Introduction

Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGSs) are Royal Air Force flying training units, operating military Viking T Mk1 gliders to train Air Cadets from the Combined Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps.

The VGSs operate under the administration of the Air Cadet Organisation's Flying Branch, but come under No.22 (Training) Group, formerly the Royal Air Force Training Defence Agency, of the Royal Air Force Air Command. The 28 Units, along with the Air Cadet Central Gliding School, are standardised annually by the Royal Air Force Central Flying School.

VGSs are made up of volunteer staff, each unit's executive are commissioned into the Training Branch of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and its Instructors comprise a mixture of the regular RAF/RN/Army, Reservists, Honorary Civilians and Flight Staff Cadets.