Activities Section

Gliding Scholarship

Gliding Scholarship Application Form Download here – Link Gliding Scholarship Application Form
file: GS Application.pdf | downloaded: 115 times

Gliding Scholarship courses are an opportunity for cadets to undergo further training and achieve Gliding Scholarship Wings. A course consists of up to 40 launches in a Viking or 8 hours in a Vigilant to achieve GS wings. Cadets showing the necessary aptitude are invited to progress to ‘solo’ standard and hopefully achieve the GS Solo Wings.

If you want to be nominated for a Gliding Scholarship, let your Squadron or Unit staff know and they will give you a Wing GS Application form. These are to be returned direct to the WGLO. On receipt of the application forms the WGLO will send direct to each cadet an RAF Form 6424 “Air Cadet Medical Certificate of Fitness for Glider Pilot Training”. Once completed the RAF Form 6424 is to be returned direct to the WGLO. The medical form is valid for 2 years from date of completion.

On receipt of completed medical forms, the cadets applying will be placed on a waiting list. There will be one list for each of the 3 affiliated VGS’s.
Places will be offered on a rotation system to each Squadron in turn.

After you have completed the medical (no examination required – it is completed by reference to your medical notes), and your doctor has signed the form to confirm that you are fit to undergo glider pilot training, you are ready for a course. It is then a matter of a course becoming available. Courses are available in two formats, either over successive weekends until you have completed the course or a continuous week-long course (usually in the summer, however they are held all year round at the Air Cadet Central Gliding School at RAF Syerston). You must have the commitment to attend a GS course, as it can be difficult to predict the exact time it will take to complete as it depends on your own progress and the weather. Typically in summer a course will take 3 weekends to complete. Successful completion of the course will entitle you to wear the Blue GS wings. You will have done well to get this far.

For cadets showing the required aptitude, there may be the opportunity to progress further and possibly reach the solo standard. Should you manage this and successfully complete a solo circuit you will be entitled to wear the Silver GS wings. For some if they are invited, or apply and are accepted, to become Flight Staff Cadets there will be further training. These cadets will be trained to a much higher level and again, if successful, cadets will be entitled to wear the Gold wings denoting AGT or Advanced Glider Training.

Course Content

Vigilant – 8 Hours Extra 20% allowed for further training to solo
Viking – 40 Launches

In Brief

You must be 16 years of age
Parent’s consent to fly signed in service book or 3822
RAF Medical Form 6424 completed (if you have a medical condition, you can be assessed for glider pilot training by forwarding, via your unit, to HQAC for further consideration)
You must have a high level of motivation and be prepared to attend a VGS until your course is complete
No temporary or permanent medical condition that would make flying unsafe for cadet or pilot.