VGS- The latest cadet news

The last few days at has come to light the government are looking at disbanding many Voluntary Gliding Squadron's due to the large cost to recover the poor old vigilant. I know many are unset and angry at this news. Personally as much as its bad its also a good thing!

I done my gliding scholarship (residential) a few years ago was so much fun, I only got my blue wings. Mostly because I wasn't very confident and I we lost a day to weather so couldn't finish it off.

I know it must have been hard for those up top to make this decision, and so many will be affected. The last few years we have struggled with flying and gliding. With many cadets who have never flown but we can with the money saved, purchase some synthetic flying systems (or in English flying simulators) which is a positive. This as so many good uses better use of time and money. Yes you might not be in a really aircraft but the skills can be carried over!

I have been talking to friends but this recent news, and we have come up with loads of potential alternatives to the Vigilant that could be a lot cheaper. Like the use of micro lights, could create wing level activity centres (like regional activity centres) which could have several flight simulators, wind tunnels and ait traffic control simulator. So for me this news is sad, as we have to say good bye to the vigilant fleet but also a welcome to plenty of new opportunities and ideas that I am sure will come from it!

I would like to say one thing to all the staff that run the VGS's and that's Thank you. After all your efforts I don't believe you should leave (as I have heard many are), your knowledge gained can still help, check regional activity centres to see if you could set something up for cadets!

Saw this online, love it.

Banter

Many current or ex servicing personnel will say that banter was born on the forces and plays a part in the moral of a unit. But should it be used? I personnel think not!

Banter for the past few years I have noticed, has been a common term used when a joke is made about particular person or groups of people. In the air cadets banter is very much used, even my friends out side of cadets use it on a regular basis between each other (many occasions it gets out of hand).

Unfortunately over the past few years I have noticed that banter has started being used as a escape goat for bullying and vial jokes! And personally believe it's better off not having these jokes because on many occasions people tend to cross the line or let it get out of hand. At this point banter becomes bullying or racism or homophobia or something else.

As many of you know bullying of any kind is not tolerated in the corps. So your best off not having a bit of banter with your fellow cadets just incase it hurts someone's feelings.

Recently I became a target of banter and it did cross the line. I personally now can't be bothered, I don't find it fun any more. Some times banter over social media can get easily out of hand because people are more confident in making comments that they wouldn't say in person and you can't see the persons on the receiving ends reaction so take it even further.

If you do have a bit of banter just remember before you make a comment is the joke your about to say going to hurt someone? If that's a yes don't make the comment. And try and keep banter off social media!