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Air Cadets grounded?

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Air Cadets grounded?

Old 5th Apr 2016, 20:24
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MGSP

50's-80's. The first casualties were the 'Bessonneu' hangars which needed regular servicing to keep them going.
I had defected to power by the the time the glass ships arrived,but no doubt the MGSP were aligned to the wood fleet.
Spares were not a problem as Slingsby used common parts on so many of their products,and of course the machines were low tech.
We have yet to have evidence of what problems are being found in the Viking fleet,but i suspect it will be 'flagged up' to fit the situation.
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Old 5th Apr 2016, 21:36
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MSGP

Y.O.Y.
I feel as if i'm feeding a troll, but l do intensely dislike the way in which you use the phrase "Utopian Engineering Era" in an almost sneering manner and which I consider offensive. You are, in modern parlance "dissing'" people that I personally knew to be good, conscientious engineers who provided a service second to none by comparison with the apparent lack of engineering professionalism shown by the Serco engineers and the incompetence of the uniformed people who were supposed to oversee the work on behalf of the RAF.

To answer your question AFAIR MGSP North was winding down when I was posted in late '83

A342
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 06:57
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No more CGIs?

One hears on the jungle drums that the rank of CGI is to be done away with and those currently in that position are to be given the option of going into uniform or leaving (like it or lump it in other words). I assume this would mean an ACO NCO rank.

I realise this has been briefly mentioned before but looks a bit more definite now. Has anyone else heard anything confirming this change?

Just to add, personally I'm against the move as I know more than one CGI who would have had no interest in donning the blue stuff but were very capable instructors. Therefore, they would likely have been lost to the ACO.
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 08:14
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Why Oh Why

I think MGSP Operated from the mid 1960's to about mid 1980's. I don't believe they maintained the glass ships so on that basis the demise of the wood fleet around then ties in with the timescales.

Nice guys and a skilled group tradesmen to boot.

OK this was wood and not glass so different technologies but you can teach the technology - it's about how you use it, eh !

Arc
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 08:26
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No more CGIs

The world has gone mad!!

What on earth are they thinking?? The Staff Cadets and junior instructors are/were the life blood of Air Cadet gliding operations.

On the airfield they wear flying suits just like the commissioned staff - they do not need uniforms for goodness sake.

When I became a commissioned officer at a Gliding School (having been a Staff Cadet and CGI) I seem to remember wearing my uniform when traveling to the airfield, then I changed into my flying suit. I then changed into uniform for going into the mess at lunchtimes. When the Officers' Mess closed (along with the rest of the airfield) I traveled to the airfield in my flying suit and we all looked the same.

When I went to Syerston for recategorisation I was most surprised to see Mess users wearing growbags. I suppose a sign of the times!!

If I was a CGI I would certainly not give any consideration to becoming an adult NCO in the Air Cadets. My old squadron adult Warrant Officer would turn in his grave at the very thought. He was a CPO on minesweepers during the second war and had also fought in the first war. His medal ribbons were a sight to behold and always caused lots of discussion in the SNCO Mess wherever we went to camp!!

There were some very senior and experienced Gliding Instructors on my Gliding School who did an excellent job as CGIs. They did not need the hassle of donning blue uniforms, and despite some of them having been offered commissions, they were very happy just doing what they were good at - instructing young people to go solo.
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 10:41
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A Mess, at Syerston? of course it is... Oh you mean an Offs Mess. I wonder if Pippa wants to rebuild it in order to keep the hoi-poloi SNCO instructors in their place (shh.. you know? the ones that used to be.... CGI's)
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 10:48
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ACO 'going mad'

Frelon They have already gone mad,that is why the organisation is unable to heal itself from the self inflicted wounds.
Standard (poor company tactic) close the old system (which in this case was not broke) flag up the NEW system and ensure no one around to query the incompetence.
Parachute in some senior spokespersons's to talk to the press and media circus and 'hey presto' all is well and much safer !!
We all know it is utter B...s,and those running this fiasco are complete nit wits,but those at the very top have no idea what it is all about anyway so rely on the 'so-called' commanders in post to appraise them.
The RAF/MOD have enough problems in the real defence system to worry about so the Air Cadets are way down the lists of concern.
If i were a CGI i would be contacting the scouts who are looking to expand their 'Air' bit and offering my experience to them. I also suspect the no Civilian bit is being used to fill the 'uniform' gap in the normal Cadet Squadrons.
Either way it shows a complete lack of knowledge on the part of HQ ATC as to where a huge part of the input came from and how well they served the system safely for decades.
As stated before this sorry bunch of no-hopers at the top would never have passed Staff Cadet selection in our day. Dib Dib Dib.
I feel deeply for those Cadets who were deprived of a life changing experience and have been so badly let down. IT IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER DISGRACE.
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 11:39
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Question Criminal act (s)

A question for those who profess to have some knowledge of the law. If I, as a UK citizen resident in one part of the UK, Northern Ireland, or maybe Scotland or possibly Wales, say, or even a county in England like, say, Cumbria, were to have suspicions that a crime or series of crimes had taken place in another part of the UK in, shall we say, Nottinghamshire, and I had no proof of such, nor indeed what particular crime or crimes had been committed but DID have various statements from official sources that, on being read MIGHT indicate that a crime or crimes had been committed, could I report such to the appropriate county police force?

