Air Cadets Civilian Gliding Instructor
 

Hello Everyone!

This is my first post so please be gentle! :)

I am currently looking into becoming a Civilian Gliding Instructor with the Air Cadets. Being an ex-Cadet myself, and still having a real passion for flying, I was thinking of offering my spare time in becoming a Gliding Instructor. However, I was wondering if there is anyone out there who can give me some advice - maybe you are currently a CGI who can point me in the right direction!

I am 28, work full time but have plenty of spare time on the weekends. I have not flown for about 2-3 years. I was training with Cabair to complete my PPL - I have 48 hours in the Diamond Katana DV20 with over 12 hours solo - but towards the end of my course, they took the aircraft out of service!! So with that and a mixture of constant bad weather, and getting married in the middle of it all as well, I have not been able to finish my PPL. I thought that maybe joining a VGS would be a good way of getting back in the air! Also, when I was in the Cadets, I did complete a gliding scholarship with a VGS, though that was back in 1999!!!

Any advice that anyone can give me would be gratefully received!!

Many Thanks!!

Your best bet is to contact your local VGS and have a chat. A word of warning though, there tends to be a lot of volunteers so the more expertise that you're able to offer the Sqn (not necessarily flying) the better your chance of being invited to join. That said, without a PPL you're likely to have to start the process right at the start, which means a large investment in you on their part. At Bordon I guess your local unit is 618 VGS at Odiham, you'll find them at 618VGS.net. Good luck

Nearest VGS
 

You might have more success at 622 VGS at Upavon which is also quite close to you. Not motor gliders but real gliders.

ACW

Some VGS require a commitment which can be tough for some.
Arrive by 08:30, leaving 1.5 - 2 hours after sunset for 3 out of 4 Saturday/Sunday - minimum. (Crew duty times are for whimps:E)

As my username suggests..I may know something of the best VGS in Wiltshire ;)

PM me if you want more info.:ok:

As a previous poster mentioned if you have a PPL you should basically be able to do a few hours dual training and then be granted a G2 allowing you to fly solo to build up a bit of time on type. Once you have the required hours you'll get some further training and a quick checkout with the boss and you'll be able to get cracking as a G1 taking cadets on Famil flights.

Without a PPL you'll likely have to start at the begining and if its anything like the VGS I used to fly for staff training time was getting fairly limited, there were a number of staff cadets struggling to get much flying. It also tended to be that any new PPL CGI's that started got priority so they could be brought up to G1 standard as quickly as poss.

Saying that I really enjoyed my VGS time and I'd reccomend it to anyone......

The training and examining is rather robust and involved than could be implied from the above. Most PPLs without tailwheel experience take a fair few hours to get to a good operating standard on the Vigilant. Solo and dual consolidation to G1 involves the pilot being able to teach GIC1/2/3 (essentially EOC1) and many PPLs I have taught again take several hours of training investment to get to G1 standard from just being able to operate the aircraft. The G1 test is just that as well - not a 'quick checkout'.

Perhaps I'm missing something here! You had limited gliding experience and haven't been gliding in over ten years but want to become a gliding instructor? Laudable but maybe it'd be a good idea to get current in gliding first or have I misunderstood?

Sorry Blagger, I was trying to keep it fairly 'general' but you are indeed required to obtain high standards not just in flying the aircraft but also in demonstrating the lessons.
I was fortunate in that I took to the Vigi rather quickly but the G1 test is indeed rather more than 'a quick checkout' as you say, it was some 10 years ago for me though so my memory is perhaps a bit hazy!

622 have you downgraded something? It used to be the best VGS - period - in my time.

ACW

ACW...I stand corrected...:D

>It used to be the best VGS - period - in my time.<

Nonsense. There's only one VGS and it has 633 in the title :D

You seem to be having trouble with your maths ACW599. 615 doesn't have 633 in the title :confused:

Unless you are adding the number of beers consumed nightly per person to the number of the school, in which case 633 would be about right :} And on that basis I take it that 633 started out as 629 1/2 then :E

CS

wot knows that 615 is the only number which really means anything in VGS circles.

P.S. Anyone remember the 'Longest day'? IIRC, 615 launches in a single day :cool:

>You seem to be having trouble with your maths ACW599. 615 doesn't have 633 in the title<

615? No, sorry, never heard of it. Must be some inferior southern establishment ;)

Banter aside, my guess is that the OP would find a welcome at either a conventional or a Vigilant school. However, I'd echo earlier comments to the effect that all VGS flying takes place to a very high standard from the outset. There's definitely more to a G1 check than a "quick ride with the boss"; if you succeed you'll be taking full responsibility for the welfare and well-being of someone's son or daughter. That's not conferred lightly.

I see the original poster doesn't seem to have been back...

Just out of interest what happened in relation to strapping in cadets, at the time I left the whole system was in turmoil after a female cadet had accused someone of 'touching her up' whilst being strapped in ?

I remember after that the staff cadets having to just point to stuff saying 'plug that in there, pull this tight...etc etc' Used to make turnarounds much longer....

Seems crazy to me that the priority was to avoid 'touching' the cadet rather than making sure they were strapped in good and tight in the event of anything unexpected happening...

I was a vigi QGI up till last year and hadn't heard anything about this TBH. Although someone may have mentioned it whilst I was giving them a stiff ignoring.... I can never be quite sure

I was looking at the VGS too, but with 3 years as a QFI flying the T67, Bulldog, BE76 and every single thrown at me, 3000TT and 2200 in the airlines wasn't enough for them. I needed to spend 3 months on the ground helping out and a gradual 6 months learning to fly a hair-dryer.
Yer right!!!

And you'll probably spend longer holding on the ground these days while you wait for CRB, CGI and medical clearance.
It does tend to sought out those who are doing it for the right reasons...and those who think it's a free flying club:=

3 months on the ground helping out is normal, it is done to ensure that complete outsiders (civvies with PPLs etc) are joining for the right reasons. 6 months for conversion for someone of your experience is nonsense. On my VGS people in that position who could commit the time were fast-tracked through and were G1 within 3 months or so. Bear in mind that at most trainee staff would only get a couple of hours a day depending on the cadet task.