BRITISH WOMEN PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION

ISSUE NO. 98 SPRING 2011

Brooklands Museum Brooklands Road Weybridge Surrey KT13 OQN

www.bwpa.co.uk

NEWSLETTER

FLYING GYROCOPTERS/AUTOGYROS

GAINING AN FI RATING

AEROBATIC FLYING

OBITUARY:BARBARA HARMER, CONCORDE PILOT

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Who’s Who in the BWPAChairman Caroline Gough-Cooper Vice-Chairman Pauline Vahey Hon Secretary Lesley RoffHon Treasurer Rachel Ellis Membership Lesley Runnalls Sales Nicky RowanDatabase/Website Carol HedgesNewsletter Editor Helen Krasner Awards Caroline Gough-Cooper/ Pauline Vahey/Tricia NelmesPR Pauline VaheyEducation/Legal Dorothy PooleyEvents Co-ordinator Cheryl SullivanArchivist Beverley HarrisonAuditor Colin Hessey

BWPA aims: • To promote practical schemes to assist

women to gain fl ying licences of all types

• To advise women on the training required

and the openings available to them in

aviation

• To enable women in aviation to meet and

exchange information of mutual interest

British Women Pilots’ Association

Brooklands Museum

Brooklands Road

Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0QN

www.bwpa.co.uk

Editor’s details:Editor Helen KrasnerDesign/Print Prontaprint, Stratford upon Avon

We want your contributions! Please email articles, letters,news, photos etc to helenkrasner2@gmail.com (PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!)or post to:

Helen Krasner,BWPA Editor, 15 The Hallsteads, KnivetonAshbourne Derbyshire, DE6 1JT

Deadline for next newsletter is June 30th.

FRONT COVER PHOTO: TWO GYROPLANES AND SIX WOMEN PILOTS

AT RUFFORTH, YORKSHIRE – SEE ROSEMARY SIMPSON’S ARTICLE ON PAGE 6.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE BRITISH WOMEN PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION,ITS OFFICERS OR THE EDITOR

Nicky RowanCaroline Gough-Cooper

Rachel Ellis Lesley Roff

Helen Krasner Pauline Vahey

FROM THE EDITOR…

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CENTENARY COMPETITIONTo mark the centenary of the issue of the first pilot’s licence to a British woman, the BWPA is running a competition over the course of the year to test your knowledge of that first British aviatrix, Hilda Hewlett. The prize is a flight for you and a friend with BWPA Chairman Caroline Gough-Cooper in her Robinson R44 helicopter.

To enter, make a note of your answers to the two questions posed in each issue of the BWPA newsletter in 2011; then send all eight answers to the address below. The winner will be drawn from the correct answers received by the closing date, and will be announced at the BWPA Christmas lunch on December 4th.

Closing date for entries is Monday November 14th 2011

Send to:Hilda Hewlett Centenary competition64 Manchester RoadMacclesfield SK10 2JP

The next two questions: -

3. Who was Hilda Hewlett’s flying school business partner? 4. On what date did Hilda pass her flight test?

Greetings to you all again. In the last newsletter I felt as though I really didn’t have much to say. So you might remember that I mused about who our members were, what they’d been up to, what sort of fl ying they did. I hoped that some of you would respond, but I really wasn’t expecting much. I thought I’d have trouble getting enough articles, as I so often do, with the usual regular contributors supplying most of the content. Don’t get me wrong, those of you who write for the newsletter regularly – I just LOVE hearing from you, andwithout you this publication probably wouldn’t exist. But it’s so nice to getcontributions from some new people once in a while.

Well, you responded. In fact, you all exceeded my wildest expectations! And the result is a really fantastic newsletter, in my opinion, with a lot of new names, and accounts of fl ying just about every type of aircraft in existence.

To kick off, Rosemary Simpson, who more often teaches students to fl y microlights, decided to have a go in a gyroplane. Well, more than one go - she actually went solo! I’m impressed, as I had a go in a gyro years ago…but that’s another story. Then we have instructor Claire Hatton writing about the delights of acrobatic fl ying. Hazel Crozier tells us about upside down fl ying too, but in her case in a Chipmunk. Janet Chanides writes about her 2010 Chairwoman’s Challenge competition fl ight. And new member Melinda Benson sent a letter about the fl ying she has done to date, along with a couple of photos…proving that you don’t have to be a seasoned pilot or long term BWPA member to contribute. And fi nally – or fi nally in terms of different sorts of fl ying, that is – regular contributor Allie Dunnington not only wrote about another balloon fl ight, she also sent in a picture of herself fl ying a microlight (see back page).

