Slingsby Venture ZA657

Here is a recent photo of ZA656. Does anybody have a photo of it when it was in RAF service? Surely somebody who visits this forum must?[ATTACH=CONFIG]244658[/ATTACH]

The pause to flying was essential and unavoidable and has drawn heavily on the adult volunteer cadre’s good will.

That’s an understatement to say the least. The feeling amongst the VGS staff is such that some of the senior personnel at Cranwell and Syerston will need to be very careful crossing the roads for some time.

“Serial No: 23/16
Date: 10 March 16

AIR CADET AVIATION RELAUNCH

KEY POINTS

• Resolution of airworthiness concerns on gliders which forced an ops pause in Apr 14.
• Conventional and powered gliding with cadets has recommenced.
• A comprehensive cadet avn review has restructured activity, including:

o Implementation of ops, safety, fatigue and maintenance enhancements.
o More accessible gliding that is better controlled and with has greater accountability.
o Provision of new winches, new MT and Infra enhancements for remaining VGSs
o An increased number and network of Tutors and flying hours under 6 FTS command.
o Vigilant will go out of service in 2019, some pilots will transfer to Tutor AEF as VR(T).

• Future gliding will be better for cadets, tauter against a task and more sharply controlled.

BACKGROUND

Pause. In Apr 14 substantial airworthiness issues became apparent on both Viking and Vigilant gliders. A fleet check led to a total loss of airworthiness assurance and all glider flying was paused until the scale of the problem could be determined and a recovery plan put into action. As this was being developed more technical failings emerged, which led to a comprehensive overhaul of the whole gliding enterprise; a refresh from origin of every aircraft’s airworthiness certificate and a re-baseline of all maintenance records. A parallel root and branch review of activity led to a redefining of why we glide, how it is organized and controlled, where it happens and how it is managed. This lengthy and unavoidable pause, was acutely felt and resulted in a reduction in cadet numbers and a dispirited adult volunteer cadre.

Recovery. The review is now complete, the proposals have been approved by CAS, contractors are recovering aircraft and cadets are once again flying. Structural adjustments will accompany the resumption in flying. When at steady state we aim to organise around a ‘cadet aviation offer’ of gliding twice and flying once per year. Where practicable aviation will be no more than 2 hrs drive to optimise training availability and minimize the demand on adult volunteers. To manage fatigue and facilitate training for cadets and staff, a large and ongoing infrastructure investment program is upgrading ops and accommodation blocks. Gliding will be delivered at better resourced regional hubs by a renewed Viking network. Powered flying will be centred on 6 FTS Tutor aircraft – more aircraft, more pilots, more locations and more flying hours. The Vigilant will be phased out by 2019, but will continue to deliver gliding in the N Yorks region until then. Vigilant pilots who meet the minimum flying skills and experience will be offered a cross-over to the Tutor, a transfer to VR(T) service and will complete a CFS-approved course.

Basing. A small number of those retained Viking VGSs will be relocated to optimise delivery of the gliding requirement. This element of the plan is closely tied to the rationalization of the defence estate and requires further detailed analysis before implementation therefore cannot be confirmed until the Footprint Strategy reports later in 2016.

Enhancements. Other significant changes to ACO gliding include an increased investment in the VGS and AEF sites which remain. The provision of accommodation for cadets and staff to undertake residential weekends. Better associated force development and ground training opportunities. Updated operations rooms and sharpened operating procedures. An array of RAF Charitable Trust-funded part-task trainers to introduce synthetics to cadets. A new fleet of the latest glider winch launchers. Optimised command and control, especially clarification of the roles and responsibilities between 2 FTS and the regional comdts. A refocused glider liaison network. A renewed fatigue and safety management system. A reinvigorated 1st, 2nd and 3rd party assurance system. A common syllabus for cadet flying. A shift from ‘air experience’ to ‘flying training’ for cadets. And a re-let glider maintenance contract from Apr 17.

Losses. The withdrawal from service of Vigilant by 2019 will result in the closure of 14 x VGS as powered flying effort shifts to Tutor. These VGSs have extended and colourful histories so this will be sorely felt and their OCs will lose their commands. However, redistribution of activity will meet the cadet requirement more completely, but gliding instructors may have to travel further to their units. Vigilant instructors will need to carefully consider an array of options to determine what best suits their interests. A transfer to Tutor will involve a move into uniformed service, an exacting course but the opportunity to continue powered flying. In sum, these losses are significant but 2 FTS and the ACO will do their best, to accommodate individual preferences.

Summary. The pause to flying was essential and unavoidable and has drawn heavily on the adult volunteer cadre’s good will. With the airworthiness issue fully rectified, a positive overhaul of cadet aviation complete and investment in new and improved infrastructure underway, the ACO will be better served in the long term by a world-class gliding community that is second to none.”

Really sad to hear that Air Cadets gliding at Halton is getting the chop, and Abingdon as well, where I did my cadet flying !

So much disappointing news to digest these days……… :apologetic:

”In April 2014 all Air Cadet Organisation gliding was paused due to airworthiness concerns with the Grob Viking conventional glider and Grob Vigilant motorglider fleets utilised by the Air Cadet Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS).

