Royal Aero Club Awards & Trophies for 2009
The
Royal Aero Club Annual Awards Ceremony
was held at
The RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way,
Hendon, London NW9 5LL
on Tuesday, 27th April 2010
The
awards were presented by the Club's President,
HRH the Duke of York
Official
photographs of the event
may be viewed and purchased on:
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/hendon
Password is: Hendon (case sensitive)
Further
information may be obtained from
the RAeC General Secretary:
David Phipps,
Royal Aero Club,
31, St Andrew's Road, Leicester LE2 8RE
Tel: 0116 244 0182, Fax:
0116 244 0645
E-mail: secretary@royalaeroclub.org
Thanks to:
Breitling Swiss Chronographs
HR Jennings & Co Ltd, Aircraft & General Insurance Brokers
British Airways PLC
for their generous support of the event.
The awards for 2009 were:
THE BRITANNIA TROPHY
Awarded to Capt Paul
Bonhomme.
Paul Bonhomme is a Captain with British
Airways, but is better known as an accomplished aerobatic display
and warbird pilot. Since 2004, he has been a regular competitor
in the Red Bull Air Race series, where he has consistently
finished among the top three in the world. In 2009 Paul was
crowned Red Bull Air Race World Champion; the first win by a UK
pilot. This extremely competitive series of precision races is
sanctioned by the FAI as a World Championship event and Paul's
achievement is outstanding.
THE PRINCE OF WALES CUP
Awarded to Gliding Team GB.
The British Gliding Team overcame
strong opposition in the 2009 European Championships at Nitra,
Slovakia to win the overall team championship. Peter Harvey
became Open Class European Champion for the third time, with
Steve Jones taking Bronze. Russell Cheetham is the new 18m
European Champion, with Mike Young taking Silver. Combined with
good results from other team members, these won the Team Gold
Medal for the British Gliding Team, captained by Philip Sturley.
GOLD MEDAL OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB
Awarded to Freefly Team
Volare.
Freefly Team Volare, consisting of Mike
Carpenter, Adam Mattacola and Alberto Fuertes, have put British
freeflying on to the world map. They again won the British
Freefly National Championships in 2009, and were invited to
represent Britain at the World Games in Chinese Taipei, where
they took Bronze. Team Volare then went on to win Gold at the
2009 European Championships and World Cup in the Czech Republic,
the first time any British team had won an artistic skydiving
event.
Awarded to Keith Negal.
Keith Negal has been British Team
Leader in four medal-winning World and European Microlight
Championships. He has served as an FAI Steward, FAI Monitor and
FAI Jury Member. He is also currently a Vice President both of
FAI and of the RAeC. In 2009 Keith organised the Bleriot Memorial
Flight in which over 200 British, French and Belgian microlights
crossed the English Channel. Serving as BMAA Council Chairman for
10 years, Keith was instrumental in negotiating the new sub-115
kg class of microlights to allow owners more freedom. Keith
formulated the idea of a European Microlight Federation and made
it happen. The BMAA considers no-one has done more for
microlighting in the UK than Keith.
ROYAL AERO CLUB DIPLOMA
Awarded to Laurie Shaw.
Laurie Shaw was an engineer with BOAC
and its successor British Airways, and was one of the team to see
the Boeing 747 into service. Laurie learned to fly in 1957,
joined the Popular Flying Association in 1964 and constructed a
Tipsy Nipper aerobatic aircraft. He started a local branch of the
Association in Berkshire and was soon co-opted onto the PFA's
Executive Committee, initially as Events Coordinator, and then
its Treasurer and Company Secretary, posts he held for 27 years.
He has remained an active member of the Association's Executive
Committee and is currently its Vice President.
Awarded to John Thorpe.
John Thorpe's career started in flight
research at Bristol, then in 1970 became a Design Surveyor with
the ARB, leading to work in the CAA Safety Data Unit. He launched
the General Aviation Safety Information Leaflets (GASIL) and
Safety Sense leaflets, masterminded the provision of Club Safety
Noticeboards, and implemented Safety Evenings at flying clubs,
personally presenting 385. In 1987 he became head of the CAA
Safety Promotion Section, and in 1992-98 was Chairman of the Bird
Strike Committee. He served on the General Aviation Safety
Council (GASCo) for 17 years, and after retiring from CAA, became
its Chief Executive, working tirelessly organising safety
seminars, implementing its website and promoting its magazine,
Flight Safety. John has maintained a unique database of accident
statistics, his knowledge is encyclopedic and his style has made
him an extremely effective campaigner for improved safety.
