How about Nigel Lamb? Red Bull air race winner and Rhodesian Air Force pilot.

Nigel Lamb | Red Bull Air Race

Or is it the fact that good old Carol is on telly sufficient enough to gain her Gp Capt's rank?

Posted by Training Risky

Well, there we have it. Earlier posts have shown that there are those who do not know of either Chris Hoy or Carol Vorderman which I found unusual. I now realise that it is not unusual because I have to confess that I have never heard of Nigel Lamb. If the plan is to get as much publicity as possible for the cadets then I think Hoy and Vorderman will prove more valuable.

Agreed. If good publicity is all the ACO is after, then Carol is an appropriate choice. But they shouldn't pretend that it has anything to do with her maths degree and her PPL...it's all about the public profile.

Its about the sum of all three. There are plenty of people with either the first two or last two.

Ha ha...I'm not sure if the first word of your quote of my post is meant to be ironic and indicative of the MOD's approach to PR spin!:ok:

And she appears to be taking it seriously too. At Halton, she was "practicing saluting" and seeking advice on how much (how little?) slap was appropriate with uniform.

My spies tell me she wants to learn drill too! :ok: Cue VERY long line of willing DIs....!!

Mechta,

OK. After studying her profile in more detail, I'll happily withdraw my 'inappropriate' observation: reinforced by an old colleague who once shared a dinner occasion with her. I guess my remark was fuelled by an increasing disregard for 'celebrity status' in our society. Brought on by increasing age - which I enjoy!!

Training Risky, No, that was a genuine error on my part due to Ppruning when I should have been tucked up in bed. As you say it could be apt.

Jindabyne, No problem. What impressed me about Carol Vorderman is despite fame and evident intellect she doesn't take herself too seriously. To quote her on a talk show, "Google 'mutton dressed up as lamb' and the top ten links are about me".
I wasn't so impressed by her promoting a high interest loans company a while back; but we all have to eat, and only she and her bank know the state of her own bank balance at the time.

Gp Capt Vorderman in moral boosting visit.....

Carol Vorderman jets into Dundee to help fundraising efforts - Dundee / Local / News / The Courier

And a very humble thumbs up to Rebecca. An inspirational young lady.

Rebecca has now raised close to £15 K for the hospice and going strong.

https://www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-Dalgleish/

Amy Johnson lecture 9th July
 

She's on at the RAeS next month.


Royal Aeronautical Society | Event | Amy Johnson Lecture 2015


If folks want to meet up for a beer in town before the last train home lets see what we can arrange.

This is a very accomplished and dedicated lady. Accomplished by not only having become a celebrity, but perhaps more pertinent to our purposes being a trained engineer and pilot. Dedicated because she is on a mission to encourage young people, especially girls, to aspire to such demanding pursuits themselves. The RAF badly needs such aspiration to take root and this appointment will hopefully assist in that.

Just think of what triggered your determination to pass all the tests, jump through all the paper hoops, deal with all the setbacks that stood in your way. Chances are that someone inspired you to be like them, emulate them, succeed like them. I see that her attempts to inspire are not limited to HM Forces but to the Aero Industry as well. Don't know about others, but she inspires me:-

Countdown on for high fliers of the future - Fleetwood Weekly News

BBC iPlayer - Carol Vorderman: Flying Engineer

"New York, New York - so good they named it twice"

;);)

She is 56 and she's very cleaver. She's done a lot of things in her life and most of that was a help to many people. Her service to the Air Training Corps is absolutely vital as the government have been sniping the budget almost every year and now, it seems, the poor cadets have nothing to fly!!
When I was an ATC cadet I had looped a Chippy at 14 years of age, flown many times in Gliders and had lots of fun turning up at RAF flying camps in ATC uniform in order to bum flights in many RAF aircraft of the day. Sadly the poor cadets can't do any of that these days due to the aforementioned government cuts and turning up anywhere in uniform is not advised due to the possibility of adverse action by a few minority groups that are almost supported by our Lilly livered governments today. Hopefully Carol Vorderman's well know tenacity and perseverance may shame the government into returning some of the money they have ripped off from the youngsters, no doubt to pay the flagging foreign aid budget!
Lastly, she looks terrific in her uniform and I can't think of any guy that I know would refuse an invitation to dinner and champers with her. That's why wives reach for their rolling pins when her name is mentioned!!

Biggles

I agree, opportunities are not what they once were. But, for balance, there are still plenty of cadets who get to loop an aircraft - Tutor now - before they turn 14.

Define plenty.

As an enthusiastic ATC cadet at school in Africa, then later in the UK where I was then sent gliding at Tangmere, I feel sorry for this extended grounding that the Air Cadets are going through now, and feel the CV was a very good choice as an ambassador.

Brat

Plenty, as a measure, is subjective. It cannot be defined.

But my experience is that plenty of cadets still get to fly a loop before they turn 14.

Loops
 

I did at 14 or less (?), but then I am 75 next birthday.

Son of a friend went powered solo at 16, seriously clever.
As far as I know his family paid for his training.
Has guaranteed entrance to a certain university irrespective
of A level results. Does not know whether to pursue aviation
or something else, ie academia.

I doubt Gp Capt Vorderman will be taking her new BF to any RAF stations or The Club wearing a short sleeved shirt :E