625 VGS Team

Squadron Leader RAF VR(T) Phil Tancell A2* - Category Instructor Officer Commanding Born near Ross-on-Wye, Phil Tancell joined 1002 Sqn at the age of 13, bicycling 3 miles, twice a week to attend. He took part in nearly all squadron activities including sport, and in 1969 won the Javelin competition in London, where he represented the ATC competing against the Army and Navy cadets. He worked his way up the cadet ranks until he was promoted to CWO on the 12 Nov 1969 and before his 22nd birthday was awarded the Commandant?s Certificate of Good Service in 1972. The first time he flew in a glider was at 625 VGS, South Cerney at the age of 16, when he was one of a number of cadets attending the squadron for Air Experience Gliding. During this visit he was invited back to attend a proficiency gliding course (now called Gliding Scholarship) and was sent solo on the 2 July 1967 by the then CFI, Flt Lt Tony Boylan, who invited him to join 625 as a Flight Staff Cadet. Working his way through the gliding awards he completed AGT1 in Sept 1968, AGT2 1971, G1 ? Jan 1969, C cat - July 1970 and, still as a cadet, B cat in 1972. He was promoted to Adult W/O on the 12 March 1973 and the same time took over Equipment Officer at 625 VGS. He gained his A cat in 1974 and when a vacancy on the VGS for an officer arose he left 1002 Sqn to be promoted to Plt Off. He took over the post of CFI on the 18 Aug 1980 when he was also promoted to Flt Lt. Final promotion came to Sqn Ldr, when he took over the Commanding Officer?s roll of the VGS on the 13 Mar 1983. Still CO of 625 VGS today he was awarded the Cadet Forces Medal in 1984 and has received two subsequent clasps.	Squadron Leader RAF VR(T) Phil Tancell
Flight Lieutenant RAF VR(T) Jason Martin A2* - Category Instructor Chief Flying Instructor Flt Lt Jason Martin first flew in a Chipmunk at Filton airfield with 3 AEF in 1984. His first glider flight was as an Air Experience cadet at 625 VGS South Cerney in a Venture TMk1 motor glider in December of the same year. Following this introduction, he applied for a Basic Glider Training course which began in October 1986, again at 625 VGS South Cerney. He first flew solo in February 1987 and applied for a position as a Flight Staff Cadet, which was approved. He attended his C Category Instructor course in 1990, followed by his B in 1993. He was commissioned in 1994 and held of post of Equipment Officer for a year before moving to the post of Adjutant.In 1999 he attended his A2 Instructor and Flying Supervisor Courses and moved to the post of CFI where he is responsible to OC 625 and the staff for the ongoing training and development of the next generation of 625 pilots and instructors. Jason's facebook page	Flight Lieutenant RAF VR(T) Jason Martin
Flight Lieutenant RAF VR(T) Andy Rigsby A2* - Category Instructor Technical Officer and Deputy CFI Flight Lieutenant Andy Rigsby joined 625 VGS at the age of 32 in June 1987 as a Civilian Instructor U/T. He had just completed regular service in the Royal Marines where he had seen active service during the Falklands Campaign and in Northern Ireland. He had also been trained by the RAF as a military parachutist. Previous gliding experience prior to joining 625 VGS had been with the RN and RAF Gliding and Soaring Associations. His first solo was in a Sedbergh T21 at the Naval Air Station - HMS Daedalus, Lee-on-Solent - in April 1974. With 625 VGS he became a C Cat Instructor in 1988, a B Cat in 1992 and attained his A2 Cat in 1997. A commission followed in 1998 at which time he took up the role of Engineering Officer. His responsibilities include the engineering requirements of the squadron's aircraft and transport fleet. He took on a secondary role as Deputy CFI in 1999.	Flying Officer RAF VR(T) Andy Rigsby
Civilian Gliding Instructor Sarah Hall A2* - Category Instructor Flight Safety Officer Sarah had her first glider flight at 625VGS at South Cerney in May 1992 and subsequently went on to complete her first solo later that year. She then joined the squadron as a Flight Staff Cadet becoming a C Cat instructor in 1995. After a few years at university, attending mainly during the holidays, Sarah became a Civilian Gliding Instructor and gained her B Category instructor qualification in 1999. She went on to gain her A Category qualification in 2005 and now holds the post of Unit Flight Safety Officer. When not gliding, Sarah flies a Boeing 747 for British Airways. Sarah's facebook page	Civilian Gliding Instructor Sarah Hall
Civilian Gliding Instructor Oliver Jones A - Category Instructor MT Officer CGI Oliver Jones dosn't have alot to say about himself.	Civilian Gliding Instructor Oliver Jones