SILVER MEDAL OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB
Awarded to Dr Stephen Green.
Steve Green initially was a competitive
aerobatic pilot, but recently has concentrated on judging,
working tirelessly to improve standards worldwide. Steve is a
member of the Judging Subcommittee of the FAI CIVA International
Aerobatic Commission. Steve took on the role of Contest Director
for the 25th World Aerobatic Championships (WAC) at Silverstone
in August '09. His dedication received unequivocal praise from
every one of the attending National Aero Clubs and led to the FAI
awarding the Leon Biancotto Diploma to the BAA and the Air Sport
Medal to Steve in 2009.
Awarded to David
Hempleman-Adams.
On 19 September, 2009, David
Hempleman-Adams broke two world balloon records for duration in a
tiny AA-01 class gas balloon. He flew from Butler, Missouri, to
Cherokee, Oklahoma in fourteen hours and fifteen minutes. David
spent two years preparing for this audacious solo flight,
choosing a lightweight envelope, tiny basket, top of the range
instruments, the best launch site and losing 20 lbs in weight. He
travelled over prairies at 22 knots, just 500 feet above the
trees, avoiding tall radio masts, wind turbines, turbulence and
finding it a cold night in just a T-shirt!
Awarded to Bruce Tapson.
Bruce Tapson started instructing in
gliders in 1959 and quickly went on to become a senior Air Cadet
Flying Examiner, a senior BGA Flying Examiner and a club Chief
Flying Instructor. Now in retirement, Bruce has supported the
entire UK Self Launching Motor Glider (SLMG) community by taking
on the very demanding volunteer role of Senior SLMG Examiner,
effectively managing SLMG standards. In his 50 years in flying,
Bruce has flown some 55,000 launches and 13,000 hours in gliders
and motor gliders, and sent 2,500 first solos. Any club with
Bruce as CFI soon found its flying statistics, membership
numbers, achievements and bank balance increasing.
BRONZE MEDAL OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB
Awarded to Paul Dancey.
Paul Dancey is an instructor and
Chairman of the South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding
Club, which he administers almost single-handedly. Paul had the
vision, drive and expertise to successfully bid for the Blorenge
mountain launch point near Abergavenny, for his club in 1998,
converting it to a limited company to facilitate the transaction.
Paul was an enthusiastic member on the BHPA Executive Council,
becoming Director of Corporate Communications. He has supervised
the production of the BHPA magazine, Skywings, for over ten
years, runs the BHPA website, its online shop and manages
corporate email accounts. Paul revived the old Welsh Hang Gliding
Federation and found himself elected as Secretary, now sitting on
an impressive range of Welsh sporting, recreational and
environmental committees.
Awarded to Nigel Hitchman.
Nigel Hitchman was an engineer with
Airbus at Toulouse and now flies Boeing 767's for BA. He owns two
LAA-permit aircraft, a vintage Piper Cub and a Vans RV-6 of which
he was part builder, and is a regular attendee at UK and
Continental fly-ins. He was the Coordinator and National Council
representative for PFA Bristol Strut for five years and helped
organise fly-ins and Young Aviators' events. For more than 15
years he headed the departure briefing team at PFA National
Rallies, to ensure the hundreds of visiting aircraft left safely.
He has been a prolific contributor to the PFA and LAA magazine,
providing articles and photos, and compiling Project News for 100
consecutive issues over 12 years.
Awarded to Brian Lever.
Brian Lever has consistently championed
model flying, in particular control-line flying, for the last
quarter century. He was the driving force throughout the 14 years
of the Peterborough Cabbage Patch Nationals, which became the
biggest single-day control-line competition in the world. He
continues to nurture new competitions, for example, working with
schools on the BMFA Flight Challenge. In 1997 he took over the
chairmanship of the SAM 35 vintage organization and was
instrumental in its incorporation as a BMFA Specialist Body.
