635 Volunteer Gliding Squadron

Petition: Save UK Air Cadet Gliding On March 10th 2016 it was announced that Gliding for UK Air Cadet Organization was being scaled back with heavy cuts to its locations and fleet. This will mean the opportunities for 12-18 year olds to take control of an aircraft and even to learn to fly solo will be severely curtailed.

Today, as part of preparations for our return to flight, members of 635 & 645vgs took part in first response training at RAF Leeming. Many thanks to the fire section for their help and support today!

Take a look at this short video for a small insight into what we do!

It is just over a year now since we were grounded and we're staring to see light at the end of the tunnel!

635 Volunteer Gliding Squadron 2015 promotion 635 VGS is primarily a training squadron and exists to provide elementary gliding training to air cadets. The unit is part of a group of 16 units located wit...

Today we attended Cumbria and Lancashire's wing training day. Our aim was to promote the VGS and the courses we run. The day was a success with 10 potential SQNs signing up for our courses and interest from people wanting to join our staff.

Another successful aviation weekend! Ratcliffe sqn from Greater Manchester Wing, smiles all around!

****PLEASE READ****
Aviation weekend dates. 1005 Radcliffe is the latest Sqn to book on to a course for the 25th! Available course dates are 8-10th, 15-17th and 29-31st of May and any weekend in June.

All sqns/wings are welcome, if you are interested please email:
[email protected]

Another successful weekend!
We hosted 11 cadets from Greater Manchester Wing (1196sqn) on another aviation activity weekend. A big thanks to the air Air Operations Acquaintance Centre for loaning their group exercise to us, the cadets enjoyed and learnt from the experience. Royal Air Force Air Cadets North Region Air Cadets

Another brilliant weekend had by all at RAF Topcliffe, we ran another aviation weekend for 1196 Bredbury sqn and the PTT was finally finished!

**OPPORTUNITY**
You may have noticed the recent 'aviation weekend courses' we have been running. We are currently seeking students to attend our next course (20-22nd FEB) and future ones! Sadly, we can't get a fast enough response from wing and therefore, if you wish to apply directly for the course, please ask your CO!
**For more information about the course post your email address below in the comments**

Up, up and away in our...

A Vigilant motor glider took to the skies over RAF Syerston today crewed by Squadron Leaders Mark Williams and Adey Hobson. This was the latest milestone in the recovery to flight of the RAF Air Cadet gliding fleet.

Officer Commanding No.2 Flying Training Squadron, Wing Commander Colin Cunningham said: "The achievement of this first flight was the accumulation of many hours work by all RAF Syerston and by a larger number of supporting agencies."

Engineering requirements had caused a temporary pause in gliding. This flight marks the first step back to fully functional gliding.

Last weekend we hosted 184 (Manchester South) Squadron ATC on one of our new activity weekends, smiles all around, the course was enjoyed by all! Greater Manchester Wing OC Greater Manchester Wing North Region Air Cadets

This evening 12 cadets from 184 (Manchester South) Squadron ATC are arriving for our second activity weekend!

These courses allow our instructors to maintain their classroom/instructional abilities as well as being beneficial to the cadets!

This weekend we hosted 128 Barrow SQN on our first aviation weekend. It's fair to say that the cadets loved it, the course has drawn a lot of attention and we're running it all over again next weekend for 184 (Manchester South) Squadron ATC. Here's a sample of what we got up to! OC Greater Manchester Wing Greater Manchester Wing

Share and like our colleagues new FB page from 642 VGS at RAF Linton On Ouse! North Region Air Cadets Royal Air Force Air Cadets

The 642 Association Air Cadet gliding scholarships and induction flights at RAF Linton -On-Ouse, York

An ex 635 bird still soldiering on! ZA634/C

Former 635 VGS ship ZA634/C, still going strong.

'Del Boy' flies new RAF simulator TV actor Sir David Jason gives his support to young pilots and tests a new glider simulator at a Nottinghamshire RAF base.

The official page for our colleagues of 631 VGS at RAF Woodvale! 631 VGS

631 Aviation Ground School Providing gliding experiences to Air Cadets across the North West and North Wales.

Final preparations are being made for our Easter course this year commencing on Friday the 11th of April. We will be training a group of cadets from Cumbria, Lancashire and greater Manchester wings! There will be an additional student, Grp Cptn John Middleton OC 2FTS will be joining us later the course to experience a GS on a Vigilant school and to experience the full cadet treatment!

Great news, we have just been informed that our aircraft are air worthy once again having been grounded for the past 2 weeks. GS flying as normal and GICs should be informed!

If you're an ex student or member of staff, why not send us your old pictures?!

Apologies to all students who did not fly today!

Unfortunately the weather is something that we can't control and the wind was blowing out of our operating operating limits!

But we took the opportunity to clean up and catch up on admin!

Another brilliant weekend!
2 solos!
Joe Butterworth from Rochdale SQN and Callum Herbert from Penrith SQN flew a solo circuit this weekend and both awarded with silver wings.

***NEW STAFF CADETS***
This weekend we welcomed 2 new flight staff cadets to the team, Cdt Sgt Matthew Long
Cdt Sgt Jordan Craddy
They spent the weekend completing our induction program, meeting the staff and learning the roles of a FSC on the unit. Both agreed that they had a brilliant first weekend and are looking forward to what is still to come.

Friday night, most may be thinking about relaxing for the weekend, however here at RAF Topcliffe we're getting ready for another weekend, inducting new students and engineering the aircraft. We also have a visit this Sunday; commandant air cadets Dawn McCafferty will visit and 645 VGS and ourselves!

You will all have gathered that this page is in early progress, this is the official 635 vgs page, we will be publishing things such as GS/Solo completions, staff/sqn awards and updates on the vgs!

***Recommend this page to your Friends***

If you have any photos of your time with 635 please feel free to post them to our page!