AIR PILOT SEPTEMBER 2018:AIR PILOT MASTER 27/9/18 19:55 Page 1 2 AirPilot OCTOBER 2018 ISSUE 29 AIR PILOT SEPTEMBER 2018:AIR PILOT MASTER 27/9/18 19:55 Page 2 Diary OCTOBER 2018 AIR PILOT 1st Lord Mayor’s Election Guildhall THE HONOURABLE 10th Pilot Aptitude Testing RAF Cranwell COMPANY OF 18th GP&F Cutlers’ Hall AIR PILOTS 25th Trophies & Awards Banquet Guildhall incorporating Air Navigators NOVEMBER 2018 PATRON: 2nd - 3rd Pilot Careers Live Heathrow His Royal Highness 15th ACEC & APBF Dowgate Hill The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh KG KT 22nd Scholarships pres entation, GP&F,Court Cutlers’ Hall GRAND MASTER: DECEMBER 2018 His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew 5th AST/APT meeting Dowgate Hill Duke of York KG GCVO 13th GP&F Cutlers’ Hall 13th Carol Service St. Michaels’, Cornhill MASTER: Captain Colin Cox FRAeS Please note that meetings scheduled for Dowgate Hill may be relocated to our new CLERK: Paul J Tacon BA FCIS office depending on the date of our move. Incorporated by Royal Charter. A Livery Company of the City of London. VISITS PROGRAMME PUBLISHED BY: Please see the flyers accompanying this issue of Air Pilot or contact Liveryman David The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, Curgenven at [email protected]. Dowgate Hill House, 14-16 Dowgate Hill, These flyers can also be downloaded from the Company's website. London EC4R 2SU. Please check on the Company website for visits that are to be confirmed. EDITOR: Paul Smiddy BA (Ec on), FCA EMAIL: [email protected] FUNCTION PHOTOGRAPHY: GOLF CLUB EVENTS Gerald Sharp Photography Please check on Company website for latest information View images and order prints on-line. TELEPHONE: 020 8599 5070 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.sharpphoto.co.uk PRINTED BY: Printed Solutions Ltd 01494 478870 Except where specifically stated, none of the material in this issue is to be taken as expressing the opinion of the Court of the Company. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: The copy deadline for the December 2018 edition of Air Pilot is 1 November 2018. The address is: 14-16 Dowgate Hill House, London EC4R 2SU. Our telephone number remains unchanged TELEPHONE: 020 7404 4032 EMAIL: [email protected] Cover photo: Old Red, new Reds - Gnat at RIAT 2018. WEBSITE: www.airpilots.org Courtesy of Freeman Will Eeles. AIR PILOT SEPTEMBER 2018:AIR PILOT MASTER 27/9/18 19:55 Page 3 A message from your Editor... Good news! There is no need for Company members to start selling the Big Issue on the streets of London.We are no longer homeless; well perhaps a slight exaggeration since we have been well catered for in serviced offices on a temporary measure for some while. But now we have a new permanent abode in Southwark. For those that might be tempted to scoff that it is not in the City, well it is just over the river, and, having worked in the locale, albeit many moons ago, I can affirm there are plenty of hostelries nearby where members and staff can slake their thirst or assuage their hunger. Moreover it is as steeped in history as its more staid neighbour, the City itself.The site of the Tabard Inn, whence Chaucer and his band of merry pilgrims departed for Canterbury is only a few hundred yards away. In the News section of this issue, you will find two references to the gliding world: firstly the BGA have understandably been a vehement opponent of the airspace grab by Farnborough which prejudices activity at the busiest gliding site in the country. Secondly the BGA has recently issued a reminder to avoid the overflight of their winch-launching sites.Which reminds me, stories from the gliding fraternity have been noticeable by their absence in this magazine. I should really welcome contributions on soaring exploits or issues – there must be some of our number who positively dislike a propeller in their cock pit view…. Paul Smiddy - Editor Contents News Round Up . .4 The Master’s Message and North American Tour Report . .8 From the Desk of the DAA . .11 The Heroes at Highclere . .13 Past Master Brian Pickard . .14 Sun, Lakes and Glaciers . .15 The Morgan Motor Company . ... 