We have some more serious and informative articles in this newsletter too. Helen Vosper gives some useful hints on getting a GAPAN FI scholarship, while Claire Hatton has advice on renewing licences before 2012 (see Letters page). And new member Susan Michaelis writes about her research into contaminated air in aircraft, and also tells of her current work making aviation documentaries. This is all stuff which we haven’t had before, and it’s defi nitely worth reading, in my opinion.

So what haven’t we had? Glider, hang-glider, and paraglider pilots, where are you? And does anyone do air racing or any other type of competition fl ying? That’s what comes to mind for me right now, but really, you don’t have to do anything unusual to write a good article. Everyone’s fl ying is unique in some way, and therefore interesting to hear about, and this newsletter proves it. So thank you to everyone who contributed, and I look forward to hearing from more of you during the coming fl ying season.

Blue skies and tailwinds to you all,

Helen

Your newsletter needs YOU! We want YOU to Your newsletter needs YOU! We want YOU to write to us.write to us.

It doesn’t matter how new you are, or howIt doesn’t matter how new you are, or howlittle you’ve written before. We’d still LOVE little you’ve written before. We’d still LOVE to hear from you.to hear from you.

The BWPA newsletter has several regular The BWPA newsletter has several regular columns, so why not contribute to one of the columns, so why not contribute to one of the following…following…

Jobs in Aviation – from making the tea to Jobs in Aviation – from making the tea to fl ying an Airbus. fl ying an Airbus.

My Flying Life/Her Flying Life – whether for My Flying Life/Her Flying Life – whether for six months or sixty years. six months or sixty years.

Event Reports – if you went, what did you Event Reports – if you went, what did you think?think?

Book Reviews – if you read it, share it.Book Reviews – if you read it, share it.

Aviation Agony Aunts - let us solve your Aviation Agony Aunts - let us solve your aviation problems and aerial dilemmas.aviation problems and aerial dilemmas.

My Most Memorable Flight. – if you My Most Memorable Flight. – if you remember it, write about it.remember it, write about it.

Humour – it’s good to laugh; please send Humour – it’s good to laugh; please send contributions.contributions.

News – I can’t report it if I don’t know about News – I can’t report it if I don’t know about it. it.

Letters – drop me a line about…anything. Letters – drop me a line about…anything.

BWPA Swap Shop – buy, sell, swap, give BWPA Swap Shop – buy, sell, swap, give away…anything aviation related. ‘Small Ads’ away…anything aviation related. ‘Small Ads’ are free to BWPA members.are free to BWPA members.

And we always need aviation photos too! And we always need aviation photos too! Remember, a picture is worth 1000 words, and Remember, a picture is worth 1000 words, and I’m always short of good photos.I’m always short of good photos.

Or…… Have you fl own a new type, done a new Or…… Have you fl own a new type, done a new rating, or acquired a new qualifi cation? Have rating, or acquired a new qualifi cation? Have you been for a trial lesson, done your fi rst solo, you been for a trial lesson, done your fi rst solo, passed your PPL? Have you got back in the air passed your PPL? Have you got back in the air after a long break? Have you fl own somewhere after a long break? Have you fl own somewhere new? Have you just had a really nice fl ying day new? Have you just had a really nice fl ying day out? Tell us! out? Tell us!

Helen KrasnerHelen Krasner

DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER – June 30th 2011– June 30th 2011

ContentsThoughts From the Chairman Caroline Gough-Cooper ....................................... page 5

Flying GyrocoptersA microlight instructor tries another type of fl yingRosemary Simpson ............................................... page 6

Green Side UpThe joys of aerobatic fl yingClaire Hatton ....................................................... page 7

Upside Down and in Control with the BBMFMore fl ying the wrong way up, this time in a ChipmunkHazel Crozier ...................................................... page 8

The Nine Lessons of ChristmasBalloon Flights and Learning ExperiencesAllie Dunnington ................................................ page 10

A Better Way to Gain an FI RatingThe ins and outs of getting a GAPAN scholarshipHelen Vosper ..................................................... page 12

Aviation Documentaries and ResearchA new member describes her work Susan Michaelis ......................................................... 14

The 2010 Chairwoman’s Challenge Trophy“Britain’s Natural Habitats”Janet Chanides .................................................. page 16

Letters Page ...................................................... page 17

ObituaryCaptain Barbara Harmer 1953-2011Caroline Gough-Cooper ..................................... page 18

New BWPA Clothing Range ............................... page 19

News ................................................................ page 20

Other Aviation Organisations ............................ page 23

Calendar of Events ............................................ page 24

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Contributions

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THOUGHTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN…

