Regional Gliding School (Prairie)

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The Schweizer SGS 2-33 (2-33A), used for training in the Air Cadet Gliding Program
The Schweizer SGS 2-33 (2-33A), used for training in the Air Cadet Gliding Program

Regional Gliding School (Prairie), (RGS(Pra), RGS(P)), is one of five Glider Pilot Training Schools that are part of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets program. The primary task is to run the annual summer courses to train Air Cadets to the level of a Transport Canada Glider Pilot License. RGS(P) also conducts the Introduction to Aviation Course (ITAC). Every summer, approxiamately 180 cadets train at RGS(P): sixty on the six week glider course and two serials of sixty in ITAC. RGS(P) is located adjacent to the town of Gimli, MB, in the interlake region of Manitoba.

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[edit] History

The beginnings of RGS(P) are tied closely to the origins of the Air Cadet Gliding Program. The activities at Edmonton, AB in 1965 and later at Penhold, AB were the first Air Cadet Gliding programs in Canada[1]. RGS(P) has been based at three locations throughout its history and pre-history. This is a timeline of the relocations of RGS(P)[2] :

  • (1966 - 1973) Penhold, AB (Pre RGS(P))
  • (1974 - 1983) Rivers, MB (As RGS(Pra))
  • (1984 - 1987) Gimli, MB
  • (1988 - 1997) Pehold, AB
  • (1998) Gimli, MB
  • (1999) Penhold, AB
  • (2000 - present) Gimli MB (In the year 2000, the school operated as Prairie Region Gliding School (PRGS))

[edit] Notable Events

  • The one millionth Air Cadet Glider Flight was flown at RGS(P) in 1995. On board the glider were Capt. D. Gillrie and Cadet WO Sarah Tufts.[2]

[edit] Staff

RGS(P) is staffed by members of the Cadet Instructors Cadre of the Canadian Forces. The following is a list of staff members in recent history: [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Commanding Officers

  • (2001 - 2004) LCol. Forestell
  • (2005 - Present) LCol. Gillrie

Standards Officer

  • (2002 - present) Lt. B. Cook

Chief Groundschool Officer

  • (2002 - 2003) Capt. R. Wickett

Chief Flying Officer

  • (2001 - Present) Maj. B. Renaud

Maintenance/Engineering Officer

  • Capt. M. Gielas

Chief Air Traffic Advisory Officer

  • (1998 - 2003) Mr. W. Graham

[edit] Flights

The cadets attending RGS(P) are divided into four flights, named to honour the 2CFFTS Basic Flight Training Course at CFB Moose Jaw. These are: Apache, Bandit, Cobra, and Dragon. [2]

[edit] References

[edit] External links


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