The Sir Sydney Camm Lecture was established in 1971, following Sir Sydney Camm’s death in 1966, to commemorate his significant achievements in the field of aeronautical engineering.

Further details on this event will be available shortly.

Please do contact the Conference & Events Department for more information.

The Challenges & Opportunities Ahead

London Heathrow Airport is the world’s busiest international airport hub and the UK’s largest airport hub handling some 65.5 million passengers in 2010 – representing 30.2% of all UK traffic.   Despite significant improvements in terminal capacity through the T5 and Heathrow East projects, the airport continues to be constrained by its runway system.

Targeting & Delivering Effect for Future Force 2020

The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty, outlines the needs of the UK’s future force structure. This structure, Future Force 2020, will be a highly capable force ready to react, at various levels of intensity, to the complex threat scenarios that may develop in future.  It will be a flexible and expeditionary force based on fewer platforms that must be able to deliver effectors with a high degree of accuracy and in a timely manner by air, land or sea.

The threats Future Force 2020 is likely to meet will be challenging. For instance, the threat can use camouflage, concealment and deception measures, presenting targets that could be fleeting in nature. In addition, those threats may evolve more rapidly than our existing development cycles.  Moreover, it is anticipated that allied operations will be constrained by rules of engagement where collateral damage is unacceptable politically or legally.

For this transition to become a reality, the challenges of affordability must be met to provide these capability needs. Can we develop or adapt systems, technologies and operations to achieve this?

In order to address these issues, a classified conference is being organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Weapon Systems and Technology Specialist Group.  This conference will focus on future operational needs, force structure or system concepts, targeting and weapon effects aligned to Future Force 2020.

The Future Rotorcraft: Enabling capability through the application of technology

The performance and utility of the ubiquitous edge wise rotary wing configured aircraft has reached a natural limit. The enormous strides taken by the fixed wing community in the development of increasingly efficient, mission focussed, cost effective, green and quick to market solutions have not been matched by the rotary wing community.  The barrier to matching the fixed wing community is not concepts or vision: it is the infrastructure of technology and manufacturing techniques that have contrived to hold our community back.  Learning lessons from the fixed wing community and adapting them to suit the needs of the rotary wing vehicle is our challenge and the time is now right to take on this challenge and succeed.

The rotary wing vehicle has always provided a niche capability, serving its operators well in situations where no other vehicle could achieve the desired result.  It has provided  search and rescue as well as emergency medical services that have saved countless lives, it has delivered military effect with great impact, it has supported the development and realisation of off shore energy delivery and it has connected city centres for convenient transportation.

Yet, despite these achievements the effectiveness of the rotary wing configuration has stagnated as one or two tried and tested configurations using the edge-wise rotor have dominated this mode of transport.
The V22 Osprey and BA609 have shown that other configurations are viable and offer significant performance benefits, but so far the tilt rotor has not shown that it can achieve a paradigm shift in respect of time to market and cost of ownership.  Recently, others have returned to concepts that may have been tried before but until now were only viable as one off prototypes or design studies that never left the drawing boards.

Enabling technologies related to materials, construction and design tools have matured in the fixed wing community and are beginning to find application to rotary wing solutions.  The inevitable and appropriate pressures of environment safety must also be recognised, accepted and converted from complex problem to cost effective solution.

Sponsored by:

Co Sponsors:

Merlin AAR Trial

More details on this Flight Test Group lecture will follow shortly.

About the speaker

Andy Strachan is the Deputy Chief Test Pilot at AugustaWestland.

Refreshments will be served from 17.30hrs and the lecture will commence at 18.00hrs.

Please RSVP to the Conference & Events Department at [email protected]

THE EVOLUTION, DEVELOPMENT & CHALLENGES OF COMMERCIAL AIR AMBULANCE OPERATIONS

Military helicopters have routinely provided casualty evacuation from war zones since the latter part of World War 2 up to the present day but, largely unnoticed outside the helicopter community; Alan Bristow was an early pioneer of civilian helicopters being used in the air ambulance role.

In the late 1940’s albeit in a war zone, Alan Bristow was the first civilian helicopter pilot to accept the challenges and overcome the difficulties of providing a casualty evacuation / air ambulance service with the small and underpowered Hiller 360. Alan’s sometimes hair raising flying exploits saw him awarded the Croix de Guerre for his work with the French military during the French Indo-China war.

