DECEMBER 2020 ISSUE 42 AI RPI LO T INSIDE THE STORIES BEHIND 2020' s TROPHIES AND AWARDS REMEMBERING A SPECIAL SPITFIRE INTRODUCTION DIARY THE HONOURABLE COMPANY All physical events have been postponed until further OF AIR PILOTS notice. Some meetings will take place through video- conferencing. For the latest situation please visit the incorporating Air Navigators calendar page of the Company’s website: https://www.airpilots.org/members-pages/company-calendar/ PATRON: His Royal Highness The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh KG KT Guidelines for submissions to Air Pilot Please submit contributions as follows: GRAND MASTER: • Text in word document, including your name below the His Royal Highness title of the piece; The Prince Andrew • No embedded photos; Duke of York KG GCVO • All images to be sent as jpeg files with a file size of at least 2 MB; MASTER: • More than 2 images to be sent via a Dropbox file, Captain John P Towell FRAeS rather than an e-mail attachment. CLERK: Paul J Tacon BA FCIS Incorporated by Royal Charter. A Livery Company of the City of London. PUBLISHED BY: The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, Air Pilots House, 52A Borough High Street, London SE1 1XN The Editors wish all Air Pilots EMAIL : [email protected] and their families the happiest www.airpilots.org possible Christmas EDITOR: Allan Winn EMAIL: [email protected] and a more optimistic and DEPUTY EDITOR: prosperous 2021 Stephen Bridgewater EMAIL: [email protected] EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: The copy deadline for the February 2021 edition of Air Pilot is 1 st January 2021. FUNCTION PHOTOGRAPHY: Gerald Sharp Photography View images and order prints on-line. TELEPHONE: 020 8599 5070 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.sharpphoto.co.uk Cover photos: The Boeing CH47 Chinook clocked up 40 years of service with the RAF on 22nd PRINTED BY: November: it features in three of this year's Trophies Printovation Ltd 01494 478870 and Awards, alongside Harbour Air's electric Except where specifically stated, none of the material in this issue is conversion of the de Havilland DHC2 Beaver. to be taken as expressing the opinion of the Court of the Company. (Crown copyright/MoD; Harbour Air) 2 AIR PILOT DECEMBER 2020 A MESSAGE FROM YOUR EDITOR... IN THIS ISSUE... The world’s airlines will need 27,000 new pilots by this time next year, and 219,000 of NEWS them by the end of the decade – but don’t go 4 News Round Up wasting your money training to be an airline 4 Gazette pilot, as there’s going to be a glut of them for the next ten years! Existing pilots on furlough, recently made redundant or whose employers are on the brink or collapse, pilots part-way through their training, and those yet to embark on a flying career could all be excused for being more than a little confused by those two messages, both issued in November. Unsurprisingly, the buoyant view came from training and R101 Commemoration p5 simulation provider CAE, which has much to gain from selling its REPORTS services to pilots and their employers; and the gloomy view from 6 The Master’s Message BALPA, the British pilots’ union dedicated to protecting the 8 Regional Reports - Australia interests of its members. 9 Regional Reports - North America The core of CAE’s case lies in its prediction that global fleets will 10 Regional Reports - Hong Kong grow – despite current woes – by 7,800 airliners and 3,600 business aircraft by 2029, and in the numbers of pilots who will 11 Ron W Bridge - Obituary retire or otherwise leave the industry in that time. With median 12 From the Desk of the DAA ages of pilots being 46 in airlines and 49 on business aircraft, 14 Space Group CAE predicts that 38% of the current 333,000 airline pilots, and 16 Young Air Pilots Report a massive 76% of 54,000 business-aircraft pilots, will have retired 17 Trophies and Awards 2020 and need replacing by 2029. It bases its estimates of demand for new pilots on crew ratios varying between ten and 17 per Omani crew features in aircraft for new airliners and two to four for business machines. FEATURES Trophies & Awards p17 Against those optimistic numbers, BALPA says there are already 10,000 unemployed commercial pilots in Europe alone, and more in training for whom there are currently few prospects of a job, or even of completing their training. It encourages those contemplating spending £100,000 or more on training to think again, and urges them to get experience in another profession – or at least follow a modular training route - while the industry goes through its current low patch, giving them the option of something to fall back on if pilot jobs don’t materialise. It is possible that