Volunteer Gliding Squadron

Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGSs) are Royal Air Force flying training units, operating military Viking TX.1 (conventional) and Vigilant T.1 (motor) gliders to train Air Cadets from the Combined Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps.

The VGSs operate under the administration of the Air Cadet Organisation's Flying Branch, but come under No.22 (Training) Group, formerly the Royal Air Force Training Defence Agency, of the Royal Air Force Air Command. The 28 Units, along with the Air Cadet Central Gliding School, are standardised annually by the Royal Air Force Central Flying School.

VGSs are made up of volunteer staff. Each is headed by a Commanding Officer and several executives, all of whom are commissioned into the Training Branch of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Instructors comprise a mixture of regular RAF/RN/Army personnel, Reservists, civilian gliding instructors (CGIs) and Flight Staff Cadets (FSCs).

Brief History

Preface

Gliding was first introduced around 1939, but formally became part of the official training after 1943. Post 1946, 87 Gliding Schools (GSs) came under the Reserve Command.

Command

Initially the Gliding Schools were established under the Reserve Command (later to become Headquarters Air Cadets) and Home Command. In 1955, Flying Training Command took over the responsibility and amalgamated them into 27 Gliding Schools. In 1968, Training Command was established incorporating the Flying Training Command. Later the Gliding Schools become part of the Personnel and Training Command, which became the Air Command in March 2007, where they rest today.

Under Air Command, the Chain of Command for these units are regulated through No.22 (Training) Group RAF. On behalf of AOC No.22 (Training) Group RAF, the VGSs and ACCGS are the collective responsibility of the Air Cadets Chief-of-Staff, who is appointed as Commander Gliding.

Formation of the Central Gliding School (CGS)

Formulated in 1946, the Home Command Gliding Instructors School (HCGIS) was established in 1949 at RAF Detling to train Qualified Gliding Instructors for the Gliding Schools. With the dis-establishment of Home Command, HCGIS was spit into two Gliding Centres to accommodate the Gliding schools in the North and South of the UK. A further reorganisation amalgamated the Gliding Centres into the Central Gliding School in 1972 at RAF Spitalgate, where it renamed into its present title of the Air Cadet Central Gliding School (ACCGS) in 1974.

The ACCGS is commanded by a Wing Commander RAF, who also acts as OC Flying for RAF Syerston. The Chief Instructor is a Squadron Leader RAF. The examiners of the ACCGS, are Flight Lieutenant RAFR and Squadron Leader RAFR Officers.

From Wood to GRP

The RAF chose to re-equip the ageing fleet with the first of the modern GRP gliders. In a bid to achieve this, in 1983 the RAF acquired an initail batch of 10 Schleicher ASK 21 and named Vanguard T mk 1. The first examples were delivered the ACCGS at Syerston in Time for the new Instrucors courses to take place. The first VGS to equip with these was 618 VGS at West Malling . Instructors from this unit were converted to the new training syssabus and flying the type during July and August of that year. The first Vanguards were delivered to West malling in July 1983 and Training for Cadets began in August. After the inital 100 were delivered Alexander Schleicher was unwilling to open a production line for the MoD as they did not want to sideline their Civilian Market. A teder was issued and Grob Aerospace was awared the contract to supply 100 Grob G 103 Twin-Two Acro Gliders which the RAF named Viking T MK 1 in RAF Air Cadet service. A single specimen was delivered to Slingsby Aviation in the UK for fatigue life testing .

Introduction of Motor Gliders

The Venture TX.1 was trialed at the ACCGS. 10 GSs were first issued with the TX.1 variant in 1977, but were quickly upgraded with the TX.2. With the development of many sites and closures of many RAF Aerodromes put strain on many conventional VGS. Further GSs were allocated with the TX.2s. In 1991 the Venture TX.2 was replaced with the Vigilant T.1. Originally designated the Vigilant TX.1, the X denoting a glider was revoked during the mid 1990s due to the aircraft's performance and role. The number of VGSs now operating Viking TX.1 to Vigilant T.1 are 12:16.

