Calling all ex-VGS Instructors
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 304
Likes: 1
From: Former Home of the Hercules, Wilts
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 366
From: Wildest Surrey
I was a staff cadet at 613 from '64 to '70, becoming P1 and P2. They tried to make me a 'C' cat but when I left school I found it was too much and gave up.(Couldn't bring myself to let a ham fisted cadet land a glider with me in it more like! ) Many years later, I renewed my acquaintance with 613 when I became Herts & Bucks Wing Gliding Liaison Officer first for 612 then 613 as well.
613 had 2 detached flights at various times, White Waltham and Bovingdon (before 617 were chucked out of Hendon and moved in)
Jacko was OC 613, Malcolm commanded the WW detachment (he was an air traffic controller there until the RAF moved out) which eventually became 612 GS. Malcolm took over as OC 613 when Jacko retired ('74 or '75?) and 612 moved to Benson with John Hartill as boss.
Malcolm remained OC 613 until they re-equipped with Ventures I think (could be wrong there).
One 'claim to fame' for 613. When I joined 2204 (Chesham) Sqdn ATC, there was a guy called Chris Rollings on the squadron, as well as novellist/aerobatic pilot the late Brian Lecomber.
Chris became a staff cadet at 613 a couple of years before me; joined the RAF as an Officer Cadet, left the RAF and returned to 613, then became an instructor at Wycombe Gliding Centre, eventually becoming a BGA coach and one of the most experienced glider pilots in the country; he even did a display at Farnborough in 2000.
I won't post it here but I have his e-mail address if any ex 613 people want to contact him.
613 had 2 detached flights at various times, White Waltham and Bovingdon (before 617 were chucked out of Hendon and moved in)
Jacko was OC 613, Malcolm commanded the WW detachment (he was an air traffic controller there until the RAF moved out) which eventually became 612 GS. Malcolm took over as OC 613 when Jacko retired ('74 or '75?) and 612 moved to Benson with John Hartill as boss.
Malcolm remained OC 613 until they re-equipped with Ventures I think (could be wrong there).
One 'claim to fame' for 613. When I joined 2204 (Chesham) Sqdn ATC, there was a guy called Chris Rollings on the squadron, as well as novellist/aerobatic pilot the late Brian Lecomber.
Chris became a staff cadet at 613 a couple of years before me; joined the RAF as an Officer Cadet, left the RAF and returned to 613, then became an instructor at Wycombe Gliding Centre, eventually becoming a BGA coach and one of the most experienced glider pilots in the country; he even did a display at Farnborough in 2000.
I won't post it here but I have his e-mail address if any ex 613 people want to contact him.
Last edited by chevvron; 14th October 2015 at 23:36.
Joined: Jul 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 216
Likes: 9
From: West Sussex
I joined 615 Gliding School at Kenley (no pretentious Squadrons in those days!) as a staff cadet in 1960. George Nunn was CO and Alex Watson was CFI.
Plenty of "can do" attitude in those days until the elf & safety brigade moved in.
Worked my way up from winch driver extraordinaire, through the grades/categories to A2* and CFI.
My first gliding experiences as a staff cadet were night flying in Cadet Mk IIIs. As the end of the day arrived the instructors looked around, pointed to me and said "Are you on the course, lad? Have you flown?" - I replied that I was a new staff cadet and had been winching (single drum winches) all day. "Oh well we have finished gliding, jump in for a hangar flight!"
It was dark and the only light was coming from the hangar doors, but it was flying, which is the reason I was there.
After that we had to go back to the winches and do a cable DI using the light from the one ton Austin headlights!!
Great days and great memories.
Plenty of "can do" attitude in those days until the elf & safety brigade moved in.
Worked my way up from winch driver extraordinaire, through the grades/categories to A2* and CFI.
My first gliding experiences as a staff cadet were night flying in Cadet Mk IIIs. As the end of the day arrived the instructors looked around, pointed to me and said "Are you on the course, lad? Have you flown?" - I replied that I was a new staff cadet and had been winching (single drum winches) all day. "Oh well we have finished gliding, jump in for a hangar flight!"
It was dark and the only light was coming from the hangar doors, but it was flying, which is the reason I was there.
After that we had to go back to the winches and do a cable DI using the light from the one ton Austin headlights!!
Great days and great memories.
