MOD Police HQ.
No reason why they can't start building on the airfield right away.
The closure delay announced refers to the MOD Police HQ.
No reason why they can't start building on the airfield right away.
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Opportunity for the Taking
Pr00ne,
The lack of (i.e. zero) building activity on the airfield to date perhaps shows best the negative appetite to build anything there, probably because of the poor service infrastructure and road links, and probably because Braintree District Council has other plans for new housing (for example).
It will be for someone to decide whether this unexpected new opportunity (a 'ready made' and previously proven VGS site) should be put back to its former and recent use (since the 1980s). I accept that it will take a small amount of enthusiasm, but not that much effort.
The reality is that 614 VGS would never have been moved out of Wethersfield in the first place (given its proximity to large numbers of ATC squadrons) had the extension to 2025 been known about upfront, and gliding would have already recommenced there by now.
The lack of (i.e. zero) building activity on the airfield to date perhaps shows best the negative appetite to build anything there, probably because of the poor service infrastructure and road links, and probably because Braintree District Council has other plans for new housing (for example).
It will be for someone to decide whether this unexpected new opportunity (a 'ready made' and previously proven VGS site) should be put back to its former and recent use (since the 1980s). I accept that it will take a small amount of enthusiasm, but not that much effort.
The reality is that 614 VGS would never have been moved out of Wethersfield in the first place (given its proximity to large numbers of ATC squadrons) had the extension to 2025 been known about upfront, and gliding would have already recommenced there by now.
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Announced that Wethersfield Airfield (former home of 614 VGS) now remaining open - until at least 2025.
https://assets.publishing.service.go...for_gov.uk.pdf
And it still has a hangar and usable runways. Great news for ATC units in Essex, North London, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire etc.
https://assets.publishing.service.go...for_gov.uk.pdf
And it still has a hangar and usable runways. Great news for ATC units in Essex, North London, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire etc.
Also I have heard that Wethersfield also only used to have portacabins for accommodation with no way to effectively separate male/female cadets and staff from Cadets. A very big no-no in the current safeguarding regime. Do we have pictures of Swanton. Hopefully it is far better provisioned.
Last edited by ACW367; 11th Mar 2019 at 13:08.
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Corrections to ACW367 Post
ACW367,
I’ll take the liberty of correcting your inaccuracies/assumptions if I may, so that other readers are not misinformed.
1. Unlike you suggest, the landing areas shown at Wethersfield in the photos above are in pretty good condition. And no gravel. Other surfaces (not really needed) could be made available at a cost of £10ks to £100ks. Only repairs to pavement standard required for gliders, so relatively cheap (and sensible in comparison with the cost of the ongoing glider recovery programme).
2. All take offs and landings at Wethersfield with Viking were from paved or tarmac surfaces. So no issue with ruts on grass. I guess you are thinking back to the early 80s - when vintage gliders were flown from grass at Wethersfield.
3. Elements of the Wethersfield Hangar Annexes were recently refurbished, as you can see from one of the photos. The Hangar is not brand new, but then again neither are most regular RAF hangars are they? And a Rubb Hangar could easily be erected either inside it or alongside it instead (a Rubb Hangar is also being installed at Swanton Morley for example, which does not have a Hangar as yet. Therefore no gliders there until next year?)
4. Permanent, good quality (multiple) block accommodation is available on site, and was used previously on a regular basis. So safeguarding is not a factor.
And finally. It is not really a choice of Wethersfield OR Swanton Morley. You could have both. The benefit of having a site close to north London and Essex ATC units would be high.
I’ll take the liberty of correcting your inaccuracies/assumptions if I may, so that other readers are not misinformed.
1. Unlike you suggest, the landing areas shown at Wethersfield in the photos above are in pretty good condition. And no gravel. Other surfaces (not really needed) could be made available at a cost of £10ks to £100ks. Only repairs to pavement standard required for gliders, so relatively cheap (and sensible in comparison with the cost of the ongoing glider recovery programme).
2. All take offs and landings at Wethersfield with Viking were from paved or tarmac surfaces. So no issue with ruts on grass. I guess you are thinking back to the early 80s - when vintage gliders were flown from grass at Wethersfield.
3. Elements of the Wethersfield Hangar Annexes were recently refurbished, as you can see from one of the photos. The Hangar is not brand new, but then again neither are most regular RAF hangars are they? And a Rubb Hangar could easily be erected either inside it or alongside it instead (a Rubb Hangar is also being installed at Swanton Morley for example, which does not have a Hangar as yet. Therefore no gliders there until next year?)
4. Permanent, good quality (multiple) block accommodation is available on site, and was used previously on a regular basis. So safeguarding is not a factor.
And finally. It is not really a choice of Wethersfield OR Swanton Morley. You could have both. The benefit of having a site close to north London and Essex ATC units would be high.
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People
It would be fairly straightforward, with the right leadership, to attract around thirty (out of the original 45) back, with a number more possible ex Henlow and Halton VGSs for convex to Viking. Enough former staff miss it enough to want to come back.
ACW367,
I’ll take the liberty of correcting your inaccuracies/assumptions if I may, so that other readers are not misinformed.
1. Unlike you suggest, the landing areas shown at Wethersfield in the photos above are in pretty good condition. And no gravel. Other surfaces (not really needed) could be made available at a cost of £10ks to £100ks. Only repairs to pavement standard required for gliders, so relatively cheap (and sensible in comparison with the cost of the ongoing glider recovery programme).
