The B Word

Your 1881 Para 1. I suspect, as in the Corporate World, that if there were seven possible solutions then almost certainly they would have been 'ranked' in order of preference by the solution 'sponsor' ... even more likely a 'recommendation' will have been made for 'endorsement' by the CEO (or CAS in this instance).

I also deliberately implied a 'collective' responsibility by quoting '2FTS' not an individual.

Your 1881 Para 2. Your summary is probably correct.

Apologies if this has been posted before. But we could all help preserve the Air Cadet scheme by signing this petition:-

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/124333

See also the Royal Aeronautical Society commentary written yesterday by Howard Wheeldon. I commend it to you!

Keep signing the petition - there must be at least 100,000 aviation-minded people out there who don't wish to see air cadet gliding decimated.

If only it had been decimated, its been more than halved.

Hi all, the Editor of Pilot magazine has asked me to revisit this particular scandal (for scandal it surely is) for my monthly PTT column in Pilot. I'd be grateful if any of you could tell me how many VSOs, OC BBMFs, Red Ones etc to your knowledge started out in the ATC. PMs are OK. I have a FoI request in, but am not holding my breath....
Incidentally, I know someone who is in the ATC, and they recieved a snottergram via email instructing them to 'cease and desist' promulgating the petition via social media. Just thought I'd share that little bit of info on er social media! And if you haven't yet signed the petition, why not? This debacle (for debacle it also surely is) does need bringing to the attention of parliament.

Dave, I am pretty sure that Cranwell keeps a record of cadets entering who are former Air Cadets. Fifty years ago well over half my Cranwell cadet entry were former ATC/CCF. Good luck, I look forward to seeing the article.

Dave don't forget the CCF RAF too, the VGS are often seen as part of the ATC but they support us too. Many CCF cadets have similarly had their first solo in a VGS glider.

CCF gave me a wonderful time, spent most weekends at an RAF station, Navy base or with the Army. Saw the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London twice, both on foggy November nights - spooky. Also saw the SRN-1 on test in the Solent. They also helped me get a Flying Scholarship, and paid most of my Outward Bound course. ATC got me my gliding A&B as well.

Dave ...

This might help you a little with civilian celebrities.

Air Cadets - Famous Cadets

Information Source : RAF MOD Air Cadet Organisation

One presumes HQAC secured the necessary permissions to publish such information ... But I'm unable to confirm that.

AAh, fame by association - Sir Paul Nurse and I were in the same school CCF

One wonders whether those organisations, which made such a fuss about the CAA's review of air display requirements, will be equally vociferous about the future of air-minded youth in the UK?

Which matters more - some public entertainment event or the UK's future pilots?

I would venture the latter...

As for 'cease and desist' gagging orders being sent to ACO members, that's a clear acknowledgement of failed leadership....

Are they trying to gag cadets or staff, uniformed or otherwise?

I see the ATC website says that cadets 'may get the opportunity to fly in RAF Hercules, VC10s and Tristars.' Well they got one right.
mmitch.

OK, petition signed. As a cadet who got a Flying Scholarship (Tiger Moths at Croydon), Gliding 'C' (in a T21!) and an Air Cadet Exchange (across Canada to Victoria) in the 50s I was very lucky. They did then get 34 years of flying out of me, so it probably paid off. Aviation wise I flew from 16 to 65, with many happy memories. So sad and sorry to see the lack of these opportunities today. Any more I can do to help?

Wander - Uniformed staff have to be officially neutral in the execution of their duties as you will appreciate. What parents and other family members do whilst they are online is of course entirely up to them.

As an ex Air Cadet, {450 Sqdn and 143 Gliding school} I'm a bit ticked of that I am not allowed to sign the petition, I think with the mass migration from the UK in the late forties and early fifties the are many of us in the same boat. Clunck,{RCAF pilot retired}

Hi Coff

Please accept my apologies. Having reread my post I can see how it will have read - when I mentioned singling out an indivdiual, that was not pointed at you, but the wider gang of Pruners who seem intent in mentioning one of the lead individuals by name (at Leeming in the late 90s early noughties the mere mention of that name would invoke a round of drinks in the bar amongst the Air Defenders!).

I do think that plenty of senior officers have put their own agendas into the mix with this outrageous decision and that it does not boil down to one man. Don't forget that the original plan was supposedly kicked back by the RAF senior leaders in November as it allegedly did not fit with their own plans. This is the plan that the senior leaders chose second time around and, as I understand it, was far more Grob Tutor rich than the first that had more gliders. So, I think this is also bad timing in that Grob Tutors become available off of the back of MFTS in 2017 and that little fact has been gripped by a Tutor fan (or fans) over the purchase of some more gliders. Maybe they know far more than they're letting on, but replacing cheap to operate gliders for expensive Tutors (with the ridiculous amount of Air Traffic Control and Fire Cover they insist they need) just doesn't make financial sense. That's my theory, anyway! :ok:

B Word

No need to apologise, B Word, old chap ... all perfectly good here ;)

Having worked at a senior level in the Corporate World, based in the City, the 'machinations' on display here come as no personal surprise. The only people that are going to miss out here are the youngsters of today and those that might want to join in the future ... and that is unforgivable in my book.

UK Plc needs future generations following in our footsteps ... Not only to become pilots/aircrew but also aero-engineers, technicians, designers and other related skilled careers ... the opportunity to experience the thrill of flying (going solo) at an early age is most certainly a key catalyst in achieving this aim.

The next episode ... 'Who will fly the AEF Tutor' is going to be interesting :suspect:

Best ...

Coff.

Just got word today that one of my former cadets, who achieved his Gold Wings at the now disbanded 664VGS has been accepted for pilot training by Virgin Atlantic, another to add to the success list for the VGS !

I'm surprised about the level of hand-wringing going on amongst volunteers over whether or not to sign the petition. Sure, some are subject to QRs but, in reality, what are the powers at be going to do? Dismiss you from your unpaid position when there's already a chronic shortage of people to do the jobs that need doing? Are they really going to start to court-martial civilians in blue suits for highlighting the blindingly obvious? I'd love to see how that plays out in the national media. From what I can glean, you can probably count without taking off your socks the number of people from the disbanded squadrons who would still give "Pippa" Middleton, ACdre Fluffy-bunny and the RAF in general so much as the steam off their piss after all this.

If it's something you care about, ladies and gents, sign bloody thing. If you don't care or disagree with it don't. It probably won't change anything because the sqns are already being told to get everything packed up and shipped to parent units in the next week or so. Just do yourselves a favour when it comes to looking at yourselves in the mirror and show a little bit more integrity than the f**kwits who foisted this on everyone.