either, both or neither of these messages eventually will prove to be correct: what is true in the meantime is that on its own neither is helpful to a pilot community in 27 Member Profile: Simon Rolfe turmoil. The challenge to the whole industry – including our own 28 Encounters of an Aviation Kind Company – is: can we reach a consensus view of the future, in a 30 Command and Control constantly changing present, to give sound guidance to those 32 Into the Overshoot whose futures currently lie in such confusion? AllanWinn - Editor DECEMBER 2020 AIR PILOT 3 NEWS ROUND UP LUNCHEON CLUB NEWS BY PAST MASTER CHRIS FORD, CHAIR OF THE LUNCHEON CLUB I hope this finds all those who support the Luncheon Club make the journey over from Texas for the meeting on in good health in these very strange times. 21 st September . These will all be advertised on the I am very keen to try and progress with options of us Company web site and prospective attendees should being able to meet up in the near future. However, as notify the office of their interest in the first instance. many of you will know the RAF Club (along with many There is one further function to mention . Following the other establishments) has had to severely cut its capability cancellation of this year ’s Summer Supper, which was due to host functions. Whilst we are in lockdown there are to be held at Girdlers ’ Hall, the Learned Clerk has kindly none whatsoever. Hopefully when the restrictions are lifted negotiated with The Worshipful Company of Girdlers that in the first instance the Club will be able to host a we can hold our 2021 Summer Supper in their magnificent maximum of 30 , yes just 30 , in the Sovereign ’s Room. Hall. The date we will hold the event is Tuesday 13 th July 2021 . I have tentatively booked 2nd February 2021 as the next I have been disappointed that we have been unable to occasion when we may be able to meet up. I have asked Freeman Vic Flintham to ‘stand by ’ and be prepared to give entertain anyone this year, BUT circumstances seem to us a talk about the history of the development of Close have got the better of us somehow. No doubt it will be (very close) Air Support during World War II . some time before normality returns to our Company Ever the optimist, I hope to have Past Master Dorothy social life. Rest assured though, I will do my best to arrange Saul-Pooley speak after the Luncheon Club on 27 th April events that are interesting and if necessary small enough and that former Assistant Kent Johnson will be able to such that at least some can attend. ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE COURT Matthew CLATWORTHY Peter COKER (HK) 19 th NOVEMBER 2020 GAZETTE Thomas CURTRESS APPROVED BY THE COURT REINSTATEMENT William DOODY (HK) Pamela MELROY (AUS) 19 th NOVEMBER 2 020 Andrew HASKINS ADMISSIONS REGRADE Michael HILL As Upper Freeman To Livery Gemma JEFFERIES Martin Peter BAGGALEY (HK) Alan CARTER Samson KWOK (HK) Benjamin BOSSHARDT (HK) Victor ROBINSON Robert LEROUX (NA) Joseph Richard BOULEY (NA) Edwin BRENNINKMEYER Derek LEVY Jason Michael CAVE (HK) Niclas LOENNBORN (HK) James Stafford FERRAND To Upper Freeman Christopher LUCK James Nabil HAZOU (HK) Paul DARE (AUS) Timothy MILLER Ben Alexander LEVEILLE (HK) To Freeman Michael MYLAN (HK) Lester George SLY (HK) Will WRIGHT Stuart PRYKE (HK) As Freeman Lord Byron DAVIES DECEASED David RATCLIFFE Peter John GELDARD Ron BRIDGE Reginald SHANAHAN David Gordon RICHARDSON John MILLETT David SMITH (NA) Barry NEWTON Derek SPICER As Associate Constantin DARANUTA (OS) RESIGNATIONS Colin TERRY James William Edward EASTCOTT Pavel ASTASHKIN (NA) Adam WALICZEK (HK) Peter John Vickers ELLIOTT Thomas BENSON Emma WORLEY Benjamin GOODE (AUS) Timothy BRYMER Gerald WORLEY 4 AIR PILOT DECEMBER 2020 R101 COMMEMORATED BY PAST MASTER CHRIS FORD, CHAIR OF THE LUNCHEON CLUB The Master was keen to represent Air Pilots at Cardington sunshine. Heavy rain showers were a feature of the day, on the 90 th anniversary of the loss of HM Airship R101, but fortunately the service was during a dry period. but it seemed that all events planned to commemorate After the service Reverend Stephen Smith kindly opened the event had been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. St Mary’s church so the small party could view the Despite all enquiries drawing a blank he decided to make a standard from R101. Photographer Darren Harbar solo visit to the memorial at Cardington cemetery to pay recorded the event and generously shared his photographs his respects on 5 th October. Quite by chance, he arrived a with the Master for use in Air Pilot along with the self- few minutes before midday and was amazed to see that a portrait taken just before the next rain shower.