AN ENGINEER OF THE OLD SCHOOL James Allan chronicles the career of longtime LAA Inspector, Peter Murray ew, if any, LAA Inspectors can equal (Above) Peter has LAA approvals for all to be an engineer who was working for the length and breadth of experience construction types. Here he’s undertaking Airwork at Perth Aerodrome. Peter’s footwear which Peter Murray has built up during a Permit inspection on Dave Burns’ rare, career came to an early end when, to his his many years with the LAA. Peter single-seat Aerosport Scamp homebuilt, great embarrassment, he was moved upstairs celebrated his 90th birthday on 20 June and G-DAVB. (Photo: Wallace Shackleton) from the men’s shop to work in the ladies’ Fis still to be seen hard at work, carrying out shoe department. When that happened, he his LAA duties at Perth Airport most Tuesdays (Below) Hillson Praga, G-AEUT, the aircraft immediately accepted an offer that his ATC and Saturdays, providing encouragement and which endeared Peter Murray to wooden instructor had already made to him, to start useful advice to our Association’s members, construction. Sadly, it was written off in a an engineering apprenticeship with Airwork. newcomers and old hands alike. forced landing in Italy in the mid-fifties. However, before Peter could actually Peter was born into a farming family (Photo: Wikicommons) start his apprenticeship he in Inverarity, between Forfar had to be fifteen years old, and Dundee, and owes his so until then Airwork checked initial interest in aeroplanes that, despite his short stature, to his older brother, who he was tall enough to swing had joined the Royal Air Tiger Moth propellers and Force in 1937 and was then kept him busy refuelling posted to RAF Montrose and starting aircraft engines in 1938. That year, he plus some other odd jobs. took Peter to see the RAF Once he turned fifteen, in Leuchars airshow, which 1943, Peter started work as made a big impression. an engineering apprentice When Peter left school, on Tiger Moths, Oxfords aged fourteen, he went to and Ansons at Perth, but work in a Perth shoe shop in 1945 his apprenticeship and also joined the 38F was interrupted by the (Perth) squadron of the Air call up for two compulsory Training Corps. One of his years of National Service ATC instructors happened in the RAF. 56 LIGHT AVIATION | JULY 2018 LA07.meet the members.V2.indd 50 22/06/2018 10:42 MEET THE MEMBERS RAF to NCR the hangar’. So Peter decided to quit Airwork Although Peter enjoyed being a glider After undergoing ‘square-bashing’ at and go to work for National Cash Register (NCR) pilot and has worked on a multitude of Wilmslow, Cheshire, Peter was posted to in Dundee, which had a shortage of engineers different types of powered aircraft, he never RAF Watton near Dereham in Norfolk, for its rapidly developing ATM business. gained his PPL, for the simple reason that, where surplus de Havilland Mosquitos despite having done so much to help so were being broken up. There, Peter found Inspector duties call… many other pilots fly inexpensively, he never himself sorting out and cataloguing pieces However, Peter didn’t lose touch with aviation felt he could afford to do it himself. of undercarriages and other aircraft parts and soon became involved with the gliding In 1977 Peter’s career involved a return for spares. His CO tried to persuade him activities at the Royal Marines base at Condor to work with Airwork as an instructor in the to sign up to another three years with near Arbroath. He not only qualified as a Air Service Training technical school which the RAF, but Peter said he’d rather just glider pilot but, in 1970, was also authorised had, by then, been established at Perth complete his National Service and return as an Inspector for the British Gliding Airport, and he remained employed by to Perth to finish his apprenticeship. Association (BGA). While visiting the gliding them until his retirement in 1993. Peter did apply for an overseas posting club at Aboyne, he was approached by the Happily, he didn’t then retire from his but instead of being sent somewhere exotic, owner of a damaged Fournier RF4 who other ‘job’, as an Inspector for LAA, BGA such as RAF Seletar, Singapore, or RAF asked Peter why he didn’t apply to become and BMAA, quite the contrary! Peter’s Habbaniya, Iraq, he ended up a lot closer to a PFA Inspector too, so he could work on continued as an Inspector right up to his home, at RAF Edzell near Angus. The Station powered aircraft as well as gliders and 90th birthday and says he fully intends to Warrant Officer at Edzell asked him if he knew could help get his damaged machine back go on, so long as he remains fit and able anything about publications and after Peter into the air. Peter applied for and was soon to commute between his Invergowrie home said yes, he finished his National Service awarded PFA Inspector approval in 1973, and Perth Airport by car. working in the station’s Technical Library. with licence number 120. In 2002 Peter was honoured by the LAA Peter was one of the last National Since that time, he’s gone on providing with the Frank Hounslow Trophy, for services Servicemen to be issued with a demob suit engineering oversight and willingly given to LAA Engineering. He enjoys gardening, and felt hat, but he then found Airwork had hundreds of PFA, and subsequently LAA, playing bowls and often takes his wife out for no immediate vacancy for him, so he went to members a guiding hand and helpful words of lunch locally but is still more than happy to work, temporarily, at the Royal Naval Aircraft wisdom from the wealth of aircraft experience devote most of his Tuesdays and Saturdays to Workshops in Almondbank, west of Perth. he’s gained during his long career in aviation. doing all he can – in his own time and without After six months there he was able to return Peter also became a qualified Senior any financial reward – to assist LAA members, to Airwork which, at that time, was obtaining Inspector with the British Microlight Aircraft and glider and microlight pilots, to keep flying RAF contract work in connection with the Cold Association (BMAA) in 1985. In the same safely and affordably, not just at Perth but War. One of those contracts took Peter to RAF way as he is by the LAA, Peter’s authorised also at the gliding airfield of Portmoak and at Digby in Lincolnshire, where he worked for by the BMAA and BGA to work on all types RAF Leuchars. Private flying in the East of Airwork maintaining Tiger Moths. Around of airframe construction (metal, wood or Scotland owes this time, Peter made his first acquaintance glass-reinforced plastic), power units, a great deal to with an all-wooden aeroplane, the Czech- auto-pilots, instruments (including ‘glass’ Peter’s stalwart designed, Manchester-built Hillson Praga, cockpits) and other ancillary equipment. efforts. ■ G-AEUT, and he soon became a real fan of wood and fabric aeroplanes. (Right) Peter In 1953 Peter was sent to RAF Usworth, inspects the near Sunderland, at that time an Auxiliary Air elevator of Force airfield, to work on AOP Austers. That a Van’s RV at contract lasted until 1955, when Peter was Perth Aerodrome. moved by Airwork to the Royal Naval Air (Photo: Wallace Station at Donibristle, Fife, where he had to Shackleton) tackle a variety of naval communications aircraft, including the de Havilland Rapide, Percival Prince and de Havilland Dove. Peter then return to Perth, where he continued with Airwork until 1960. That year he was promised an interesting job, helping to transfer the Air Service Training technical school from Hamble to Perth but ‘Pooch’ Nugent, Airwork’s boss at the latter, refused to let Peter go ‘because he was needed in Visicover is a unique service that lets you Aircraft Insurance buy and manage your aeroplane or helicopter Are you paying too much? insurance online whenever it suits you. • Get an instant quote online • Spread your premiums for free • Select the cover you want • 24-Hour claims hotline service To find out more go to Visicover.com Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority | 66 LIGHT AVIATION | JANUARY 2014 MAY 2018 LIGHT AVIATION 57 LA07.meet the members.V2.indd 51 22/06/2018 10:42.