About 624 Volunteer Gliding Squadron
The official page of 624 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF disbanded in 2016
624 Volunteer Gliding Squadron Description
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGSs) are Royal Air Force Flying Training Units (FTUs), 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 2 Flying Training School (FTS), within No. 22 (Training) Group of the Royal Air Force Air Command. The 25 Units, along with the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School, are standardised annually by the Royal Air Force Central Flying School. Formerly under the Air Cadet Organisation preceding 2010, Headquarters Air Cadets presently still retains administrative and logistic support.
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).