We have some great summer Academy type programs geared toward getting Cadets started with solo, and then some scholarship programs, etc., etc. And marketing posts get sent out often showing the numbers of Cadets completing this or that. Fantastic!
Made me wonder. Is anyone at Hdqs tabulating or keeping track of all the local Squadron CFIs that are flight training Cadets? It would be very interesting to see those numbers. It could easily dwarf the number of cadets going to the Academies that do get all the publicity. The local Cadet who can get a CFI to start training them ... simply gets started. I think it has to be cleared by Wing(?), but its individual instruction, with the CFI simply entering C28 sorties in WMIRS. And they go fly. Ground school on their own. CAP Hdqs or even Wing not realizing how many have passed the written. Etc.
Yes, they fill out CAPF 60-86, but thats more of a way to verify that the parents know the "two deep rule" doesn't apply when they are in the airplane.
We had two Cadets in our Squadron solo last year this way, and other than a post on our local FB page, their was no fanfare from CAP Hdqs. My guess is that even Wing may not have known, until someone happened to mention it(?)
My point is, we may have a whole lot more Cadets soloing in powered aircraft and heading for their Private, or having achieved it recently, than the PAOs and Marketing folks at Hdqs realize. Would be good data points to know.
There are reports available in WMIRS that can show C28 hours on any aircraft.
Quote from: etodd on November 22, 2020, 02:52:37 AMMy point is, we may have a whole lot more Cadets soloing in powered aircraft and heading for their Private, or having achieved it recently, than the PAOs and Marketing folks at Hdqs realize. Would be good data points to know.
I would bet they are aware cadets are accomplishing their training in this way, but as a national marketing team (of course, I can't speak for them) I imagine they would want to highlight those opportunities that are consistently available to cadets. So if I see national marketing the "find a CFI and fly with them" model, then I ask at my unit and it's nowhere to be found, the marketing initiative wouldn't be a great success.
Whereas if they advertise a flight academy or scholarship that's available to anyone who applies, that's a successful campaign.
Just a guess!