Awarded to Chris Lynch.
Chris Lynch has been skydiving for 27
years and in 2009 won his 22nd British National Gold in 24 years.
His success is unique in that these medals are held across six
different disciplines - Canopy Formation, 8-way, 4-way and
Vertical Formation Skydiving, Freefly and Freestyle. Chris is
also a very experienced instructor plus a highly respected coach
for Formation Skydiving, artistic, canopy handling and piloting.
He was a pioneer in the push for better teaching of canopy
control and safety, with many of his early teaching now accepted
as best practice. Chris has been an excellent ambassador for the
UK in countless World Championships and Head-down World Records.
Awarded to Cliff Mort.
Cliff Mort has been a member of the
Popular Flying Association and its successor the Light Aircraft
Association, for almost 35 years. He has served on its Executive
Committee for the last 19 years, including as Secretary and then
Chairman for two years each, and currently as a Vice-President.
He was a member of the Association's Rally Committee becoming
Chairman for two years. Cliff was also Chairman and a director of
the Lancashire Aero Club. He is also now Chairman of the North
West Strut of the LAA, having previously served as Treasurer and
Newsletter Editor.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB
Awarded to Andrew Dawrant.
Andrew Dawrant was made a Trustee of
the RAeC Trust charity, after many years of working tirelessly
for the Trust as the head of the NADFAS conservation Volunteers.
Under Andrew's superb leadership his team have worked extensively
on the large collection of RAeC memorabilia lodged at Hendon.
Because of the unpaid time that Andrew has devoted, vitally
important memorabilia have been saved for the nation. This has
included scanning, conserving, cataloguing and archiving numerous
albums, photographs, certificates, postcards, collections and
books.
Awarded to Thomas Dawson.
Tom Dawson organised the first F ly UK
event in 2004 and each year since, with sixty microlights taking
part in 2009. The group have a week to travel to pre-arranged
overnight stops all over the UK, arriving back at Sandown in time
for the annual Spamfield microlight gathering . What's remarkable
is that Tom was a student pilot and had to hitch rides as a
passenger! His slow progress in getting a licence is because he
was too busy organising everyone else. In 2007 Tom arrived in his
own Shadow and completed Fly UK solo - unbelievably, his first
cross-country after gaining his licence! Fly UK is a feat of
organisational and negotiation skill, and has raised £37,000 for
charities
Awarded to E. Robert
Dunthorn.
Bob Dunthorn's hang gliding career
began mid 1970s and he served the Aberdeen Hang Gliding and
Paragliding Club since its earliest days. He has been Sites
Officer for working tirelessly to obtain and retain sites. As
Chief Coach, he assists new pilots to develop their skills. He
competed internationally for many years and is also a glider
pilot at the Aboyne Gliding Club. What makes Bob, 61, really
stand out is that he keep up his enthusiasm, dedication and
spontaneity, in spite of the Aberdonian weather which makes
flying only possible occasionally.
Awarded to Helen Evans.
Helen Evans was Editor of Sailplane
& Gliding magazine from 1999 until 2008, taking it over
following a difficult period and rapidly elevating it back to its
leading position. The magazine's editorial contributors are not
professional writers, they just know a lot about gliding and love
the sport. Helen has remarkable skills as an editor, producing a
regular, high quality, professional publication from a collection
of unpaid, busy, amateur volunteers. She never failed to produce
original, interesting, accurate and timely editorial, continually
inspiring her readers, thus nurturing the sport and its future.
Awarded to Jane Middleton.
Jane Middleton was Chairman of the
Women in Aviation International European Conference in 2007,
hosting nearly 100 delegates from 13 countries. The informative
educational programme saw lectures and demonstrations, visits to
aviation centres of excellence, flying, and meeting Lady
Thatcher, who Jane persuaded to come along. In 2004 Jane was
appointed a Trustee of the Royal Air Force Museum where she
chairs the Education and Research Committee and sits on the
Finance Committee. She is totally dedicated to promoting the
achievements of the museum and to encouraging young people to use
the facilities.
Awarded to Roger Morrisroe.
