Gliding is one of the most exhilarating activities offered by the Air Training Corps and is open to all cadets. The Corps has it's own fleet of gliders based at various locations around the country.
Cadets from 32F do most of their gliding at 661 VGS at Kirknewton or occasionally at 662 VGS at Arbroath. At both of these Volunteer Gliding Schools cadets can fly in the Air Cadet Grob Viking Glider.
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The Viking is a winch-launched glider and seats two, the cadet and the instructor, one behind the other, with the cadet normally in the rear seat. |
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This aircraft entered into Air Cadet service in 1984 and is the glider flown most regularly by cadets of 32F Squadron, at 661VGS at Kirknewton |
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Alternatively, depending on which Volunteer Gliding School cadets attend, they can also glide in the Vigilant glider. Strangely the Vigilant has it's own engine, which it uses only to take off. Once in the air the engine is turned off and the aircraft becomes a true glider - relying on the lift it gets from the wings to keep it flying.
32F Gliding
Cadets from 32F can usually count on around 2 or 3 gliding details each year, where on a GIC (gliding induction course) they will receive 4 or 5 flights on that day. And as you can see from the pictures below, gliding can take place all year round and does not need to stop during the winter
Gliding Courses
All cadets who go gliding will start off by completing a Gliding Induction Course (GIC). These day-long courses give cadets the basic instruction on how to control the glider, how to keep it in the air and other information like that which you'll probably find quite useful when you're flying around the sky. This course will comprise of a GIC1, GIC2 and GIC3, where the training will progress until you are ready and able to take part in a Gliding Scholarship.
This Gliding Scholarship is a more intensive course, which takes place over a few consecutive weekends or for a week long camp. You receive thorough gliding training from your instructor and you actually learn enough on this course to enable you to fly 'solo' by the end of the course. As you would expect after this tough course you are presented with blue GS 'wings' which you can wear on your uniform, showing that you have completed your GS, or if you manage to go solo then you can wear silver Solo 'wings'.
Much more information on Air Cadet Gliding can be found by visiting the Air Cadet Gliding Information website via our links page
Air Cadet Gliding - The Background
Throughout the years of the Second World War (1939-45) gliding training was introduced into the Air Training Corps and by 1946 the ATC had 350 'Kirby Cadet' gliders in service, 50 ready to come into service and a further 115 on order, spread between 84 Elementary Gliding Schools throughout the UK.
Cadets sat at the controls of these single seat gliders and were winched across the airfield and, depending upon the experience of the cadet, were expected to fly the aircraft themselves - with the height they could reach dependant upon their experience.
In 1948, however, it was decided that cadets should be trained in 2-seater aircraft and receive instruction while actually flying. The glider shown above is the first of these 2-seaters and is the Slingsby T21B, known as the Sedbergh, which was introduced in 1950, and served right up into the early 1980's
In the 1970's trials were being undertaken with a 'self launching glider' (it could take off under it's own power - with a propeller). This idea proved extremely popular and the first of these 'Venture' gliders was introduced into service in 1977. In 1982, the Grob Viking 2-seat glider entered service with the Corps and is still in use today.
The next 'self launching glider' replaced the Venture in 1990 and was named the Vigilant and again, is still in use to this day.