18 Visit to the DHFS, RAF Shawbury . .20 Helicopter Museum Visit . .22 Company Visit to RAF Waddington . .23 North Weald . .26 Trophies and Awards 2017 - 2018 . .27 Henstridge . .28 3 AIR PILOT SEPTEMBER 2018:AIR PILOT MASTER 27/9/18 19:55 Page 4 News Round Up OVERFLIGHT OF GLIDING SITES location by a narrow margin because ban on alcohol sales before 1000 hr s.This Liveryman DaiWhittingham encourages us to there are likely to be gliders operating seems to the Editor an eminently sensible heed recent advice from the BGA: close to the site as they soar within first step, and members might wish to gliding range. Even if a site has finished A significant number of gliding sites discuss this possible improvement to our winch-launching for the day, it may winch launch gliders to 2000 feet or have gliders returning from cross legislative framework with their MPs. more using cables. Maximum launch country flights, or motor gliders self- altitudes are indicated on the ½ mil launching into the local area. VFR chart with a forward slash and THE ABC OF THE RAF CAA AIC Y083/2011 refers height. For example, Rivar Hill has a Former fast jet pilot and QFI Paul maximum winch-launch altitude of Heasman has published a 56 page 3800ft, as shown on the graphic as /3.8. RYANAIR softback book with the above title. It is There is further detail about winch It was a summer of discontent for launch sites in the UK AIP.Pilots should Ryanair passengers, due to strike action clearly designed to encourage young not re ly on seeing the winch launch by its pilots, and air traffic issues at people to consider a light blue career. It happening.A glider will go from ground Stansted. Finally the company has is slightly difficult to judge the right age to 1,000 -1,500ft in about 20 seconds, so acceded to a voluntary trade union group for this book, but the ‘A’ is for Air spotting it in the climb is too late to do agreement in many of the countries Experience Flight, in wh ich Heasman anything about the conflict.The hazard (including the UK) in which it is based. continues for at least another 20 asks the reader “Do you know where IS COMMERCIAL AVIATION PROVIDING seconds as the cable descends under a your nearest Air Cadet squadron is PASSENGERS WITH A BETTER SERVICE? small parachute. The higher the launch, based?”. This indicates the target age Which? Magazine recently published an the longer the descent. Many of the interesting investigation reporting how group is probably 10-14. It certainly did moving map databases and published published flight schedules have broadly not engage my four year-old grandson, approach plates commonly used by some lengthened since 2009.Virgin’s LHR to although perhaps he has not had enough private and most commercial pilots do Newark service has slowed by 35 not depict winch launch sites. brainwashing as yet! There are some very minutes, for example. Pilots will good photographs in it, most sourced Ed Downham, who, as well as being a undoubtedly be aware of operational UK Airprox Board gliding member, is a reasons why this might be so – skirting from the MoD, whom I imagine will be Boeing 777 captain said, “So far, we the world’s trouble spots, slowing for fuel quite pleased with the tenor of the haven’t seen an actual mid-air collision economy, etc. But Which? strongly volume. It definitely fills a void – we with a winch cable. But it could soon be suspected that this padding was partly need a Capt. WE Johns for the 21st a matter for the AAIB rather than due to a desire to avoid compensating century! UKAB. Be under no illusion, such an passengers for flight delays under the EU encounter is highly likely to be fatal for compensation regime. BA, Easyjet and The ABC of the RAF costs £14.99 plus those involved.” Ryanair were amongst the airlines postage and packaging. For information Chris Fox, another UKAB gliding mentioned. Whatever the excuses, the or purchase please visit the Facebook member and an R44 pilot, said: “A findings do rather underline that the page www.facebook.com/ABCofRAF or passenger experience has ceased to recurring theme in these reports is that email [email protected] the powered aircraft pilot assumed that improve. the gliding site would not be active – ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION perhaps because the weather was less AMONGST PASSENGERS INTER-LIVERY SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS than perfect, or it was late in the day. Another depressing part of passenger These are once again being organised by Gliders can, and do, winch-launch in travel is the increasing occurrence of the Ironmongers – see https:// strong winds and any cloud base that poor behaviour from fellow passengers permits the launch to be completed due to inebriation. The CAA notes that www.liveryskiing.com/. safely – often in conditions that would there were more than 200 reported Our participation is again being co- deter many other GA pilots.” instances in H1 2018 of disruptive ordinated by Sam Rutherford who is passengers, vs. 417 in the whole of 2017. The UKAB advise that pilots should keen for volunteers for our team, always avoid glider sites. Only overfly (It believes that there is a significant particularly of the female gender. 2019 them if you have timely, positive incidence of unreported cases).