Roger Morrisroe (known as Romo) has
recently achieved 50 years of experience as a gliding instructor,
a feat never achieved before in the history of BGA. He began
gliding aged 17 in 1955 and joined an Air Cadet course at RAF
Henlow, soloing in August 1955, and becoming an instructor in
1958. Romo joined the Nene Valley Gliding Club in 1984 and the
instructor's team in 1987 and proved an extremely knowledgeable,
hardworking, enthusiastic, popular and highly respected member.
Romo would have liked to have retired from the demanding role of
CFI but has remained to ensure the Club's survival as there was
no-one else suitable.
Awarded to Ian Robertson.
Ian Robertson, known as 'Wobby', started parachuting in 1970 and
quickly became a BPA Advanced Instructor and Examiner Rigger. He
retired in 2008 after 38 years of applying his meticulous
approach to teaching students, maintaining par achute equipment
and improving safety. His designs, ideas and attitude to rigging,
especially student parachute equipment, hugely increased
reliability, comfort and confidence. For over 25 years Wobby
helped the BPA and its Riggers' Committee to progress standards
of workmanship and safety by developing the systems used to train
all riggers today.
Awarded to David Wise.
David Wise followed his 1998 RAeC Silver Medal for
services to the PFA, by taking on two important voluntary tasks
for the RAeC. For 12 years, retiring this year, he helped
organise the Awards Ceremony and produced the programme brochure,
including writing the abbreviated citations which are also used
for the commentary. His biggest contribution was setting up the
Club's website in 1999 and he continues as its webmaster. As a
major attraction to raise public awareness of the Club, this
includes compiling Britain's biggest online aviation events
listing. He also set up the RAeC Trust website in 2000.
COWBURN & KAY - OLD AND BOLD TROPHY
Awarded to Derry Moore.
Derry Moore gained his private pilot's
licence for balloons in the 1970's and in 1989 his commercial
balloon licence. He became a BBAC Inspector in 1979, a BBAC
Instructor in 1986 and recently a balloon instructor of the Irish
Aviation Authority. Derry was the Chairman of the Balloons and
Airships Group of Europe Airsports for nearly 20 years and
represented the BBAC on the Royal Aero Club Parliamentary
Committee, the BBAC Flying and Technical Committees and NATMAC.
Now 86 years old, Derry is still a very active balloonist showing
few signs of slowing down and happily no signs of stopping.
NEXUS AVIATION JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Awarded to Brain Hope.
Brian Hope has been Editor of the
Popular Flying Association's magazine, Popular Flying, since
2001, as a part-time task. Following the renaming of the PFA to
the Light Aircraft Association, the magazine was renamed as Light
Aviation. He has dramatically transformed a staid bimonthly
journal into a vibrant, stylish, high quality monthly magazine
eagerly awaited by members. Brian is an enthusiastic private
pilot who flies his Jodel all over Europe attending many fly-ins,
and regularly visits major American events. His great knowledge
allows him to spot new developments and the most interesting
improvements. His reports are of outstanding quality, well
supported by excellent photographs and fine examples of the
articles that have so transformed the magazine.
CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB
Awarded to Charles Crawley.
Charles Crawley made a huge
contribution to the conservation of the Royal Aero Club's archive
collection at the RAF Museum. Charles served with the RAF and was
a Friend of the RAF Museum where he was well known and much
loved. Due to Charles' enthusiasm he became a ready volunteer
when teams were put together in 2003 to stabilise the RAeC's
archives. Full details of Charles' work entitled 'Pins and
Needles...' are on the Trust website. In a lovely historical
twist, Charles found his own certificate application from the
early post-war years among the archives. Tragically Charles and
his wife were killed in a motoring accident in late 2009 and this
award is made posthumously. They will be greatly missed by
everyone at the RAeC, the Trust and the RAF Museum.
Awarded to Hayward Aviation
Ltd.
Hayward Aviation, the largest UK
aviation insurance broker, has been the principal sponsor of the
British Helicopter Championships every year since 2003. This
provided for the first time a fully committed backing which made
it possible for the British Team to gain experience, skills and
confidence. As a result the British Team gained the Ladies World
Championship 2005 title and finished with six crews in the top
fifteen places. At the 2008 World Championships in Germany the
British Team won the FAI Bronze Medal, its highest position ever.
