Not seen any mention that 615 at Kenley are active again but, unless I'm very much mistaken, one of their Vikings has just launched and completed a quick circuit... Surrey Hills don't normally fly at weekends and it was silhouetted against the sky but I'd say it was a Viking. There is another one just launched and thermaling...

Seven years.

Kenley
 

Glad to see the area south east of London will soon have a glidiing school sorry Squadron again but what about west and north west of London; 618 Odiham, 612 Abingdon, 613 Halton, 616 Henlow all gone leaving a massive gap.
Anyone know where my 'old' squadrons in south Bucks, 2204 Chesham and 1811 Marlow, go for AEG nowadays?

Wethersfield ? or Little Ris ?

Arc

Hm about 3 hours travelling each way for maybe one 10 minute flight each, is that feasible? Kenley would be easier than either of those.

Wethersfield is no more, the VGS number has moved to Swanton...non of the staff though thanks to the cream at the top!

There's a large hole in one of the most populated areas in the UK, all because 'he' didn't want his pride dented but that discussion has been done several times so it's like preaching to the choir :)

OB

Sadly I think, the issue with Kenley is that it is really a small site and only a 'one line' school (squadron). Currently it serves Kent Wing, Surrey & Sussex Wings, London Wing, Hampshire et al (plus CCF units) - way too many for a single unit of that size.

I think that giving them an even bigger catchment won't help anyone.

The logical thing is to re-open either Halton (until it closes), Abingdon, WOTG or Odiham as a one line school to plug the gap., There are spare airframes and winches..............

Arc

But are there spare volunteers...? The air cadets has lost, charitably, a third of cadets in the last year and probably slightly more staff. It doesn't have the volunteers to run squadrons, never mind the gliders.

CAS gave a state of the nation talk for the Royal Aeronautical Soc last night. Included: a net zero Air Force - tick; swarming drones - tick; space command - tick, tick; getting quickly to 40% of recruits being female - tick; more % from ethnic communities and disadvantaged backgrounds - tick.

But on reinvigorating the Air Cadet movement (which did a very good job of bringing in youths from both sexes, and all social backgrounds) - not a word.

Net Zero carbon emissions? For an air force which uses millions of gallons of fuel a year?

How???

By planting trees and using e-bikes?

skua
Ye Gods!
Perhaps you might like to offer this up to the " Diversity Chiet Appointment" thread on this site for comment ?

Haraka

Wilco.

Sadly the ACO has become very risk averse, mirroring society. The change started when Commandant ACO was no longer aircrew. This, coupled with the explosion in e-mail traffic down the line to squadrons, tied us up in knots, meaning the real aims and objectives became lost. Covid has also decimated the whole organisation. Very sad for all concerned.
How long before some civil servant decides to do a cost/benefit study, to see what the RAF / Military gets back for whatever the current outlay is?

As always, my deepest respect to those who have stayed with it through the last period of chaos.

My Squadron had it's first night back this year last night, we did have one night back in December before shutdown 2. So we had jumped through all the hoops to get the place open last November / December loads of Squadrons haven't got to the point of being able to open up yet.
Due to the restrictions in Scotland laid down by the overlords in the Scottish Government and Youth-link Scotland we can't have everyone in on the same the night. We can have up to 30 in but they have to be 2m apart and the size of the building limits the numbers we can have in. So the Cadets are split over 2 parade nights and without doing any recruiting we have 10 new Cadets starting tonight, we have so many we are having to give them their own night..

Staffing is the issue - we lost one to Cranwell for IOT and when they left their partner did as well but there have been rumors of a recruitment drive for staff. We ask the parents but for many it seems like a couple of nights of freedom a week for them.

Hopefully we'll get some gliding soon, I can't see there being any camps until next year at the earliest so the Cadets need something to look forward to and keep them engaged this year!
Having said that our gliding is over 2 hrs away and with only 2 staff getting Cadets down to the central belt could be an issue for us at the minute.

Fortunately, someone got there ahead of the civil service; https://www.gov.uk/government/news/i...f-cadet-forces

The ACO became RAFAC in October 2017 🙄

Time for out of the box thinking
 

Kenley is rather on the small size for its catchment area and especially as normal ops are w-ends only (plus some week courses)
Well possibly an answer is to run lots of week courses utilising other closed Squadrons that have lost a base. In essence it would replace the old system at the original No1 and No2 Gliding centres but with a different staff make up.
The private world would call in 'maximising potential' and with so many keen people (and equipment) still around I think it could be staffed without difficulty as there are good transport links for the area.
I do not see the Cadet movement ever getting Motor Gliders back so in reality the gliding world will have to work with what is available, and at least Kenley is secure, and of course has a very proud history to give it a very special 'usp' for anyone flying from there. Surrey Hills Club would have to adapt, but they only exist because of the Air Cadets having the site so no doubt an 'accommodation' could be made.
Not as good as more sites, but Kenley has the catchment and thats never going to change. You know it make sense just get on with it.

Treads do the picture thing (18th Aug)

Problem is schools (and increasingly parents) are extremely reluctant to allow kids to have time off during the week. Once they get to yr10 it's almost a guaranteed no as exams take precedence.

One could easily argue that the gains from the amazing experience of solo flight with associated decision making are indeed an aid for youth at an important part of their life, and have definite long term benefits in the education system because it enhances the ability to achieve, is classless, and unique in the way it brings out the best in those who experience the chance it offers.
When you add the amazing historical location that is Kenley then it is only a Win Win situation. Kenley the spiritual home of 11 group which held the line when it really mattered.
I did say it needed out of box thinking !!!

We've not had a problem with that - Pre-COVID. We still need to see if they're still flexible going forward.
The school gats a letter from the Sqn saying it's educational as they're learning.
I don't think we've had a Cadet have an application for a day off school for flying turned down.