The count-down to the BWPA’s August 2011 celebrations continues…

Since the last newsletter we have been busy with continuing preparations for our celebration of Hilda Hewlett’s achievements in 1911. Over 260 fl ying schools and clubs around the country have been invited to participate in the ‘Women in the Air Day’ on August 29th, Bank Holiday Monday, so why not ask your club or school what they have planned? If schools and clubs tell us what they will be doing, we will put the details on our website, and the organisation that gets the most women airborne will be given a free advert on the back of each BWPA newsletter next year. All national governing bodies and organisations encompassing recreational aviation, from the Air League to the Royal Institute of Navigation and as diverse as the British Balloon and Airship Club and the British Parachute Association have been contacted and asked topromote the occasion to their members. The national press and media are next onthe hit list!

The promotional poster has proved very popular and a new BWPA leafl et has been produced for this year along the same design. The old leafl et included a membership application form and Direct Debit instruction form but little about fl ying, so this time we have added a brief history of British women pilots over the past 100 years. When I went to speak to my old school last month the girls were amazed at how much aviation history we have and what a pioneering role British women had in the early years. The children at the primary school I went to visit as part of the Wrexham Schools Science Festival were fascinated, and I was most impressed to discover that Year 5 had been learning about the Air Transport Auxiliary and the active role that women played in that organisation.

The number of former ATA pilots still around to thrill us with their exploits is dwindling. As part of the centenary celebration, the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Women in Aviation and Aerospace group has organised a ‘Spitfi re Women’ lecture in London on Friday 20th May and one of the speakers will be ATA pilot Joy Lofthouse, who will be recounting her experiences as an ab initio pilot with the organisation. Another famous British woman pilot, Amy Johnson, is to be remembered with an annual RAeS memorial lecture in her name, the fi rst one to be held on July 6th.Details are in the News section.

The plans for our Educational Weekend at Brooklands to be held in conjunction with the Brooklands Education Centre are at an advanced stage and I am delighted to be able to tell you that Penelope Keith, the well-known actress and Trustee of Brooklands Museum, will be opening the event. Gail Hewlett, granddaughter-in-law of Hilda Hewlett and author of her biography ‘Old Bird’, will be giving a talk on Hilda and her legacy, and there will be talks on aviation from the personal perspective of BWPA members and on what careers there are available across theaviation spectrum. There will also be family-orientated workshops on Meteorology and Navigation, guided tours, aviation trails, centenary teas available in the café, and a BWPA stand and sales stall manned by members in the Wellington Hangar. We have a growing list of people offering to help out so far - but the more the merrier! It should be a great weekend.

To inject a certain shared spirit of adventure into this year’s summer’s fl ying, the Chairwoman’s Challenge has a different angle to it for 2011. The Challenge, should you wish to accept it, is to see how many other women you can get airborne, how many different landing sites you can visit, or how many different forms of aviation/types of aircraft you can experience – or even a mix of all three of the above – betweenApril and the end of the third weekin October. Extra credit will be given for ingenuity and originality shown in completing the Challenge. Further details can be found on the Chairwoman’s Challenge entry form enclosed with this newsletter and also available on the website.

Wishing you all good weather whatever your summer’s adventures,

Caroline

momentum turns the rotors. Note that the only connection to the rotors is with an electric starter motor, which when engaged gets the rotor moving, thereby reducing the take off run. The rotors when turning at more than 300rpm form a disc (or virtual wing) of lift - so we fly! The controls have a similar eff ect to fi xed wing controls.

It has been fi ve years or so since the introduction into this country of the user-friendly tandem machines from Germany, and now from Italy. Th e original gyros

were more unstable, and the big fear was of ‘negative g’. Th is could cause the rotors to collapse – so no more lift; a defi nite problem! Th ese modern gyros are more fixed-wing friendly, but as one instructor said to me, it would be a shame to fl y them like a fi xed-wing aircraft - much too tame!

So I went to Steve Boxall (part of ‘Th e Gyrocopter Experience’) at Old Sarum in January to March for a few days here and there. I thoroughlyenjoyed the experience and managed

to go solo on my last visit. Th e fascination with gyros has endured and I hope to fi nish my licence ASAP.

Th e nitty-gritty of learning to fl y a gyrocopter might be told another time. However, what I really want to know is how I could meet in one place (this time Rufforth, Yorkshire) so many women gyro pilots…and it not even be at a BWPA event! Th ere were six of us (see front cover photo…editor). Th e

all new all-enclosed gyro-copters pic tured might tempt even more pi lotsto try gyros. What about you?

