... 1145 (Dunfermline) Squadron Air Training Corps
Gliding
Gliding
Once enrolled, all cadets in the ATC are eligible for Air Experience Gliding (AEG). This is made possible by the fleet of Gliders which are owned and run by Headquarters Air Cadets. There are currently 53 Vigilant powered gliders and 90 Viking conventional gliders in use by 27 Volunteer Gliding Schools (VGS) spread from Kinloss in Scotland down to Predannack in Cornwall. For cadets from 1145 (Dunfermline) Squadron, gliding is conducted by 662 VGS which is based at RM Condor, on the outskirts of Arbroath. During their visits to RM Condor, all cadets are kept busy as gliding is very much a hands on experience. If not actually flying, cadets are given tasks to attend to such as running out winch wires, moving aircraft onto the flight line or signalling winch control during take-offs. During inclement weather, there is often the opportunity to go across to the hangar to do some aircraft maintenance.
Facts and Figures
The following figures give an estimate of the number of hours and the number of cadets flown during a typical year.
Viking ( Qty = 90)
1. A combined total of 77,800 launches
2. 8,000 cadets have three launches each on familiarization flights
3. 650 cadets have twenty launches each for Air Experience Flying.
4. 450 cadets trained to solo standard after 50 launches
Vigilant (Qty = 53)
1. A combined Total of 14,500 hours flown for all aircraft
2. 8,000 cadets each have a 20 minute familiarization flight.
3. 750 cadets each get a four hour Initial Flying Course.
4. 500 cadets trained to solo standard on a course of 10 hours
In addition to the above aircraft, Air Cadets also own 4 Valiant single-seat and two Janus dual-seat high performance aircraft for competition flying
Once enrolled, all cadets in the ATC are eligible for Air Experience Gliding (AEG). This is made possible by the fleet of Gliders which are owned and run by Headquarters Air Cadets. There are currently 53 Vigilant powered gliders and 90 Viking conventional gliders in use by 27 Volunteer Gliding Schools (VGS) spread from Kinloss in Scotland down to Predannack in Cornwall. For cadets from 1145 (Dunfermline) Squadron, gliding is conducted by 662 VGS which is based at RM Condor, on the outskirts of Arbroath. During their visits to RM Condor, all cadets are kept busy as gliding is very much a hands on experience. If not actually flying, cadets are given tasks to attend to such as running out winch wires, moving aircraft onto the flight line or signalling winch control during take-offs. During inclement weather, there is often the opportunity to go across to the hangar to do some aircraft maintenance.
If you have never flown in a glider before, it is very difficult for someone to describe how it feels. I asked three cadets to desrcibe their experience for me. This is their stories.
 | As my alarm went off at quarter to 6 in the morning i wondered what i had got myself into but when we finally got to RN Condor things changed. When we were driving past we could see all the gliders sitting out ready for us. Sitting in the breifing room i couldnt wait to get up into the sky. After the breifing we were taken to be weighed and put into the order that we were going up in. I was going second after Jemma. I wasn't nervous, infact i was excited i couldnt wait to be catapulted into the air but then Jemma landed and my legs turnd to jelly. I ran over and got the parachute and then got into the glider. I had to wait a while before getting into the air but then a cadet came over and hooked us up and SWO Turk came and kept the wings level. The winch was taking in the slack. I could see the cabel getting tighter and tighter and then the beeping got faster. Suddenly we were moving and i saw SWO Turk running next to us and then we were up in the air. My stomach felt weird at the speed we were going at but it was amazing being up in the air. I could see the park that i used to play at when i was at my great gran's house. When i was at her house i used to see the gliders flying from her living room window, i used to wish i could go up in one, one day so now i can say i have been. |
 | On Sunday the first of April, 6 cadets went to RN Condor to do some gliding. Three of us had never been gliding before so as we were on the mini-bus we were getting nervous but the other three just kept telling us it will be ok. When we arrived we went and got our safety briefing and then went gliding. I was the first person to go up but as I had never been up before, all I wanted to do now was to go home. After a while, everything was ready. I was strapped in by members of staff and before I knew it, I was airborne. It was amazing except that I felt sick because I suffer from motion sickness. I waited until after lunch for my second and third launches to let my stomach settle. Everybody else went up and we all got what we wanted to get........our GIC 1's and GIC 2's. |
 | On the first of April I went up in a glider for the first time. At first I was a bit nervous but when I got up I was fine. I was a bit worried when i was told to take control as I thought I might do something wrong but I was shown what to do first so I felt fine with that. The whole experience was great and I would not hesitate to do it again. |
Facts and Figures
The following figures give an estimate of the number of hours and the number of cadets flown during a typical year.
Viking ( Qty = 90)
1. A combined total of 77,800 launches
2. 8,000 cadets have three launches each on familiarization flights
3. 650 cadets have twenty launches each for Air Experience Flying.
4. 450 cadets trained to solo standard after 50 launches
Vigilant (Qty = 53)
1. A combined Total of 14,500 hours flown for all aircraft
2. 8,000 cadets each have a 20 minute familiarization flight.
3. 750 cadets each get a four hour Initial Flying Course.
4. 500 cadets trained to solo standard on a course of 10 hours
In addition to the above aircraft, Air Cadets also own 4 Valiant single-seat and two Janus dual-seat high performance aircraft for competition flying
 | Viking TMk1 The aircraft can be winch launched or aero-towed Length 8.18m Height 1.55m Wingspan 17.50m Max Speed 135kts Max Altitude 8000ft |
 | Vigilant TMk1 Grob 2500E 1 horizontally opposed four-cylinder, air-cooled engine Length 8.10m Height 1.70m Wingspan 17.40m Max Speed 130kts Max Altitude 8,000ft |
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