Archived News Items 2006 updated 6Nov07

Items that have been on the News page but are no longer current are generally transferred to an archive.

Sad News

Barry Pegram has received the sad news from Elizabeth Ruscoe-Pond that Malcolm died unexpectedly on 28 December.

The funeral was on Thursday 11th January at 10.30am, at East Sussex and East Surrey Crematorium, Balcombe Road, Crawley. (This is just north of Crawley Avenue, between the main south coast railway line and junction 10 on the M23, on an area called Forge Wood, OS Surrey Street Atlas p182 D3).

There will also be a Memorial Service at St John's Church, Coulsdon Road, Coulsdon, at 2.30pm on the afternoon of Thursday 11th. Elizabeth fully appreciates that some people may wish to attend this service rather than the funeral. The church can be approached from either Marlpit Lane or Stoats Nest Road/Coulsdon Road. (OS SSA p80 A1)

The family have requested no flowers, but if anyone would like to make a donation to support a hospital in Ghana, (a project Malcolm and Elizabeth have been very much involved with), cheques should be sent directly to Elizabeth, address is available by telephone from the Secretary on 01306 631125.

  

Also Ambrose Barber has heard that Alan Gettings has died. Some of you may remember him as, amongst other things, the performance man in Flight Development/Flight Test. The funeral is on Friday 12th January, 2007, 2:30 pm at Semington Crematorium, Wilts (Semington is between Trobridge and Devizes).

Over 70 members and partners had a great Christmas lunch on 13 December, the 4th the association has held.

Picture with members seated (29kb)

Christmas Lunch is on December 13 at 12:30 for 13:00 (NOTE earlier time). Cost is £15 including a drink. Essential to book with Jan White by phoning 020 8876 0210 by the end of November; if necessary leave a message and phone number so she can respond. Partners are welcome. Details. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

10Dec06 Newsletter 15 (Winter 2006) is available online; you may find that newsletters display better with a smaller text size selected in the View Menu.

 8Nov06  Racing Gliders and Optimising Performance

Affandi Darlington spoke to the Association on the history and theory of glider performance, describing aerodynamic design features and construction methods. He also looked at what the future held in store for the competition glider.

20Oct06 Newsletter 14 (Autumn 2006) is available online.

On Wed 11 Oct the lecture due by an RN Officer on The Future of Naval Aviation failed to materialise due to the unexpected non-appearance of the speaker. An apology has now been received from PR (Navy) with their offer of future support. As a stand by two videos were shown.

On Wednesday 11 October a Royal Naval Officer will talk on the future of Naval Aviation. There will NOT be a committee meeting in the morning.

On Thursday 21 September 20 members had a very enjoyable visit to the Fleet Air Museum at Yeovilton. Travelling, by car sharing, was surprisingly easy and took less than 2 hours from Sunbury.  

The curator, Dave Morgan, gave an excellent introduction with a preview of the hangers and then we did our own thing.

Technology Hanger, Larger 24kb.

  

The highlight of the museum was the Carrier Experience; we ‘flew’ out to the ‘Ark Royal’ in a ‘Sea King helicopter’ and it even vibrated like the real thing. After the disappointing support Percy Collino got for original plan with a coach party the trip was organised by Harry Frazer-Mitchell and very successful it was to.

IMPORTANT On Thursday 21 September there is a  visit to the Fleet Air Museum at Yeovilton. This event is open to members, partners and friends. Unfortunately a coach is no longer an option and members will be car sharing The price, including Museum entrance, is £6. Harry Frazer-Mitchell, on 01252 626996, is organising the revised arrangements.On Wednesday 13 September Members are meeting socially. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

7September  Sadly we have learnt of the death of Bert Callan who died on 30th August. A Memorial Service is being held at St John's Church, Merrow, Guildford, on Tuesday 12th September at 3pm.

    All are welcome and the family extend an invitation after the service to refreshments at 2 Wells Road, Merrow. A further request from the family is that they would prefer guests not to wear all black.

On Wednesday 9 August Members are meeting socially. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

On Wed 12 July Keith Hertzenberg will talk on Boeing Training in the UK. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

The Summer BBQ is on Wednesday 14 June at 1:30 for 2:00 pm, tickets MUST be booked in advance details. This month there will NOT be a committee meeting in the morning.

25May06 Newsletter 13 (Summer 2006) is available online.

On Wed 10 May Air Cdre David Scrimgeour will give a talk on ‘The Triparte Squadron’. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

The AGM on Wed 12 April at 2pm will be followed by a video. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

On Wed 8 March Chris Roberts will talk on ‘My Three Jobs in the Front Office’. Chris, best known to us as a Chief Test Pilot at Dunsfold, had an earlier career in the RAF and a later one in civil aviation, hence the three front office jobs. There will be a committee meeting in the morning.

On 8th February, Duncan Simpson, at very short notice, gamely stood-in for Afandi Darlington, who was unavoidably delayed in the USA, and entertained a fascinated audience by reminiscing off the cuff about his life in aviation. Illustrated with slides, many made from his personal collection of photographs and drawings, the talk took us from Duncan's time at the DH Technical School, via the RAF and Hawkers, to his retirement from test flying. 

On Wed 8 February there has been a change to the program and Duncan Simpson’s talk has been brought forward from 8 November; he will be talking on ‘From Comet to Hawk’. We hope to have the talk on Racing Gliders and Optimising Performance by Afandi Darlington and Peter Mason at a later date.

25Feb06 Newsletter 12 (Spring 2006) is available online.

One of our members, Jimmy While. died on Saturday, 4th February aged 80. He was with Hawkers/BAe for 22 years, and in the final years of his working life he was a Process Engineer. Our thoughts and sympathy are with his wife Peggy and family.

 On Wed 11 January 2006 there will be a Quiz by Les Palmer and a social gathering.