Disbandment of the Competition Fleet

In 2000, ACO-COS Group Captain Mike Cross announced the sale of the Valiant TX.1 and Janus TX.1 fleets. This concluded the RAF's many successful years competing in National Gliding Competitions and setting World Records.

chools to Squadrons

Initially established as Gliding Schools, the GSs were re-designated Volunteer Gliding Schools (VGSs) in 1978. In 2005, following a decision by the Royal Air Force Board, the VGSs were placed into the Elementary Flying Training Unit register, and consequently were renamed Volunteer Gliding Squadrons keeping their VGS acronym.

Units

Present Conventional Glider VGSs

* 611 VGS (STANTA Airfield), formerly 102 GS
* 614 VGS (MDP Wethersfield), formerly 142 GS, 146 GS and 147 GS
* 615 VGS (RAF Kenley), formerly 141 GS and 168 GS
* 617 VGS Currently Homeless (formerly at RAF Manston)
* 621 VGS (Hullavington), formerly 87 GS and formerly at Locking Airfield W-S-M
* 622 VGS (Trenchard Lines), formerly 89 GS
* 625 VGS (Hullavington), formerly 83 GS
* 626 VGS (Predannack), formerly 82 GS
* 643 VGS (RAF Syerston), formerly 107 EGS
* 661 VGS (RAF Kirknewton), formerly 1 EGS
* 662 VGS (RMB Condor), formerly 2 GS and 5 GS

Present Motor Glider VGSs

* 612 VGS (Dalton Barracks), formerly 104 GS
* 613 VGS (RAF Halton), formerly C122 GS
** DF (RAF White Waltham), 1968-1979
* 616 VGS (RAF Henlow), formerly 106 GS
* 618 VGS [http://www.sixoneeight.org.uk] (RAF Odiham), formerly 146 GS and 168 GS
* 624 VGS (RMB Chivenor), formerly 84 GS
* 632 VGS (RAF Ternhill), formerly 45 GS
* 631 VGS (RAF Woodvale), formerly 186 GS
* 633 VGS (DCAE Cosford)
* 634 VGS [http://www.634vgs.org.uk] (MOD St. Athan), formerly 68 GS
* 635 VGS (BAE Salmesbury)
* 636 VGS (Swansea Airport)
* 637 VGS (RAF Little Rissington)
* 642 VGS (RAF Linton-on-Ouse), formerly 23 GS
* 644 VGS (RAF Syerston), formerly 29 EGS
* 645 VGS (RAF Topcliffe), formerly 26 GS
* 663 VGS (RAF Kinloss)
* 664 VGS (Newtownards)

Aircraft

Conventional Gliders

NON-GRP - No longer in Service

*Single Seats
** Primary TX.1 (31 entered service)
** Grasshopper TX.1 (115 entered service)
** Kirby Cadet TX.1 (362 entered service)
** Kirby Cadet TX.2
** Swallow TX.1
** Prefect TX.1

*Dual Seats
** Kirby Cadet TX.3 (171 entered service)
** Sedbergh TX.1 (69 entered service)

*Various Misc
** Gull TX.1
** Kite TX.1
** King Kite TX.1
** Falcon TX.3 (7 entered service)
** BAC TX.1
** Viking TX.1

GRP - No longer in Service

*Single Seats
** Valiant TX.1 (5 entered service)
*Dual Seats
** Vanguard TX.1 (10 entered service)
** Janus TX.1 (2 entered service)

In Service

* Viking TX.1 (100 entered service, later reduced to around 77)

Motor Gliders

No longer in service

* Venture TX.1 (Limited number, mainly used at ACCGS)
* Venture TX.2 (15 entered service, followed by a further 25)

In Service

* Vigilant T.1 (53 entered service, later increased to 63)

ee also

*Royal Air Force
*List of aircraft of the RAF
*Aircraft

External links

Volunteer Gliding Squadrons

* [http://www.611vgs.org.uk/ 611 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.612vgs.co.uk/ 612 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.615vgs.com/ 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.618vgs.org.uk/ 618 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.621vgs.co.uk/ 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://622vgs.org.uk/ 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.624vgs.co.uk/ 624 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.625vgs.org.uk/ 625 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.626vgs.co.uk/ 626 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.631vgs.com/ 631 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.633vgs.org.uk/ 633 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.634vgs.org.uk/ 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.637vgs.pelicanfts.co.uk/ 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.642vgs.com/ 642 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.644vgs.org/ 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.664vgs.co.uk/ 664 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]