Substantial operational, technical and commercial negotiations with a range of aerospace leaders in this field have failed to find a value for money approach to successfully repair and recover all 146 gliders. Consequently a comprehensive Air Cadet Organisation review has proposed restructuring this activity. It has been decided that the best value for money solution is to recover at least 73 Vikings, a reduced Vigilant fleet of up to 15 aircraft, combined with an uplift to Grob Tutor fixed wing Air Experience Flights (AEFs).
The reduced glider fleet will be operated by significantly fewer, but larger, VGS, which will have a regional focus and be better integrated with synthetic training and increased AEF locations. The number of Grob Tutor aircraft beyond 2017 for AEF/ University Air Squadron (UAS) use will go from 45 to 70 airframes, enabling the enlargement of existing AEFs and the formation of two new AEFs. Regional VGS hubs, which have the facility to provide overnight accommodation, will be also created across the UK.

The Volunteer Gliding Squadrons that are due to be disbanded are: 611 Squadron currently based at RAF Honington, 612 Squadron currently based Dalton Barracks (Abingdon), 613 Squadron currently based at RAF Halton, 616 Squadron currently based at RAF Henlow, 618 Squadron currently based at RAF Odiham, 624 Squadron currently based at RMB Chivenor, 633 Squadron currently based at RAF Cosford, 634 Squadron currently based at MOD St Athan, 635 Squadron currently based at RAF Topcliffe, 636 Squadron currently based at Swansea Airport, 642 Squadron currently based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, 662 Squadron currently based at RMB Arbroath, 663 Squadron currently based at Kinloss Barracks and 664 Squadron currently based at Newtownards.

The Volunteer Gliding Squadrons that are due to be retained are the Central Gliding School and 644 Squadron currently based at RAF Syerston, 614 Squadron currently based at MDP Wethersfield, 615 Squadron currently based at RAF Kenley, 622 Squadron currently based at Trenchard Lines Upavon, 626 Squadron currently based at RNAS Predannack, 631 Squadron currently based at RAF Woodvale, 632 Squadron currently based at RAF Ternhill, 637 Squadron currently based at RAF Little Rissington, 661 Squadron currently based at RAF Kirknewton and 645 Squadron currently based at Topcliffe (from October 2019). 621 Squadron currently based at Hullavington will be retained at RNAS Merryfield.

As part of this process, a number of regional gliding hubs are to be created. We also expect that 2 new Air Experience Flights will be created, 13 AEF and 14 AEF. It is anticipated that 14 AEF will be located in Northern Ireland.”

Ministerial statement today.

Does anybody have any more photos they could post of Venture’s whilst still in ATC service?

Recognition at last- A Venture Fly in !

25 June, Saltby, Lincs

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/445997-saltby-25-6-11-t61-falke-venture-fly.html

At 612 VGS the original three Ventures were ZA652, 653 and 654 and we put the following daglo numbers as large as possible on the rudders;
ZA652 was 6, ZA653 was 1 and ZA654 was 2.
Forget looking for the correct font, we just maximised the size to fit the space available on the rudder
We did this to assist us in identifying the aircraft in the circuit. Other VGS did similar things but to no set design, as I’ve flown Ventures with individual numbers or letters on the fin and rudder but I couldn’t tell you which was which as we only logged the actual serial, so unless you can find a photo of ZA657 I’m of no help.

Here are some photos of ZA653/1 and ZA660/6 in 1987, note the very different sizes of the fin codes.

Many thanks…you wouldnt happen to have any old images to hand would you.

The other aircraft I plan to do are as follows if anyones interested

Chipmunk WB739, WZ877(jump john jump fame), WB550 poss WK590ish
Hercules XV206
Wessex XR516 (sitting on the gate at Shawbury I believe)
Viking ZE633(i think)
Vigilant ZH195 & ZH207
Plus 30mins in the Sentry Simulator at Waddington.

Hi – I joined 642 VGS in March 1989 – searching through my logbook ZA657 came to the school in 1990 and from old photo’s it had a day glow ‘A’ on the tail.

At 612 VGS the original three Ventures were ZA652, 653 and 654 and we put the following daglo numbers as large as possible on the rudders;
ZA652 was 6, ZA653 was 1 and ZA654 was 2.
Forget looking for the correct font, we just maximised the size to fit the space available on the rudder
We did this to assist us in identifying the aircraft in the circuit. Other VGS did similar things but to no set design, as I’ve flown Ventures with individual numbers or letters on the fin and rudder but I couldn’t tell you which was which as we only logged the actual serial, so unless you can find a photo of ZA657 I’m of no help.

I would appreciate it if you have any images and thanks to all for looking:)

I have photos of Ventures with a dayglo single letter on the rudder and a dayglo single number on the rudder – usually the last number of the aircraft registration.

There is a photo of 657 in its civy reg at the address below.

www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1226070

Welcome 195,

I also qualified on Ventures at 616 at Henlow ZA625, 630 and 633 were on charge when I flew. I think ’33 was the one I soloed in too. Happy days.

I agree about the “day-glo” being none standard – they seemed a local thing as others had no number or letter and others had letters in black IIRC.

Hi 195, and welcome,

I too flew Ventures with the cadets, and first soloed on ZA633 at Halton on Aug 15th 1981. It was a flying machine that did everything at 50 MPH! I still remember the crusty (once white ) leather gloves we had to wear, and the odd red tartan fabric that adorned the cockpit walls.

The dayglo letters were not standard garb , and looked a bit ‘bling’ to me !

Don’t forget to show us the finished artwork !