NEWSLETTER

Newsletter edited by Diana King. Please send items for future Newsletters to Radford Barn, Radford Semele, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV31 1UT or to secretary@royalaeroclub.org.

Membership subscriptions for Individual Members expired on 31 Dec 2005 and are due for renewal from 1 Jan 2006. The subscription remains unchanged at £16 for 2006.

If you pay by Standing Order, your membership card will be sent to you shortly. Please note the current rates and update your Standing Order if necessary.

We welcome as a new Associate Member the British Kite Flying Association (BKFA).

Originally represented by the British Model Flying Association, kite fliers have now decided that it is important to link directly with other air sports and we are pleased to have them represented in the RAeC.

The British Kite Flying Association was formed slightly over a year ago to represent all UK kite clubs, including the rapidly growing ‘power kite’ side of the sport, which includes kite boarding, kite snowboarding and kite surfing. The BKFA exists to promote the interests of all UK kite fliers, whatever type of kite they fly.

Kite flying has a long and fascinating history. Some of that history is connected to the early aviation pioneers such as SF Cody and the Wright Brothers. The BKFA plans to work with academic and other interested groups at home and abroad to further knowledge of the history and practice of kite flying.

The Annual General Meeting of the Royal Aero Club will be on 30 March starting at 1700 hours at The Royal Aeronautical Society, 4 Hamilton Place, London (near Hyde Park Corner). All member associations are entitled to attend and we would also be pleased to see any individual members. The AGM will be followed by the Spring Council meeting, at which members would also be welcome.

F1A glider team of Mike Fantham, Bill Colledge and John Carter, who took team bronze at the World Free-Flight Championships in Argentina. The F1B Wakefield team at the Championships included Daniel Billam, at sixteen the youngest flyer to represent the UK since 1938.

At the European R/C Scale Championships in Portugal, past World F4C Champion Peter McDermott took silver, Mick Reeves took the bronze and third man Alex Kennedy ensured a team gold medal for the UK.

Finally, in October, Nick Aikman, Bob Bailey and Derek Richards won the team gold medal at the European Indoor Free-Flight Championships, class F1D.

Congratulations to a Paramotor Flyer
Michel Carnet, who took the silver medal in the solo RPF1 class at the World Paramotoring Championships in France.

Nicholas Lambert, who flew his Diamond Aircraft DA40 D to five world records during last summer. Nicholas flew in July from London to Ostend and from there to Amsterdam at world record speeds of 194.47 kph and 207.02 kph. Next month he continued, at slightly slower speeds, from Stockholm to Copenhagen (179.24 kph), Copenhagen to Berlin (168.03 kph) and finally from Prague to Vienna at 179.49 kph.

Geoffrey Boot, who broke two world records in a Siai Marchetti SF-260, flying from Lydd to Alderney at 272.16 kph and returning at 297.83 kph.

The Airkix team of Claire Scott, Amanda Kemp, Emma Hammersley and Julia Foxwell, who have set a new feminine record in formation skydiving, being the longest 4-way sequence, comprising 30 successive formations. Andy Wright was the camera-man who recorded the achievement.

The Air League through its own charity the Air League Educational Trust offers some 100 scholarships and bursaries each year. The awards are either to young people towards a NPPL or to those holding a PPL to gain additional qualifications, and engineering experience to those considering careers as aerospace engineers. The various competitions open in January each year. For details visit the League’s website at: www.airleague.co.uk or contact scholarships@airleague.co.uk for more information.

Our Chairman, Marc Asquith has written an Open Letter reporting on RAeC activities during the last year. Please visit the RAeC website at www.royalaeroclub.org to read it.

Dr. Vijaypat Singhania, an Indian businessman, has broken Per Lindstrand’s 17 year old altitude record, by flying a giant hot air balloon to 69,852 feet. The flight took place on 26 November, taking off at dawn from a polo field near Mumbai and landing 5 hours later 115 miles away. The balloon, with its pressurised aluminium capsule, was specially designed and built by Cameron Balloons of Bristol.

The two remaining airship sheds at Cardington, famous as the centre of airship activity from 1917 until the R101 disaster in 1930, are under threat. Plans to build a warehouse next to them would spoil the view of the historic hangars and also prevent any future airships flying from them. Local residents are supporting opposition to the new buildings and suggestions are being sought for ways to preserve and restore the hangars.

The CAA winter programme of Safety Evenings started in October and will run to early April. Dates of the January - March sessions are as follows:-