Modern commercial air ambulance services have come a long way since those early days of single pilot operations using rudimentary helicopters with limited operating capabilities and cabin space. Starting in the late 80’s, Bond Air Services pioneered civil helicopter air ambulance operations in the UK using the Bolkow Bo105 and were fully committed to providing a comprehensive helicopter support network in this role. Such vision and commitment is why today, Bond is the biggest provider of helicopters for UK commercial air ambulance operations.

The helicopters used by Bond Air Services today are modern powerful airframes with a full suite of sophisticated flying aids that are fully equipped for the air ambulance role and routinely performing many ‘mercy missions’ on mainland UK every day. The flights are flown by the company’s highly trained professional flight crews who are able to place the doctors and paramedics alongside a casualty regardless of how remote or difficult it may be.

Captain Paul Westaway, Director of Commercial Services, Bond Air Services Ltd will set the scene and share the challenges and difficulties of providing a modern air ambulance service that works effectively on a regional basis with a large number of charitable and NHS hospital trusts.

About the speaker

Paul Westaway Joined the Cornwall Ambulance Service in 1980 as Control Room Assistant, and later moved on to frontline operational duties as a Qualified Ambulance-man by 1982. In 1983, he was promoted as a sub-officer in the ambulance service HQ, gaining an instructor’s qualification for both Ambulance Aid and Paramedic training by 1985.
He was then selected as Senior Air Crewman to fly on the UK’s first Air Ambulance in April 1987, and seconded to train and fly on first operational missions for Scotland in 1989 (Dundee), West Midlands in 1991 (Halfpenny Green) and Devon in 1992 (Exeter). Appointed as Director of Air Ambulance Development for Westcountry Ambulance Service 1992-1995 and later appointed as Staff Officer and Emergency Planning Officer for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset 1996-2001.
In 2001, Paul joined Bond as Emergency Services Manager, providing the company link between the customers (11 aircraft) and the company’s commercial operations and engineering department. Key milestones :
-    CRMI qualification – developed to CRMIE in 2010
-    General Secretary of the Confederation of Helicopter Ambulance Services, 2003-2008
-    British representative on CEN regulations working group for air ambulances, 2005-6
He was then appointed as Bond Training Services Manager to develop Bond Training Services and pilot training using the world’s first Eurocopter EC135 Level III FTD, 2005-2009. During this period FTD use developed from 450 hours per annum to 1950 hours per annum with worldwide customer base.
Currently Paul is the Director of Commercial since September 2009, overseeing the complete customer base including 18 air ambulance operations throughout the UK, along with marine, offshore wind, lighthouse, police and ad hoc markets.

The lecture will follow with a reception, kindly sponsored by -

Refreshments will be served from 17.30hrs and the lecture will commence at 18.00hrs.

Please RSVP to the Conference & Events Department at [email protected]

From Pioneers to Presidents: Celebrating a Century of Women in Flight

Following the success of last year’s RAeS Women in Aerospace & Aviation Conference, the 2011 Networking Event will celebrate a century of women’s acheivements in flight.

The Wonderful Women Ferry Pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary

The Royal Aeronautical Society is offering a unique opportunity to meet the few surviving women pilots who ferried every type of military aircraft during World War II, including fighters, huge four-engine bombers as the sole pilot and even the first British jet-engine aeroplane. By the end of the war, ATA pilots had each flown dozens of different aircraft, sometimes several in one day, often never having seen the aeroplane before, far less flown it.

During the seminar, you will hear why the ATA was such a unique organisation, how the women ferry pilots were trained and what they achieved, what an RAF bomber pilot thought of the young women who delivered aircraft to his base, and finally hear from the so-called ‘Spitfire Women’ themselves about their memories of these extraordinary times and their experiences.

At the end of this special seminar, the Royal Aeronautical Society will be making a presentation to the ATA women pilots present to honour their extraordinary achievements.

This Lecture will focus on the training of cockpit crew for Concorde. Together, Capt John Eames and SEO Roger Bricknell will discuss Flight Crew Training, highlighting the differences between Concorde and subsonic airliners that Pilots had to be trained to cope with. In addition, the lecture will touch on the novelty and complexity of Concorde at the time of its introduction, including fly-by-wire control of the centre of gravity by fuel transfer, behaviour at high incidence, adjustable air intakes and exhausts, the reduced range in subsonic flight and the emergency procedures for pressurisation problems at 60,000ft.