Pilot Officer Luke Short B - Category Instructor Adjutant Local boy, Luke Short, was born 3.5 miles away from Hullavington Airfield in Chippenham, Wiltshire. He joined 1304 (Chippenham) ATC Sqn in 1990. Luke was with 1304 Sqn for 8 years. Whilst in the ATC Luke attained his Staff Cadet and reached the rank of CWO. Besides getting involved in gliding, he also won an RAF Flying Scholarship and went on to earn his Private Pilots Licence (PPL) in 1997. Luke first flew in a glider with 625 VGS at Kemble at the age of 15 in 1992, whilst visiting with his squadron on an AEG visit, this was also the first time he had ever flown in his life. Luke first flew in a powered aircraft, namely a Chipmunk, with 3 AEF in 1993, when they were based at RAF Hullavington. Luke completed his IGT (initial glider training) in Jan 1995 and successfully completed his BGT (basic glider training) in Feb 1997, being sent for his first solo on 15/02/1997 by Flt Lt D. Bowyer (CFI) Luke was then invited to join 625 as a Flight Staff Cadet after completion of his BGT course. Luke completed his AGT1 in Jun1997 and his AGT2 in Jul 1998, whilst on an attachment at Portmoak, Scotland. Luke was awarded G2 pilot status in Mar 1998 and became a G1 pilot in Sept 1998. Luke sucessfully completed his C-cat instructor course in Sept 1999, followed by the successfully completion of his B-cat course in May 2002. Luke became a CGI with 625VGS when he turned 22 years old and had to leave 1304 (Chippenham) squadon in 1999. Luke was commissioned into the RAFVR(T) on 23rd February 2006. Now as a Plt Off, Luke has taken on the role of 625VGS Adjutant.	Pilot Officer Luke Short
Civilian Gliding Instructor Duncan Porter B - Category Instructor Deputy Adjutant / IT Admin Duncan was born and grew up in North Bristol. At the age of 13, he joined 2509DF Air Training Corps Squadron, which later became 37 Squadron. He flew familiarization gliding with 625VGS at South Cerney and Kemble and was started his Basic Glider Training course soon after his 16^th birthday, going solo in May 1993. Duncan was keen to continue flying gliders and joined the Squadron as a staff cadet. During his two years on the squadron he became a grade 2 pilot and flew his five hour BGA Silver certificate sortie at Port Moak in Scotland. He left the area and the squadron to persue a university course and work elsewhere, but returned to the area in 2001 and returned to 625VGS as a Civilian Gliding Instructor. Duncan earned his Grade 1 Pilot qualification in 2002, his C category instructor qualification in 2003 and his B category senior instructor qualification in 2005. He currently works on the adjutant's team and administrates the VGS computer systems and the Squadron's website. Duncan's facebook page \| Duncan's flickr page	Civilian Gliding Instructor Duncan Porter

Officer Cadet Alex Kubiak B - Category Instructor tbc	Officer Cadet Alex Kubiak
Civilian Gliding Instructor Jason Byatt B - Category Instructor Eng (Air) Born in Chippenham in 1987, Jason joined 1304 Chippenham sqn in 2000. He became a staff cadet in 2004 and was promoted to CWO in 2007. In 2008 he became a Civilian Gliding Instructor with 1304 Detached Flight and took over the training of all cadets. In December 2003 he started his gliding scholarship training and went solo on 7th march 2004. He stayed on as staff and became G2 in October 2004 and a G1 pilot in June 2005. He attended his C category instructor course in June 2006 and was awarded a B category in September 2008. He remains on the school as a CGI and on the Tech air team. Jason's facebook page	Civilian Gliding Instructor Jason Byatt
Civilian Gliding Instructor Graham Jeffery C - Category Instructor tbc	Civilian Gliding Instructor Graham Jefferies
CGI Bob Ilett C Category Instructor tbc	CGI Bob Ilett
CGI Sam Evans C Category Instructor tbc	CGI Sam Evans
FSC Joe Bowden C Category Instructor tbc	FSC Joe Bowden
FSC Gavin Rendle C Category Instructor tbc	FSC Gavin Rendle
CGI Steve Tape Grade 1 Pilot C Category Instructor Steve has recently discovered that the pointy bit of the glider is the front.	CGI Steve Tape
Flight Lieutenant RAF VR(T) Mike Hall Grade 1 Pilot tbc	Flight Lieutenant RAF VR(T) Mike Hall
LCpl Andrew Nind Grade 1 Pilot MT Andy joined 625VGS in 2005 after completing his gliding scholarship on the summer course. After serving on the squadron for two years, he achieved G2 before joining the army as an electronic warfare systems operator in the Royal Signals. On completing his training 2 years later, he was posted to RAF Digby with 224 Signal Sqn 14 Sig regt (EW) and was able to join 625 once again as a CGI, subsequently Andrew has gained his G1 qualification and is part of MT, maintaining ground transport standards in support of the MT officer.	LCpl Andrew Nind
Chris Wickham Grade 1 Pilot tbc	Chris Wickham
Tom Adams Grade 1 Pilot tbc	Tom Adams
Pascal Munster Grade 1 Pilot tbc	Pascal Munster
Mark Jones Grade 2 Pilot tbc	Mark Jones
Victoria Golding Grade 2 Pilot tbc	Victoria Golding