Date	Area/Airfield	Location	Organiser	Phone
26 Jan 2006	Tatenhill	Albion Public House,	Angus Stewart	01283 575283
01 Feb 2006	Lasham	Clubhouse	Gordon MacDonald	01256 384900
02 Feb 2006	Bourn	Rural Flying Corps	Brian Clark	01954 719602
06 Feb 2006	Wolverhampton	Venue TBC	Malcolm Lasson	01384 221456
09 Feb 2006	Nottingham Tollerton	Truman Clubhouse	Simon Smith	01159 815050
27 Feb 2006	Halton	Kermode Hall	Sarah Purchase	07739 027779
01 Mar 2006	White Waltham	West London AC	David Coe	01628 823272
02 Mar 2006	Humberside	Venue TBC	Mel Stewart	01652 688833
06 Mar 2006	East Midlands	Venue TBC	Gill Neilson
08 Mar 2006	Denham	Venue TBC	Neil Jeffers	01895 835899
16 Mar 2006	Coltishall	Training & Development Flight	Sqn Ldr Gus Cabre	01603 267241
20 Mar 2006	Middle Wallop	Venue TBC	John Davis	01264 772711
21 Mar 2006	Eggesford	Fox & Hounds	Nigel Skinner	01363 83746
22 Mar 2006	Perranporth	Clubhouse	Peter Rassmuss	01872 552266
23 Mar 2006	Dunkeswell	Restaurant	Mr Proctor	01404 891643
29 Mar 2006	North Weald	The Squadron	Alan Crouchman	01992 524510
30 Mar 2006	Earls Colne	Venue TBC	Bill Cameron	01787 223676

Last year the CAA introduced SAFETYCOM – a radio frequency to be used at aerodromes and airstrips with no assigned radio frequency. The SAFETYCOM frequency, 135.475 MHz, is intended as a safety aid in preventing potential collisions between aircraft by allowing pilots to broadcast their intentions.

The CAA is now seeking views from pilots on how the system is working and what safety improvements they would like to see. The CAA is therefore asking pilots who have used SAFETYCOM, and want to feed back their thoughts, to provide the CAA with information on their experience. See the September 2005 edition of GASIL for further details. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_GAD_GASIL3OF2005.PDF

The GASCo Flight Safety Seminar will take place at the FAST Museum, Farnborough, on 23 March 2006. The theme is 'Stay High - Stay Safe' and the programme includes presentations on Forced Landings, Low Flying and Controlled Flight into Terrain. The afternoon comprises an Air Accidents Investigation Branch briefing and visit. Places are limited and early booking is advised. Apply ASAP to info@gasco.org.uk, telephone 01634 200203 or write to GASCo Office, Rochester Airport, Chatham, Kent ME5 9SD.

These awards are made to general aviation pilots who have shown outstanding contributions to the general aviation world in the form of saving life, rescuing an aircraft or similar. Anyone can nominate or be nominated for such an award, so if you know of anyone who has shown exceptional skill or airmanship in getting themselves or someone else out of trouble, please consider nominating them. The closing date is 31 January and nominations may be made on a form on the CAA’s web site (http://www.caa.co.uk), by writing to Safety Promotion at the General Aviation Department, Aviation House 1W, Gatwick Airport South, RH6 0YR, or by email to david.cockburn@srg.caa.co.uk.

The 2006 FAI Young Artists Contest invites young people to express in art the theme "Air Sports and Nature in Harmony". This year the Royal Aero Club, with the help of the PFA, is running a UK competition to find the best entries to go forward to the FAI. See http://www.pfa.org.uk/education.asp for further details. The closing date is 31^st March.

Europe Air Sports has been invited by EASA to become involved in rulemaking for Permits to Fly and Restricted Certificates of Airworthiness. Through RAeC, Barry Plumb of PFA will be the UK representative on the rulemaking group, to assist in coordinating and putting forward the views of recreational and sporting aviation.

The Europe Air Sports (EAS) President, Sir John Allison, met the Director-General of Eurocontrol in November. Results of the meeting include agreement that EAS will be represented in the Airspace and Navigation Team of Eurocontrol. There will also be a special Day at the Eurocontrol facilities in the autumn, devoted to and accessible for the sports and recreational aviation community. The needs of recreational aviation were explained and are now better understood by the top management of Eurocontrol.

In November EAS, in co-ordination with EASA, organised a Workshop on Part-M (maintenance) for non-complex, non-commercial aviation. Many RAeC members responded to the Part-M consultation.

Also in November, EAS held the first meeting of the Working Party on Powered Flying.

The proposed amendment of Regulation 1592 by the European Commission, to extend the authority of EASA to Operations and Licensing, was published on 15 November.

The Transport Select Committee is holding an Inquiry into the remit and work of the CAA and the RAeC submitted written comments to the initial consultation. Paul Draper, of PPL/IR and the GA Alliance, is to give evidence on behalf of recreational aviation.

The CAA’s own General Aviation Strategic and Regulatory Reviews are getting under way, with intensive work planned between now and June, when the Review teams are expected to report. The RAeC is represented on both Review teams by David Roberts and some RAeC members are also represented on one or other Review.

The show, at Earls Court from 21st to 23rd April 2006, encapsulates all forms of general aviation including fixed wing, helicopters, microlights, ultra-lights, gliders and air sports, flying clubs and schools, avionics and pilot accessories.

Please note that Individual Membership entitles you to use the facilities of the Royal Aeronautical Society at its London base at 4 Hamilton Place, London, W1J 7BQ, on production of your Royal Aero Club membership card.

I apply for my Individual Membership of the Royal Aero Club to be renewed for the year 2006 and agree to abide by such rules and regulations as may be in force from time to time.

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Please return this form to: Mrs Diana King, Royal Aero Club, Radford Barn, Radford Semele, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV31 1UT.