Squadron Leader B F Tisley RAFVR(T) Wing Gliding Liaison Officer
I was first commissioned in the RAF VR(T) in 1976 when I was based in Winsford, Cheshire and helped to run 202 (Winsford) Sqn ATC. It was during this time that I had the opportunity to take cadets gliding at RAF Sealand where I became hooked on the experience of silent flight.
A move then took me down to Porthcawl in South Wales where I joined 2347 (Porthcawl) Sqn ATC and it was here that a message came round asking if anyone would like to train as a gliding instructor. I jumped at the chance and finally went solo in a cadet Mk III glider in1980 at 636 Volunteer Gliding Squadron, Swansea Airport . I worked my way up to G1 level, which meant I could carry passengers and thus carry out air experience flights but was not allowed to instruct.
A further move to Worcester brought a break in my flying activities and it was only when I moved again to Byfield, just north of Banbury that the opportunity came to join 637 VGS at Little Rissington. Here I had the “brain transplant” from conventional gliders on to the Venture TMk2 Motor Glider. As I gained more experience I moved up through the instructor categories eventually reaching A2 status in September 1991. By this time I had converted from the Venture to the Vigilant motor glider which is still in service today.
The previous year I also participated in some civilian gliding activity and this culminated in a flight in a Cirrus conventional glider from Bidford on Avon to an airfield called Sleap, about 20 miles north of Shrewsbury. Although I reached my goal in about one hour thirty minutes, I managed to stay aloft for five and a half hours and achieve a height gain of over one thousand metres. This qualified me for my silver ‘C' gliding badge.
Unfortunately health problems put an end to my RAF instructing career and in 2002 I moved to Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing as Wing Gliding Liaison Officer. In 2003 I also became the Regional Gliding Liaison Officer for Central & East Region and continue to carry out both jobs today.
Functional Responsibilities
- Issuing of Medical Certificate F6424 forms.
- Maintenance of a waiting list of cadets for Gliding Scholarship courses.
- Maintaining contact with the two Volunteer Gliding Squadrons that serve the Wing.
- Monitor the uptake of Gliding Scholarship places.
- Attend conferences at Wing, Region & HQ Air Cadets.
- Promote gliding around the Wing.
- Deal with any issues that arise from Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing cadet's attendance at Volunteer Gliding Squadrons.
Contact details
Mission Statement
To give as many cadets as possible the opportunity to fly safely in RAF gliders at the two Volunteer Gliding Squadrons which serve Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing.
Objectives for 2006
In addition to the mission statement objective my major project for 2006 is the production of a video on gliding that can be shown at all cadet squadrons and can be taken home so that parents know what to expect when their child puts their name forward for a Gliding Scholarship course.
Useful Information
This photograph of a Vigilant was taken on the film set of “Die Another Day” the last James Bond film, parts of which were filmed at Little Rissington. This included the stunt sequence where the Aston Martin rolls over on its roof & James fires the ejector seat to right the car again.
© Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing ATC