Communication in a MK3
 

Clunk Coff My first ever interface with a Mk3 com system was playing on Kenley Common as a 11 year old and hearing the Cadets being 'pattered' around the base leg/final turn.
It took a while to realise where the voices were coming from, but they were very clear. Of course the 'com' was only one way.
Wonderful system that never failed.

Ha Ha ... Yes the one way (Instructor to Pupil) Gosport Tube ... Waste of time ... Shout and Shout again :ok:

Funny old thing Pobjoy: my uncle in the late 50's built a bungalow in a valley next to Kenley.
In his garden you could hear the instructors chatting in the T 21's quite clearly coming over the top of the ridge. Thanks for the memory!

The acoustics of the Mk3 worked from back to front,as is only right. The only time I saw a gosport tube used was after a student froze on the controls after a cable break,resulting in a severely broken glider,and a furious instructor beating him round the head with the mouthpiece.

Travelling voices
 

Slightly off topic but the phenomenon of travelling voices is something I experienced in a bar in Edinburgh years ago.

I was way down the bar getting in a round and maybe 30' from the other lads round the table. There was background chatter so not totally still but in that EXACT position maybe a foot or 2 each way I could hear everything they said crystal clear - the volume was low but almost 'cleaned-up' somehow.

It was uncanny - needless to say I gently warned them not to discuss the merits of certain nearby ladies - just in case :ok:

WONDERFUL SYSTEM
 

I seem to recall the system was full of common sense and practical flying sense.400 ft 40 knots final turn 200 ft (this was absolutely normal) and had to be adhered to on our field as it was not that long by modern (jet airfields) standards.
Tapping of the wood panel by altimeter to ensure it was not over-reading,and always constant check of attitude (nose below horizon).
And yet it worked, and when you add up the flight times a Cadet 'could' have completed the exercises including cable breaks and be off on his own within a hours dual**. Just the 200 ft final turn bit seems quite marginal by modern standards and yet it was the norm and no one was surprised.

I am of the opinion that a bit of basic glider training would be a great advantage in any modern management course, as it requires decision making with the added constraint of a time limitation,as per the intermediate cable break. Perhaps because it was the 'norm' in those days we did not realise what a good grounding we were getting for later years.

**continuous course

You became used to it though didn't you? Years after Sedburghs and Mk 3s were 'disposed' of, I flew Cyclone AX3 microlights at Halton, where I had been a staff cadet. I found it quite natural to fly identical approaches in the AX3 as I had flown in the gliders, the approach speed being very similar.

Sorry to drag the discussion back into the present but we are now at the end of April and, despite assurances at the town hall meetings that 'everybody will know what they are doing by the end of April at the latest', nothing has been heard.
Yet another date missed! 🙄
What was the quote....'I love deadlines. I love the whistling sound they make as they go flying past!'

No, nothing heard. The only reason this organisation seems to be getting away with such a massive disaster is because the UK isn't air-minded at all, and there are bigger issues to distract people's minds.
2 FTS and HQ Air Cadets seem to put more brainpower into their PR and Twitter strategies than the flying element, which is dying on the operating table in front of us.
The ATC isn't about fostering an air-minded youth any more. It's more about growing the next generation of of pompous, priggish toxic administrators and managers who abuse the concept of flight safety in order to build their little empires. They're all about safety cases and risk, but couldn't explain the difference between air speed and ground speed.

Nostalgia Dept
 

Well CHRIS not much 'dragging' of gliders anywhere so lets remind the cretons what they have lost and give them some ideas about how it should be run 'WHEN' they eventually get their heads out of their A.....s !! (If they ever do)
A couple of old wood machines and a simple winch sounds better than no flying for 3 years on the row !!!! In fact we do not even need a winch as we could A/tow with our 'in house' kit.

More Nostalgia

And in the Mk3 you could get "advice" from the ground on solo launches too - if the instructor's voice was loud enough - which it usually was! :ok:

But I suppose shouting at someone 400ft away isn't too difficult........

There's an immaculate Mk3 which flies with the RAFGSA at Halton.....

Mark 3's back to service
 

CHEV If we 'borrrow' the Halton one, Steal the Southampton one (swop with dead Viking/Vig, mount a night op on the eaglescott hangar (two there) Bingo enough to start a 'School'. I suspect we could get them signed off and going again quicker than the 'recovery program'. In fact i think we could build new ones quicker than the recovery disaster.

What's happened to the Vintage Flight at Hullavington. They've got a full set of SG38, MkIII and T21, all flying last time I looked.

Hullavington Vintage Flight
 

Currently still going strong flying almost every Saturday. They also have a Prefect and Swallow and a private Venture. Plenty of photos on the Facebook page!

Didn't take long for the relevant question from Chris Gains to be put to one side so the "back in my day" discussion could continue. :rolleyes:

Given that the original target to return FGDP forms was end of March, end of April might have been a half-reasonable target to get a feel of who wanted to go where. However, as they only noticed that the return-to address was wrong on 21st of April and new closing date was last week, I think it is reasonable to assume another 'slip to the right' while they count the ballots.

Back In 'Our' Day
 

Some might suggest that the quality of the organisation was far better then; with LEADERSHIP to match.
The Air Cadet Gliding organisation 'was' focused on TRAINING for SOLO which 'was' its USP and big attraction.
The system was geared up to get Cadets their BGA A&B Cert (3 SOLO'S) with a minimum of dual.
We now have a system that gives masses of dual and then 1 solo and no BGA cert. I do not see that as progress or a recruiting incentive.
Sad but true.

For those Members who were promised or expected a 'communication' about 'what everyone will be doing' by the end of April ... Why not 'Ping' OC 2FTS direct ?

I suspect you won't get a reply ... But enough irritating 'Pings' on his mobile might prompt him to act :cool:

https://mobile.twitter.com/oc2fts

Clearly up to the individual to consider PERSEC issues or not ;)

Could that not be seen as "harassment".............actually, seems like a plan..............