Air Cadet aircraft return to Tern Hill
A gliding school has been able to return to the skies over Shropshire for the first time in more than three years.
Number 632 Volunteer Gliding School has been able to fly from the airfield at Tern Hill near Market Drayton for the first time since being grounded by the RAF in 2014.
A tougher flight safety regime across the RAF meant that the cadets’ glider fleet was grounded that year over safety fears.
Mike Clegg, spokesman for the school, said: "Saturday November 4 saw Number 632 Volunteer Gliding School take to the skies again after a gap of more than three and a half years.
"In April 2014 the RAF grounded all Air Cadet gliders, both conventional and powered types. Since then many political, financial, engineering and management problems have had to be overcome before flying for air training corps cadets could be partially reinstated.
"Opportunities to fly will, however, be much reduced as fourteen of the original 25 squadrons have been disbanded and almost all the powered gliders have been retired from service."
Mr Clegg said the school will now have to use a new type of glider.
"Tern Hill-based 632 VGS has been spared but instead of continuing to fly the Grob 109B, Vigilant, motor-glider instructors will have to convert onto the winch-launched Grob G103A, Viking, conventional glider.
"The process began on Saturday when five instructors from the RAF’s Central Gliding School, led by Wing Commander Ady Hobson, took several instructors for familiarisation flights in their new aircraft.
"First of these was the Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Paul Whitters, himself an experienced conventional glider pilot. Needless to say he was overjoyed to see members of his unit, formerly the best of the VGS, take to the air again after being grounded for so long.
"So, no longer will you hear the buzz of the Vigilant overhead but instead the gentle swishing of the elegant Viking, a sound that has not been heard at Tern Hill for 40 years.
"And it is to be hoped that before too long 632 VGS will once again be training cadets from north Wales, the Midlands and south Lancashire as well as from our local area," Mr Clegg added.
The RAF has previously denied cadets will have fewer chances to fly, or the changes are simply cost-cutting, and says it will buy more powered training planes. The surviving glider squadrons will be enlarged and have new rooms for cadets to stay overnight and more simulators.