(I had a couple of lessons in the older style gyros about ten years ago – and they are FUN. Hopefully Rosie will tell us more about learning to fl y them at a later date…editor)

6.

I enjoyed the last newsletter, especially the Editor’smusings as she wondered what we were all managing to do at the start of the year. Th is is what I was doing - and I’m very pleased with myself!

I decided that whilst the weather prevented me from fl ying on the Eastern side of Kent I would go to Old Sarum to discover if my fascination with gyrocopters (also known as gyroplanes, autogyros, or just plain gyros) would endure after a few lessons.

To add to the adventure (besides feeling guilty about the money I was spending), I would stay at the Youth Hostel in Salisbury. Many years ago I had taken out a life membership of the YHA, but I had never made use of their wonderful premises in the most beautiful parts of England and Wales. By the way, the YHA is like the BWPA - membership is open to all those who wish to associate. It wasn’t until I was taking my over-night things out of the car that I wondered whether I could actually get on to a top bunk! Luckily I never needed to attempt it.

So what is a gyrocopter and why the fascination? Why now? Th e biggest come-on with gyros is that they are very stable. Th ey smooth out the lifts and dips of fl ight allowing more comfortable and safe fl ight in windier conditions. I don’t know about your last year’s fl ying but mine, (I instruct on microlights, see fl ights-with-rosie.co.uk, near the English Channel), was restricted even in August by the gusty conditions.

So a gyrocopter has a place to sit (most often two seats in tandem), three wheels, one pusher engine, a three blade prop, one or two rotors and normal flying controls. The engine drives the propeller giving thrust and forward movement on the ground and in the air, and that forward

By Rosemary Simpson

FLYING GYROCOPTERS

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GREEN SIDE UPPeople who fl y love the sensation of being up in the air, with the vast expanse of the open sky and the freedom to move around in three dimensions. For people who love to fl y, aerobatics provides the opportunity to explore these sensations to theirextreme.

In military fl ight training, aerobatics forms an integral part of the airborne exercises from very early on; it develops and improves handling skills immensely, whilst also increasing the student pilot’s tolerance to ‘g’. In the civilian world many student pilots don’t have the opportunity to try aeros during their training, as many fl ying schools don’t operate aerobatic aircraft, and only a proportion of fl ying instructors have the ‘aerobatics’ restriction removed from their Flight Instructor rating to enablethem to teach aerobatics. So if there is no-one fl ying aerobatics at your airfi eld to inspire you, I will have to do so instead…

There are in fact many places you can go to experience the world ‘green side up’. With the summer approaching and hopefully bringing with it some blue sky dotted with tiny fl uffy fair-weather Cu, it is defi nitely an experience that every pilot should try, even if it’s just to say you’vedone it.

I did most of my aerobatics with Bristol University Air Squadron and at the relevant point in the course I passed the required ‘Spin/Aero Check’, and was henceforth cleared for solo aerobatics. The residents around Frome and that general area south of the Bristol zone would have been blissfully unaware of the danger in the skies above them, in the form of me, as a 19-year-old under-graduate, being let loose to practise my loops and half-cubans over their back gardens week after week on my own!

A large part of aerobatic training concentrates on spin recoveries, because if an aerobatic manoeuvre does not quite go according to plan there’s a fair chance you’ll end

By Claire Hatton

up in a spin. It also teaches you the basic manoeuvres such as loops, stall turns, barrel rolls and slow rolls, depending on what the specifi c aircraft is capable of. We’re not talking about the kind of violent, eyes-popping-out-of-their-sockets type of manoeuvres thatyou see demonstrated at competition aerobatics level. The basic aerobatic manoeuvres are fl own gently and gracefully, and make you go “oooh” and “eeeh” as you fl y them, watching the world go by at veryunusual angles out of the cockpit window.

There is a certain amount of ‘g’ involved in most manoeuvres, but there are techniques that can beemployed to cope with that. I always used to fi nd that it did make me burp quite a lot for a good half anhour afterwards, but that was a small price to payfor such pure aeronautical enjoyment.

So if you fancy a new challenge or want to experiencethe ultimate in what the sky has to offer, go and tryaerobatics – because if you only ever fl y straightand level, you might as well go by car!

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UPSIDE DOWN AND IN CONTROL WITH THE BBMF

“Have you ever fl own in our Chipmunk?” “Would you like to fl y our Chipmunk?”