2. All take offs and landings at Wethersfield with Viking were from paved or tarmac surfaces. So no issue with ruts on grass. I guess you are thinking back to the early 80s - when vintage gliders were flown from grass at Wethersfield.
3. Elements of the Wethersfield Hangar Annexes were recently refurbished, as you can see from one of the photos. The Hangar is not brand new, but then again neither are most regular RAF hangars are they? And a Rubb Hangar could easily be erected either inside it or alongside it instead (a Rubb Hangar is also being installed at Swanton Morley for example, which does not have a Hangar as yet. Therefore no gliders there until next year?)
4. Permanent, good quality (multiple) block accommodation is available on site, and was used previously on a regular basis. So safeguarding is not a factor.
And finally. It is not really a choice of Wethersfield OR Swanton Morley. You could have both. The benefit of having a site close to north London and Essex ATC units would be high.
I’ll take the liberty of correcting your inaccuracies/assumptions if I may, so that other readers are not misinformed.
1. Unlike you suggest, the landing areas shown at Wethersfield in the photos above are in pretty good condition. And no gravel. Other surfaces (not really needed) could be made available at a cost of £10ks to £100ks. Only repairs to pavement standard required for gliders, so relatively cheap (and sensible in comparison with the cost of the ongoing glider recovery programme).
2. All take offs and landings at Wethersfield with Viking were from paved or tarmac surfaces. So no issue with ruts on grass. I guess you are thinking back to the early 80s - when vintage gliders were flown from grass at Wethersfield.
3. Elements of the Wethersfield Hangar Annexes were recently refurbished, as you can see from one of the photos. The Hangar is not brand new, but then again neither are most regular RAF hangars are they? And a Rubb Hangar could easily be erected either inside it or alongside it instead (a Rubb Hangar is also being installed at Swanton Morley for example, which does not have a Hangar as yet. Therefore no gliders there until next year?)
4. Permanent, good quality (multiple) block accommodation is available on site, and was used previously on a regular basis. So safeguarding is not a factor.
And finally. It is not really a choice of Wethersfield OR Swanton Morley. You could have both. The benefit of having a site close to north London and Essex ATC units would be high.
Pity one or both airfields couldn't be retained though., especially Halton as Aylesbury Vale District Council don't seem to be interested in the site, so I expect in accordance with the original covenant, it will revert to farmland.
Reported in another place the new OC 2FTS.
" It’s all change at 2 Flying Training School as Group Captain Baz Dale takes over as the new Commandant.Baz, a former RAF Tornado pilot with extensive experience overseas will now head up the RAF Air Cadets’ gliding fleet and 10 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons across the UK."
" It’s all change at 2 Flying Training School as Group Captain Baz Dale takes over as the new Commandant.Baz, a former RAF Tornado pilot with extensive experience overseas will now head up the RAF Air Cadets’ gliding fleet and 10 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons across the UK."
Last I heard the Vigilants were to be literally scrapped, presumably because if they were sold off to the public and an accident occured which could be attributed to a unrecorded repair, MOD might face a law suit of some sort.
Reported in another place the new OC 2FTS.
" It’s all change at 2 Flying Training School as Group Captain Baz Dale takes over as the new Commandant. Baz, a former RAF Tornado pilot with extensive experience overseas will now head up the RAF Air Cadets’ gliding fleet and 10 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons across the UK."
" It’s all change at 2 Flying Training School as Group Captain Baz Dale takes over as the new Commandant. Baz, a former RAF Tornado pilot with extensive experience overseas will now head up the RAF Air Cadets’ gliding fleet and 10 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons across the UK."
If the leadership is seen (and indeed felt to be) putting the effort in everyone else will respond in kind and be willing to put that bit extra in that made the previous system such a success.
Would I return after everything that's happened? not really sure but if he can re energise the system it lays the foundations for the next generation
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Good phrase "re energise the system it lays the foundations for the next generation". In my opinion for this to happen the Air Cadet Organisation needs its own budget separate from MOD and the freedom to look seriously at a self build programme of new light aircraft constructed under LAA rules. If you want to get young people engaged with STEM and flying then get an Air Cadet Wing to self build an aircraft under supervision with individual Squadrons assembling parts. The aircraft could then be flown under CAA rules from local airfields.
Something like this has been tried under sponsorship RAeS and Boeing UK and this could be up scaled to reach more cadets.
The problem was never with the volunteers and VGS/AEF "frontline" staff it was with the senior idiots who civilianised cadet flying 20 years ago.
Something like this has been tried under sponsorship RAeS and Boeing UK and this could be up scaled to reach more cadets.
The problem was never with the volunteers and VGS/AEF "frontline" staff it was with the senior idiots who civilianised cadet flying 20 years ago.
Bigpants:-
Good post. It was the Lack of Airworthiness Authority (aka the MOD) that precipitated this crisis in the first place. Just as UK Military Airworthiness reform can only occur if Regulation and Investigation are made truly independent of the MOD and of each other, so ACO gliding needs to be independent of the MOD if it is ever to get its cadets airborne again in demonstrably airworthy aircraft.
In my opinion for this to happen the Air Cadet Organisation needs its own budget separate from MOD and the freedom to look seriously at a self build programme of new light aircraft constructed under LAA rules.
Good post. It was the Lack of Airworthiness Authority (aka the MOD) that precipitated this crisis in the first place. Just as UK Military Airworthiness reform can only occur if Regulation and Investigation are made truly independent of the MOD and of each other, so ACO gliding needs to be independent of the MOD if it is ever to get its cadets airborne again in demonstrably airworthy aircraft.