If that were to be so, would it complicate matters if such alleged crime or crimes had been committed on MoD land by civilians, but not investigated by the appropriate Provost Marshall of the military arm concerned and whose property had been affected? - Just asking
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 11:51
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Re the above (and very much tongue in cheek...)


Have you been mis-sold PPI...Plastic Plane Inspection....


Then contact ACME Claims direct for a no win no fee service....
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 11:55
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PPI

Would that particular ACME be Air Cadet Mis-managers Extraordinaire?
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 18:38
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Southern Sailplanes' planning application apparently turned down for additional hangars/workshops.


7700
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 18:46
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Originally Posted by ACW342
A Mess, at Syerston? of course it is... Oh you mean an Offs Mess. I wonder if Pippa wants to rebuild it in order to keep the hoi-poloi SNCO instructors in their place (shh.. you know? the ones that used to be.... CGI's)
I'm pretty sure the 'us and them' segregation at Syerston happened well before JM came on the scene... Last time I was there, there was a sign on the door of the crewroom in the tower decreeing that visiting instructors (irrespective of rank) were not allowed in at lunch time.

Visiting Officers and CGIs had to spend their down-time in the trainee crewroom with the cadets on scholarships. I kid you not.
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 19:23
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The separation rule certainly in place since at least 1981......

Arc
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 19:40
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I find the idea to force civvies into uniform a bit strange. Last August the Air Commodore told me categorically that civilian staff would not be pressured into taking up NCO / officer status. Her words being along the lines of 'rather have them happy in civvies than miserable in blue'.

Admittedly this was for staff on ATC squadrons, but surely the sentiment stays the same. It rather tends to support another statement made to me by a VSO about senior officers running their own little fiefdoms within the corps.....
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 20:28
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Frst post....

Been at Syerston today.

CGS flying 3 of our Cadets, in Vigilants. 5 through 'recovery', only two available.. Nice day for the kids.

Understand 8 Vikings going through same process.

No word on progress of the re organisaton. Not much enthusiasm expressed either.. Lots of cars present, nice modern buildings, Lots of folk in clean modern, warm comfortable offices.

2 people seen in hangar, mainly full of Vigilants. Not many Vikings to be seen...

Nice Viking and Vigilant PTT, simulators, two of each in old 644 building, kids enjoyed.

Lots of photos taken, suspect promo article on progress of Air Cadet Gliding recovery to appear soon?
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 20:54
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Southern Sailplanes have been rejected on multiple grounds on planning permission including logistical capabilities with where Membury is, employment abilities and actual exceptional need for hangers on a greenfield site as well as the usual noise and AONB considerations. All documents are viewable publically on the West Berkshire Council Website 16/00142/OUTMAJ

Interestingly a report states that the MOD contract which would obviously be for the Vikings has not been shared with the council. What's to hide?

Yet another setback and letdown for the cadets. When will it end?

Planesandthings
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Old 6th Apr 2016, 22:17
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..including logistical capabilities with where Membury is
Pity it isn't closer to the M4.
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Old 7th Apr 2016, 06:38
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The debate into the 'Future of Gliding and the Air Cadet Organisation' takes place next Wed 13th April, 1100-1130, in Westminster Hall.

I've emailed my MP. Even trying to keep it brief and sticking to the highlights and the facts, it reads like a rant.

If there is a move to fully militarise all volunteers, that would be in keeping with a strategy to ensure the long-term collapse of the gliding organisation. The list of hoops that an adult volunteer will have to jump through will deter sufficient numbers, and in years to come the whole thing can be wound up owing to lack of volunteer support. Someone will get a mention on a New Year's Honours List for their sterling services to the ACO and the nation's youth...
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Old 7th Apr 2016, 08:16
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Yep,
Has all the hallmarks of 'constructive dismisal' if that is the intent? then the blame can be thrown back at the volunteers. So no need to rush with the glider recovery program if the new organisation shows signs of an unsustainable manning shortfall.

Flug
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Old 7th Apr 2016, 08:48
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Last August the Air Commodore told me categorically that civilian staff would not be pressured into taking up NCO / officer status. Her words being along the lines of 'rather have them happy in civvies than miserable in blue'.

Admittedly this was for staff on ATC squadrons, but surely the sentiment stays the same.
I heard that the "must be in uniform to fly" rule was (yet another) MAA diktat.

Apart from the special case of contractors' personnel (before anyone mentions MFTS) you have to be in uniform apparently to fly military aircraft. And the VGS fleet are just that; unlike the Tutors they don't even have a "shadow" civvy registration.....
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