Well, when asked this by the then OC BBMF (Sqn Ldr Al Pinner), there was only one answer! And so started my love affair with fl ying light aircraft. I had been up to BBMF (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight) many times before, but this journey to Coningsby on a cold January day was somehow different, as I eagerlyanticipated fl ying with a good friend in a 50 yearold aircraft.

“Hi Hazel, we’ll get you kitted up”. By this, Al didn’t mean just a headset; it was a case of visiting the Flight’s kitting section and getting a Grow Bag (fl yingsuit), boots and gloves, and being fi tted with a fl yinghelmet and oxygen mask. Wearing a fl ying helmet is like nothing else on earth; it is heavy and all enclosing, and talking through the oxygen mask intercom is like speaking through a funnel.

I was told at the briefi ng, “I’ll give you control and you can do a few loops and rolls and some landings as well if you like.” My feelings and comments were simply, “Wow, FANTASTIC!” I was not expecting thatat all. The, with NOTAMs and weather checked, Al’s instruction was, “Meet me at the aircraft in fi ve minutes”. This was it!

After helping me strap in, Al gave me a further briefi ngon how to bale out of a Chipmunk and use of the parachute. So, pre-fl ight and pre-taxi checks complete, heater noted (I was surprised by the fact that an elderly aircraft had a heating control - albeit a rudimentary one - in the fl oor of the cockpit) we were on our way to the runway, doing our best to avoid the manoeuvring Typhoon! Once on the hold-ing point, with engine checks complete and take-off clearance given, we ‘slipped the surly bonds’, and Ifelt the thrill of being that free and close to theelements for the very fi rst time.

The Chipmunk seemed to climb out quite quickly, and we were soon turning and heading north. Once safely out of the MATZ, I took control. This fi rsttime of taking control of an aircraft was something special; and a moment I will never forget. It was made even more special for me, because it was a dream come true; I was fl ying an aircraft with roundels and the BBMF crest on the tail. The feel

of being part of this machine and controlling it was an amazing experience – and that was only straight and level; the best was yet to come!

I found the Chipmunk to be remarkably responsive, more so than I had imagined. She is a very stable aircraft, and is fl own with a joystick control column. The effect when using the ailerons is immediate; she banks straight away, and although I was tentative at fi rst, Al assured me that I could roll on 45°+ AOB and all would be well…and it was…

After aborting our efforts to fl y over Lincoln Cathedral (due to the Red Arrows practising), our next port of call was the Bardney neighbourhood. Once over open country and safely at 4,000ft, just in case I wasn’t having enough excitement, it was time for ‘aeros’. Al fl ew the fi rst couple of loops, explaining with the now familiar ‘follow me through’ routine.Another fi rst, my fi rst view of the world from above and upside down; and then…it was my turn…

”You have control…” At this point it was probably just as well that I hadn’t started PPL training, as it seems to go against all teaching concerning the non-stalling of aircraft! I pulled the stick as far back as it would go, and as I did so, the nose went up so that we were totally vertical. I was convinced that we were going to stall, as we were seemingly just hanging on the prop without even a stall warner. There was no heavy buffet either; she in fact seemed really smooth. I remember looking at the RPM and seeing 12,000 and asking Al if that was OK as I thought I was really over revving (based on my

By Hazel Crozier

9.

driving experience). On assurance that it was fi ne, I carried on, pulling about 3g and having just the strangest feeling ever of the sheer thrill andadrenaline of such an activity.

As we went over the top of the loop it was even stranger, as then pushing the stick forward whilst upside down seemed totally back to front. But again, the Chipmunk was very responsive; you only needed to tell her to do something and she did it. Next on the agenda were aileron rolls. Again, after following through it was my turn. Stick hard left, don’t worryabout stalling….and over and around we went. Yetagain, the aircraft’s response was instant…and I wasthoroughly enjoying myself.

“Right lets do some touch and goes”. So on we fl ew to Wickenby. After Al had fl own a couple of circuits and explained what to do, I had control. I am sure my PPL instructor didn’t believe me when I toldhim this, but I actually found landings surprisingly straightforward. However, I now of course realise how much Al was checking - Hasell checks, trimming, fl aps etc; all things which I was not aware of then. But even so, I found landing on three wheels in a tail dragger much easier than I am fi nding landing on two wheels then putting the third down without thumping the tarmac in the Grob. Again, the Chipmunk was quick to react, and although vision was poor from the back seat for straight and level fl ight, in some ways it gave the rear pilot a better view for landing, as you could look down the length of the aircraft and judge it better. Well, that’s my storyanyway…perhaps that’s why I fi nding landing the Grob so diffi cult!