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 366
From: Wildest Surrey
When I told my schoolmates that at the age of 16, I was able to drive one of these beasts on the airfield, they wouldn't believe me!
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 366
From: Wildest Surrey
One of our guys at Halton (later became CFI at Wycombe Air Centre) nearly donated a finger too. He went to leap out to attach the cables to the retrieve vehicle and a ring on his finger got caught in the mesh surrounding the cab leaving him hanging from his finger for a few seconds until his ring bent and he was released. Had to have some stitches in his finger though!
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 75
From: uk
I was a lowly C cat instructor with 622 in the late 60's. Ron Hayter's final task before retiring was to check me out. TP was the CO for the rest of my time. The only winching incident I remember, apart from a Chipmunk flying into the cable, was when a MkIII drifted outside the airfield boundary on the launch. The winch driver did his best to pull in the cable before it fell outside the hedge.
About 15 minutes later a car came onto the airfield and the driver rather apologetically complained that the parachute had removed his wing mirror. We thought that the best response was to have a whip round and pay for a new one.
About 15 minutes later a car came onto the airfield and the driver rather apologetically complained that the parachute had removed his wing mirror. We thought that the best response was to have a whip round and pay for a new one.
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 366
From: Wildest Surrey
I was told years ago about an incident which had a 'D' notice slapped on it. I won't mention the gliding school identity, indeed I can't guarantee it's exactly true.
Nil wind, so a westerly launch direction was chosen, which meant the winch was situated close to a busy road frequented by double decker uses.
Slight tailwind starts up; pilot holds onto cable until overhead the winch; cable drops on winch and behind it and is fouled by a bus on the outside road, damaging it but no injuries to passengers.
Nil wind, so a westerly launch direction was chosen, which meant the winch was situated close to a busy road frequented by double decker uses.
Slight tailwind starts up; pilot holds onto cable until overhead the winch; cable drops on winch and behind it and is fouled by a bus on the outside road, damaging it but no injuries to passengers.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Nottingham
ZA634 & ZA655
As well as the great work that the 621 historic flight has done, you can also catch up with;
https://www.facebook.com/VentureZa634/?fref=ts
&https://www.facebook.com/ZA655/?fref=ts
Great idea Milts
https://www.facebook.com/VentureZa634/?fref=ts
&https://www.facebook.com/ZA655/?fref=ts
Great idea Milts
Joined: Jan 2007
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 505
Likes: 20
From: Somewhere in the 3rd world or possibly very occasionally at home.
Ex 621 'C' Cat...Flew both wood and glass...and still get to fly the old wood with 621 Historic Flight..
Count me in!
Count me in!
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Ireland
Ex-616 VGS A2 at RAF Henlow 1980-1997... Ventures and Vigilants (Plus one flight in a bungee-launched Slingsby Grasshopper!!
).
I have just been contacted out of the blue by a former colleague who ended up at the Central Gliding School.
I found this forum while trekking down memory lane, great to see the Air Cadet Gliding movement still brings the memories and is still around...
).I have just been contacted out of the blue by a former colleague who ended up at the Central Gliding School.
I found this forum while trekking down memory lane, great to see the Air Cadet Gliding movement still brings the memories and is still around...
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 366
From: Wildest Surrey
Ex-616 VGS A2 at RAF Henlow 1980-1997... Ventures and Vigilants (Plus one flight in a bungee-launched Slingsby Grasshopper!!).
I have just been contacted out of the blue by a former colleague who ended up at the Central Gliding School.
I found this forum while trekking down memory lane, great to see the Air Cadet Gliding movement still brings the memories and is still around...
).I have just been contacted out of the blue by a former colleague who ended up at the Central Gliding School.
I found this forum while trekking down memory lane, great to see the Air Cadet Gliding movement still brings the memories and is still around...
A really sorry state of affairs since we were all involved.
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Niagara on the lake
Remember that day
One of our guys at Halton (later became CFI at Wycombe Air Centre) nearly donated a finger too. He went to leap out to attach the cables to the retrieve vehicle and a ring on his finger got caught in the mesh surrounding the cab leaving him hanging from his finger for a few seconds until his ring bent and he was released. Had to have some stitches in his finger though!
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Niagara on the lake
613 sqdrn 1964 to 69
Joined as staff cadet driving cables with the land rovers, then winching .then to a P2 on the sedberghs ( Mrs Hepple et all) and then C instructor. Many stories from those days, great times!