Hayward Aviation continues to support the British Team throughout
2010, preparing for the World Championships in 2011.
Awarded to Graeme Fudge of
Mazda UK Ltd.
Graeme Fudge is PR Director of Mazda UK
Ltd and a competitor in British aerobatics. In 2007, when the UK
was successful in its bid to host the 2009 World Aerobatic
Championships (WAC), Graeme stepped forward and Mazda UK became
the biggest sponsor, providing funding and a fleet of 39
vehicles. Mazda's support enabled the BAeA to contract with
QinetiQ for an electro-optical tracking system to monitor
aircraft position, an unprecedented innovation that established a
completely objective precision system for height and box
penalties. Without Mazda UK, driven by Graeme's determination,
the WAC would not have been anything like the huge success that
it turned out to be.
Awarded to the RAF Museum.
When the Royal Aero Club ceased to have
its own premises in the 1970s, the RAF Museum agreed the RAeC
archives could be stored at the Museum and cared for by its
staff. Secure storage has been provided for around 1,000 boxes of
unique archive material, albums, paintings, books, a variety of
memorabilia and numerous trophies. Space and assistance is also
provided for the work of the volunteers who are restoring and
stabilising the collection. The Director of the RAF Museum, Dr
Michael Fopp, was also instrumental in acquiring equipment to
scan and caption the collection, and banners to illustrate the
work of the Royal Aero Club Trust.
COMPANION OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB
Awarded to Peter Cruddas.
Peter Cruddas rose from humble
beginnings in Hackney to become an award-winning entrepreneur. In
1989 he launched CMC Markets, now one of the World's leading
on-line trading firms. He has given considerable support to the
Royal Aero Club Trust to fund their work in preserving the Royal
Aero Club's archive of historical documents and memorabilia, and
providing bursaries to assist youngsters in developing their
involvement in air sports.
ANN WELCH MEMORIAL AWARD
Awarded to Mark Dann.
Mark Dann became a pioneer of the
fledgling sport of paragliding in 1987. By the early 90's he was
competing in worldwide competitions, becoming an Instructor in
1992 and a Dual Paragliding Pilot and Senior Instructor in 1994.
Mark started his own paragliding and paramotoring school, Beyond
Extreme, in 1998 with the help of the Prince's Trust. Mark has
trained thousands of students and given hundreds of people from
all backgrounds the unforgettable thrill of a tandem paragliding
flight. Mark is a member of the British Accuracy Team and led the
first British paragliding expedition to Aconcagua in 2008.
Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale -
UK Awards for 2008
These awards were presented to the
UK delegation at the FAI General Conference in Autumn 2009 and
are re-presented here.
SABIHA GÖKÇEN MEDAL
Awarded to Claire Scott.
Claire 'Sparky' Scott is the
highest-achieving female Formation Skydiving (FS) champion ever.
Claire is five times World Champion with British women's 4-way FS
Teams (VMax, Airkix & Storm) in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006 &
2008. With her teams, she is a twice-previous winner of the RAeC
Prince of Wales Cup (1999 & 2006) and Gold Medal 2003 as well
as the winner of the BPA-awarded Jim Crocker trophy for
outstanding contribution to skydiving, in 2006. Claire is an
instructor and coach who tirelessly passes on her energy,
enthusiasm and knowledge. She was Oxfordshire Extreme
Sportsperson of the Year 2008, and is an inspiration.
ALPHONSE PENAUD MODELLING DIPLOMA
Awarded to Peter Halman.
Peter Halman was F2A (Control Line
Speed) National Champion consecutively for three years, 1979-81,
and then each year during 1986-97, and was also National Champion
five times, making 19 times in total. Peter has nine individual
World and European Championship medals, including two Golds and
five Silvers. Peter was on the British Team that has won the
World and European Championships for the last 12 consecutive
years (1997-2008) with a total of 20 World and European
Championship team medals over 22 years (1987-2008). Peter also
holds the current World Record in class 132 F2 Open Control Line
Speed.
ANN WELCH DIPLOMA
Awarded to Mark Jackson
& Eve Jackson.