This experience has also helped with my PPL training, as I had already experienced oval circuits a couple of times, so I knew slightly what to expect when I started learning circuits ‘for real’. My experiences of taking off in a Chipmunk made me see the differencewhen I climbed out for the fi rst time in a Grob 115 –the Grob is so much slower!

The fl ight was an hour chock to chock. As we fl ew back to Coningsby I was elated; I didn’t want the fl ight to end. It was a fantastic experience, fi nished off with the experience of landing open cockpit.

To have ‘DH Chipmunk WK518’ as the fi rst entry in my logbook is something special, and I consider it avery great privilege to have been given the opportunity to fl y a BBMF aircraft - especially as I had neverbefore controlled an aeroplane. I very much appreciate the time and effort Al gave out of his busy schedule to take me fl ying; and therefore, with this one trip, introduce me to and begin my passion for arguably the best hobby in the world.

The background story

The year 2010 celebrated the 100th anniversary of the fi rst female aviator to gain her FAI licence. In recognition of this fact there was a theme around the world encouraging every pilot to introduce more women to aviation. I had been very keen on the whole idea and wanted to make a fi nal effort towards the end of this year, and so I invited two women to join me over the Christmas period. The weather looked very promising for fl ying both days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Christmas Day 9.30 am: Bristol City centre, arena near Lloyds bank and harbour

We planned to try a new launch siteright in the heart of Bristol and the team was called ‘on’. As temperatures were around minus 5 degrees a burner test was essential, and it proved that pressure was indeed very low.But we also detected a leaking tank (alas the spare tank had been left at home). Nevertheless we thought that we had sorted the problem with a bit of silicon spray, and commenced with our fl ight preparations. Calling Bristol ATC, we got no reply. Maybe they are closed? Indeed the sky was empty - but beautifully blue. On this fl ight, plus the one the next day, my husband Phil, (instructor and long standing examiner) and myself were training two new students. We let them do the infl ation and most of the fl ying under our joint supervision.

The take-off was fi ne; light north-westerly winds took us right over the River Avon and on a good track, just skimming the rim of the ATZ zone. Airborne, I called Bristol again, but again there was no reply. I made a blind transmission, and asked my student to climb to our permitted altitude of 1500ft. Temptation arose in our minds - if the airport is indeedshut, why not fl y towards the zone? It’s a chance that is rarelyavailable – unless we have another volcanic ash cloud of course! But at the same moment we heard a hissing noise and found that the tank was leaking again. With only two tanks of board this was a situation not to be messed

with. We shut the gas off and started to look for the next best landing site.What a shame though, to cut such a beautiful fl ight short.

10.

THE NINE LESSONS OF CHRISTMASTwo memorable balloon fl ights in Bristol during the festive season

By Allie Dunnington

We landed safely near a roundabout, on a grass strip in the outskirts of the city, after 25 minutes in the air. The four lessons learnt were:

1. Always carry enough tanks with you (have one as standby ready in the car/trailer) in case there is a problem. And treat any gas leaks defi nitely as an emergency. Do not get tempted to think: “it’s a lovely day, great weather; let’s fl y on and cross a closed airport.” With hindsight, the decision to land saved us from pushing on towards the airport and therefore potentially breaching the rules of the air.

2. A ‘no-reply’ from ATC does NOT mean the airport is closed, so treat

airspace as open unless you hear anything to the contrary.

3. Read your NOTAMS before ANY fl ight. We, as balloonists who mostly fl y only in a very confi ned

area and normally don’t venture towards different airspace, tend to forget this quite essential piece

of fl ight information. Had we thought about checking the NOTAMS, than we would actually

have been OK to cross Bristol airport!

4. If you instruct students, be even more on the cautious side. YOU should be the example of good airmanship, of treating potential emergencies as a serious safety issue; don’t ever play them down. And stick to any air traffi c rules too.

Boxing Day, 9.30am: Flax Bourton, three miles west of Bristol, a snow covered grass fi eld.

The weather forecast was for a front to be pushing in during the day from the west, bringing strong winds up to 25 knots plus rain. However, the morning still looked fi ne and the ATIS gave ‘calm with a south-easterly wind’. The take-off site for this fl ight was another unusual one as the fi eld belonged to a fellow balloonist, Mark . We launched a test balloon to study track and direction, to consider whether it was safe to fl y from this location. The balloon showed a steady track towards the west at around 5 knots, but higher up it headed towards the North-East at quite some speed.