The Sopwith lecture was established in 1990 to honour Sir Thomas Sopwith CBE, Hon FRAeS. In the years prior to World War I, Sopwith became England’s premier aviator and established the first authoritative test pilot school in the world, he also founded England’s first major flight school. Between 1912 and 1920 Sopwith’s Company produced over 16,000 aircraft of 60 types.

An International Approach to Flight Crew Training Standards

The Annual RAeS International Flight Crew Training Conference is well established and highly successful.  The 2011 Conference aims to seek solutions on how best to consider flight crew training standards from an international perspective.

The Blades Aerobatic Team and 2Excel Aviation

The Blades Aerobatic Team formed in 2006, and since then has displayed to over 18 million people and flown over 3000 corporate passengers on formation aerobatic flights. Operating as the UK’s only full-time civilian aerobatic team and the World’s only globally accredited aerobatic airline, Myles will explain the significance and importance of this.

Myles Garland will talk about training, how the team design and incorporate new manoeuvres into the display, and how The Blades approached their first display season in a high- performance propeller aircraft having flown thousands of hours in fast jets.

The Blades parent company, 2Excel Aviation has expanded rapidly since 2006 and now delivers a wide range of aviation based products. From ‘Unforgettable Events’ such as a 300 person Summer Ball, to trials and test flying in their 2 PA31 Navajo aircraft, to operating several luxurious Beech King Air 200s for their clients, 2Excel is an extremely agile company and Myles will discuss how these capabilities all come together to make 2Excel and The Blades truly unique.

About the speaker

Sqn Ldr (Ret) Myles Garland

Blade 1 and Team Leader of The Blades Aerobatic Team

Myles Garland was born in Vancouver in 1971. Educated at St. Boniface’s College, Devon, Myles developed his keen interest in aviation and was subsequently awarded a Royal Air Force Flying Scholarship. He joined the RAF immediately after completing his A-levels. After flying training on both the Jet Provost and the Hawk, Myles’ operational career began on the Harrier GR7.  He was posted to No1 (Fighter) Squadron based at RAF Wittering and took part in exercises all over the world.  In 1997 he embarked with the Squadron onto HMS Illustrious for the first Harrier GR7 deployment to an Aircraft carrier. Shortly after, having proven the concept, the Squadron were deployed to the Gulf onboard HMS Invincible during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH.

In 1999, as a Qualified Weapons Instructor on the Harrier, Myles took part in operations over Kosovo and the former Yugoslavia where he was ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ for gallantry.  On completion of his first operational tour, Myles was posted to instructional duties 20 (Reserve) Squadron teaching ab-initio and post graduate Harrier Pilots the art of weaponeering and tactics.

In 2000, Myles was successful in applying to the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team and flew with the Red Arrows for the 2001-2003 display seasons.  During his time with the Reds, Myles was promoted to Squadron Leader aged 29 and chosen to fly as part of the famous ‘Syncho Pair’.

On leaving the Red Arrows Myles returned to operational front-line duties on the Harrier as a flight commander then Deputy Squadron Commander on No 3 (Fighter) Squadron based at RAF Cottesmore.

In 2005 as 3(F) Squadron disbanded as a Harrier Squadron before immediately re-forming as a Typhoon Squadron, Myles left the RAF with over 3000 fast jet flying hours and became one of the founding members of The Blades.

This will be Myles’ sixth year with The Blades and his third year as Blade 1.  During his time with The Blades he has flown in a number of positions including 2 years as Blade 4 developing, inventing and performing the dynamic solo manoeuvres.

This RAeS General Aviation Group Evening Lecture is organised and held in partnership with The Guild of Air Pilots & Air  Navigators (GAPAN).

Refreshments will be served from 17.30hrs and the lecture will commence at 18.00hrs.

Please RSVP to the Conference & Events Department at [email protected]

Development of the Zephyr HALE UAV – holder of the Absolute World Record for Duration

The Stratosphere offers a new domain to provide services across whole countries and across the world, without the intermittent coverage or high infrastructure or operational/launch costs of other systems. However, we have only briefly occupied the Stratosphere –until now.