Mark Jackson and Eve Jackson made a
flight in a microlight over Mount Kilimanjaro to a height of
24,258 feet in an open cockpit trike. On the same flight they
also broke the World Record for the time to climb to 6,000 metres
and the British record for the time to climb to 3,000 metres.
HONORARY GROUP DIPLOMA
Awarded to the Royal Aero
Club Trust.
The Royal Aero Club Trust has conserved
and stabilised the Royal Aero Club's huge archive collection,
comprising around 1,000 files of documents, photographs and other
memorabilia including many famous historical persons. The
collection of Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates, comprising
over 28,000 records and 13,000 photographs of qualified pilots in
1910-1950, have been microfilmed and are now available on the
website Ancestry.co.uk for genealogists and researchers. The
Trust also promotes involvement in all air-sports by young people
and awards bursaries to assist progression in their chosen air
sport.
PAUL TISSANDIER DIPLOMA
Awarded to Sheila Bailey.
Sheila Bailey has been actively
involved in light aviation for over 20 years, serving on the
Popular Flying Association Committee for several years. She has
been a Royal Aero Club Council member since May 1998 and from
2000 to 2009 a superb Chairman of the RAeC Medals and Awards
Committee. Sheila has distinguished herself by charging her
duties with fairness, integrity and judgment.
Awarded to Barry Plumb.
Barry Plumb serves on the Executive
Committee of the Light Aircraft Association and is Chairman of
its Engineering sub-committee, responsible for the Association's
engineering policy and liaising with the five full-time
professional engineering staff. He has built two light aircraft,
one self-designed, and led other restoration projects. Barry
represents Europe Air Sports on the EASA working group on Permits
to Fly and other restricted certification, and also maintenance
management. Due to his unflagging efforts and commitment, Europe
continues to allows recreational pilots to fly amateur-built and
orphaned vintage and classic light aircraft under national
airworthiness rules.
OTHER AWARDS
Major awards from member associations:
R.R.R.A. KING'S CUP
Awarded to Richard Marsden.
The King's Cup air race was first run
in 1922 when King George V presented a cu p, making it the first
and only air race series to receive royal patronage. It was the
first air race to be run on a handicapped basis to allow aircraft
of all types to compete, and is still run on a similar basis
today. The original cup has been retained and is presented
annually. This year's winner is Richard Marsden, who flew his
distinctive orange home-build Vans RV6 at 190 miles per hour
round a 5-lap course.
R.R.R.A. JUBILEE CUP
Awarded to Craig Beevers.
The Jubilee Trophy for the winner of
the British Air Racing Championship is presented annually to the
pilot who scores the highest aggregate points over the whole
season. The race this year culminated in Alderney in the Channel
Islands, with three pilots still in contention, leading to an
exciting finale. The race was won by Craig Beevers, appropriately
sporting Race Number 1, in his red Siai Marchetti at a race speed
over the six laps of 206 miles per hour.
R.R.R.A. SCHNEIDER TROPHY
Awarded to Neil Cooper.
Neil Cooper is this year's winner of
the prestigious Schneider Trophy Air Race, flying a Bulldog at a
race speed of just under 150 mph, on a course from Bembridge
around the Solent. The first race was run in 1913 around a
triangular course. Today a full-sized replica trophy is awarded
to the winner, the original being hel d in a museum.
B.W.P.A. JEAN LENNOX BIRD TROPHY
Awarded to Rita Boniface.
Rita Boniface has been a member of the
BWPA since the early 1970s and on its Committee since 1977. She
has served as Events Organiser, Treasurer and Chairman of the
Awards and Scholarships sub-committee. Rita has been intimately
involved with the awarding of the annual BWPA scholarship for
many years. Rita enthusiastically promotes aviation to all,
especially young people, and provided inspiration by regaining
her own licence four years after recovering from serious injuries
sustained in a flying accident.
B.M.A.A. MEDAL
Awarded to Keith Negal.
Keith Negal is a pilot who has given
far more to the sport of microlight flying than he has ever taken
from it. For over a decade Keith Negal has played a pivotal role
in microlighting, both nationally and internationally. In
recognition the BMAA awards Keith its highest honour, the BMAA
Medal for Sustained, Substantial & Significant Contribution
to Microlighting. The Association considers no-one has done more
for the cause of microlighting in the UK.
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