We rang ATC to check our plans with them and received the info about our missed NOTAMS from yesterday! But they also warned about a hefty 2000ft wind already at 25 knots! Looking at the track of the upper winds, Mark now suggested a ‘target fl y-in’ to his other fi eld up north, where he

11.

needed to feed his starving cattle! Well, we thought, let’s give it a try. This time I was the designated P2, as my husband was doing the instruction for our student and Mark (also a qualifi ed balloon and fi xed wing pilot) came along just as a passenger.

This was the fi rst time that we tried our new balloon, and even whilst rigging the kit we found that certain structuresdidn’t quite fi t properly. The winds were picking up. Pressure to go. On take-off the quick release would not work but got stuck. Slight panic, but we managed to get it loose. As expected, the lower winds were a benign 5 knots, taking us towards a perfect area outside of airspace and with lots of landing opportunities. The sky was getting cloudier and one could clearly see the front pushing in.

Nevertheless, all P1s or P2s – except myself at this stage I hasten to say – were focused on fl ying back towards the fi eld up north which meant low meandering in the valley up to a certain point, but then catching the fast upper winds to bring you back and north-east. After a very nice and slow intermediate landing by our student, I wanted to get a bit of hands on to see how our new balloon performed. But at this stage it meant the rapid climb to 1500ft to catch the faster upper winds. So I took over, and found myself travelling at 15 knots towards the Avonmouth docks that were totally covered in fog!! The next surprise was that the targeted fi eld wasn’t, as I had thought, still another couple of miles away; it actually was right there! Dumping air to get down as quickly as possible, I managed just about to get it into the proposed fi eld, racing along with 9 knots over the trees. A little bounce and we stood still. But rather unexpectedly the winds here were calm and actually came back from the opposite side, so our envelope started to defl ate on top of us instead of gently falling with the wind in the fl ight direction.

Even three P1s in that basket couldn’t save the damage that was now to happen as the fabric wound itself over the still hot burners. I jumped on the basket edge to try to protect the fabric from being burnt, only to destroy my newly bought

Timberland coat! The envelope ended up having four ugly holes and will need repairing.

Five more lessons learnt:

5. Three P1s is two too many. Defi nitely and ultimately designate ONE person to be fully in charge. The others may give their comments and suggestions, but the P1 must be totally in charge and take full responsibility.

6. Be aware of target fi xation. We knew that the upper winds were already really strong, but we didn’t know the weather that lay behind the mountain ridge. We also knew that there wasn’t much space left to land

if we had missed the target fi eld. Be fl exible in your decisions and maybe choose the safer option.

Whilst setting yourself targets is a good practice and a challenge, you have to remain open towards changing weather and situations.

7. If you take over as P1, you must be fully briefed on every status of your fl ight – that includes gas consumption, performance, navigation, radio etc. This is even more important if you are fl ying a new aircraft. Just watching how it has performed before is not the same.

8. As P1 YOU must decide on the right landing site, and not your other

crew or fellow P1s.

9. Last but not least: do think about the clothing you wear for fl ying. Hot burners or engines don’t like smart looking duck feathered coats (never mind

that they keep you lovely and warm). If you need to be warm, do wear them but protect yourself

and your coat by wearing fi reproof overalls.

Final remarks: despite the ‘Ding Dongs’, we had two great Christmas fl ights that I would not have wanted to miss! And: who else has ever fl own a landowner to his own fi eld in order to feed his hungry cattle?

12.

A BETTER WAY TO GAIN AN FI A BETTER WAY TO GAIN AN FI RATING: (PART 1)RATING: (PART 1)

By Helen Vosper

You may remember that in 2009 I wrote an article entitled ‘How not to do a CPL,’ describing the problems I hadencountered in attempting to achieve the licence through a rather unorthodox route. I also explained thatultimately I was hoping to gain the Flight Instructor Rating, which I have since completed.

I think many people would agree that the major factor affecting fl ight training progress is the cost, but fortunately, help is at hand for would-be fl ying instructors. Every year the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) generously offers a number of scholarships covering the costs (including test fee) of gaining an FI rating. However, such scholarships are extremely competitive, and I thought that it might be helpful to others to share my experience.

Offi cially, the process begins with fi lling out the application form. However, it is clearly stated on this form that applicants must meet the pre-entry requirements for the course. Given the large number of applications receivedevery year, it is unlikely that those not meeting the minimum criteria will progress beyond this stage.

Selection for interview is made solely on the basis of your application form. It asks for your qualifi cations and fl ying experience, and only allows you 100 words to explain your reasons for applying, plus a further 100 words to give two examples of your ‘skills of leadership and/or achievement.’ How do you make your application stand out?

