The club were delighted to host a visit by 1st Wem Cubs on Tuesday evening, an evening that is always the more enjoyable for the infectious enthusiasm that the young visitors bring with them. That, and the left field questions that these eager youngsters were bound to ask like, how do you go to the toilet in the air and, what do you eat for lunch when you’re flying!
With MCQ quiz sheets and pencils issued, our young visitors were organised into four groups and split amongst the interactive stands in Hangar 4 with fifteen minutes at each stand being just enough to maintain interest.
Laura with a K21 gave our visitors time to get their hands on the controls and to imagine that they were airborne. Imagination was not in short supply, and more than a few enthusiastic flying noises were noted!
In the maintenance area Colin explained what happens when a glider runs out of nature’s energy and lands in a field, how we take it apart and pack it in a trailer. Intriguingly, Colin gave a demonstration of how an endoscope could be used to look inside parts of the aircraft that are otherwise inaccessible.
Nick and Alan’s double act with TMG WG and a K21 explained how a glider is launched and how it can be released from the aero-tow……
……and then went on to explain that the motor-glider although it does have an engine, it can glide - which was all got a bit confusing!
With Nigel eager at the fourth stand to give a detailed explanation of his favourite topic, the Palmgren-Miner linear damage hypothesis and its readily understandable formula,,,,,,,
……it was pointed out that this might be a tad advanced for our young audience and it was probably more appropriate if he explained how, as a pilot, you progress from a 2-seat training aircraft on to the single seater. He could also point out the potential gotcha – it has a retractable undercarriage.
Throughout, there was keen interest in getting the answers to the quiz. Gliding based, the quiz also played to various aspects of the Scouts Air Activities Staged Activity Badge.
The evening finished back in the club room with drinks and crisps, and the answers to the MCQ quiz. A super evening with great young guests amongst whom are a number who already have an RAF career firmly in their sights.
A big thanks to RAF Cosford ARs Bella D and Lennon F who volunteered to take time out from their studies and to assist on the evening. Both fly with RSGC through the Mechanics Endowment Fund (MEF) gliding bursary programme and both are applying for RAFGSA Go-Solo funding to take their flying to the next level. They are super ambassadors for both the RAF and Cosford.
A more enthusiastic group of visitors it is difficult to image, who are a great credit to scouting and, who know, some may be the RAF pilots of the future. In recognition of how amazing our young guests were, we think that they should all be awarded a Gliding Activity Badge.
Many thanks too to our Club members who gave up their time on the evening to make the visit such a success.