The QinetiQ Zephyr is the first to demonstrate that Solar aircraft are capable of “eternal” flight in the stratosphere with real payloads, and is the world’s longest flying aeroplane without refuelling- a 14 day first  flight at altitudes up to more than 70,000ft  in July 2010.

The lecture will describe how the Zephyr programme has progressed towards a truly high altitude, longer duration, operationally capable platform combining all-new, efficient technology- and how Zephyr has successfully introduced the new technology in a comprehensive ground and flight test programme.

Eternal solar platforms offer many potential applications –those currently carried out by satellites and aircraft (such as communications, earth observation, atmospheric sampling) – better and cheaper, and new applications which are not currently possible or affordable by other means.

About the speaker

Chris Kelleher is the QinetiQ Technical Director for High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) systems and Flight operations Manager of Zephyr, the world’s first “eternal” aircraft. He has 30 years experience of aircraft and spacecraft design and operation at QinetiQ Farnborough. He is married with 4 children, and flies light aircraft as a hobby and occasional air displays, being a three times former winner of the British Aerobatics Association Advanced Level.

Refreshments will be served from 17.30hrs and the lecture will commence at 18.00hrs.

Please RSVP to the Conference & Events Department at [email protected]

The world launcher market is evolving fast with new competitors entering each year.  In 2011 the European Space Agency (ESA) will begin operations with two new vehicles – Soyuz and Vega.  Meanwhile Ariane 5 remains the number one choice for launching commercial geostationary satellites.

In 2012 Europe’s Space Ministers will decide whether to upgrade Ariane 5 – the so-called Ariane 5 Mid-life Extension (ME) – and/or to begin the definition and development of Ariane 6.

ESA’s Future Launcher Preparatory Programme (FLPP) has been assessing the systems, technologies and requirements for Europe’s future launchers and Guy Pilchen will provide an authoritative view of the options being considered for the future, including:

• current status of the down-selection of launch system concept

• the technology developments required for reduced-mass structures and stages, thus underpinning cost optimized launch systems

• development status of integrated demonstrators, including the mid-scale demonstrator of a Staged Combustion High Thrust Engin.

Browse and buy a wide range of aviation & aerospace literature

The Royal Aeronautical Society is pleased to be holding its third annual Book Sale at No.4 Hamilton Place. This is a great opportunity for both RAeS members and enthusiasts to leaf through and purchase a wide selection of aviation and aerospace books and publications.

‘Cleared to Land’ is a critical review of the politics of planning and the political scheming that took place during the search for London’s 3rd airport. Why was Stansted selected when it didn’t meet any of the criteria laid down for the 3rd airport? How were the costs distorted to favour Stansted in the face of public opposition to it? And who was the puppet master pulling the political strings behind the scenes?  Cleared to Land offers some insights into the machinations of government and the planning process and advocates that if the saga of Terminal Five and the Third runway at Heathrow are anything to go by then nothing has really changed during the last 40 years.

The French Air & Space Academy will be visiting the UK and will host an informative evening of aerospace lectures. The evening will commence with a presentation of the Air & Space Academy hosted by Gerard Brachet and will be followed by three short presentations by aerospace experts.

Taking place on the 13th & 14th April 2011 at the Society’s Headquarters, Aerospace 2011: Funding the Future will focus on Aerospace & Aviation in an Age of Austerity and address how both the civil and defence communities can look to overcome economic uncertainties and grow business in the coming years.

If you’ve ever wanted to know the behind the scenes story of Flight Testing at the Boeing this lecture will take you there.  It will cover some of the most dynamic, risky and interesting testing done to date on the 787 and 747-8 programs.  The lecture will use actual flight test footage of the conditions flown with an explanation of the piloting techniques involved and engineering data gathered.  Each of the videos will have a personal storyline which might surprise the listeners.  It will also be an audience interactive talk with questions to those in attendance before and after each subject.  The topics will range from first flight to maximum brake energy testing on the newest Boeing model airplanes.  The lecture will be divided into three parts: 747-8, 787 and a small section on common type rating between the 787 and 777.  Capt Santoni will be able to relate his personal experiences on the types of testing shown as he has either participated in the actual test or has done similar flights on other models.  There will be time to engage with the speaker after the lecture on any flight test topic of interest.