I think it would be fair to say that GAPAN are hoping to attract those who have a genuine interest in long-term instruction, and a possible concern is that some applicants may be looking for a route to hours-building. My age, combined with my lack of an IR, made this an unlikely prospect, which I think may have acted in my favour. My job as a university lecturer probably also helped, as it suggested (hopefully!) some evidence of teaching ability. So make sure you take advantage of any experience you have outside of aviation that may be applicable to teaching and mentoring.

One thing that the committee will defi nitely be looking for is an ability to complete the training within quite a tight timeframe. For this reason, it may be worth considering qualifying as an AOPA Ground Instructor as part of your preparation for application. Firstly it shows a degree of commitment and ability in aviation-related subjects, but it also means that you have completed half the ground schoolassociated with the FI rating, which makes comple-tion within the timescale more likely. It should also mean that you are well-equipped for the technical questions

at interview, although I suppose it is possible that the interview panel might reasonably have greater expectations! I chose this route, and the course took me most of the winter prior to application, but I found it great fun and it really helped address the weak areas in my theoretical knowledge. The test was quite arduous – I had to do a long brief (with associated questions/debrief), and this was followed by three and a half hours of discussion covering topics across the whole range of the full instructor ground school syllabus. However, I found it really interesting (and oddly enjoyable!) and it made the actual course much more straightforward.

Gaining such additional qualifi cations immediately gives you a very relevant achievement to write about in the second section of the application form. With regards to fi lling out the sections of the form that are limited to 100 words, I would suggest you write down everything you want to say, and if you struggle with making it

13.

short enough, look for help. In my job, I supervise research students, and almost all of them struggle with writing the thesis abstract, which is supposed to summarise the contents of the thesis in 250 words. Attempts to make the word count often mean that the resulting writing doesn’t make sense. Get someone else to read it, as seeing it through someone else’s eyes will help you address any shortcomings.

You are also asked indicate which FTO you intend to undertake your training with. It is certainly worth contactingthe one you choose, explaining that you are applying to GAPAN. This will fi rstly ensure that, should you be successful, they will be able to accept you on the course, but they are also a potential source of help in preparing for application. I was particularly lucky here – I chose Tayside Aviation in Dundee, mainly because I had completed most of my training there and was very happy with the service I received at every stage.In addition to this, they are the sole UK contractor for the RAF Air Cadet Pilot Scheme, as well as being an accredited FTO for a number of different scholarship providers. This meant that not only could I be confi dent that they would get me through the course, but they were also of great assistance in preparing my application.

In addition, I found talking to instructors and examiners very useful. The CAA issues ‘Training Coms’ which ‘bring to the attention of fl ight instructors those issues that arise from observations made by fl ight examiners during fl ight tests, plus training and licensing issues arising from other sources.’ I thought that such topical issues might well come up atinterview. While these are available from the CAA website, I found it useful to discuss their contents with instructors, and this information certainly stood me in good stead when I actually did the course. It was discussions such as these that also brought to my attention the pending GASCO report on stall-spin awareness, and indeed this subject did come up at interview.

This may seem like an enormous amount of preparation, especially as you may not get an interview. However, if you are selected, you will only have a few weeks to prepare for the interview. I had also decided that I would do the FI course at some point even if I was unsuccessful – it might take me longer, but I was sure I’d make it eventually. To this end, I thought it was unlikely that the work I’d put in would be wasted. I believe that in 2010, eight candidates were selected for four scholarships – excellent odds for going into an interview. The fi nal selection process required that candidates give a 10 minute presentation to a panel of three people on a subject notnecessarily related to aviation, followed by an interview of approximately 30 minutes. We were also told that projection facilities would not be available, which was slightly traumatic for a lecturer with a PowerPoint dependency!

With regard to the presentation - play to your strengths. I elected not to go for a directly aviation-related topic – I thought it would minimise the chances of triggering diffi cult questions! But I did want it to be related to the FI course in some way. There was also the problem of delivering a presentation without projection facilities. I decided to go with a good old Victorian object lesson, the title of which was ‘I Learned About Learning From That.’ This title was, of course, adapted from the column in Pilot magazine ‘I Learned About Flying From That,’ but ‘Teacher X’ had had some interesting experiences/near misses that provided food for thought with regard to how student pilots learn. I decorated a suitable box, and added objects that would help me explain my thoughts on learning theory, with perhaps the most bizarre being a plastic baby doll in a bath used to propose the idea that men and women may approach fl ying training from a different perspective! I quite enjoyed this part of the interview, although it was nerve-wracking talking to such a small group. The presentation was then followed by a number of questions, which covered future career intentions and a few technical questions, which grew from an initial scenario concerning how one would deal with wing-drop close to the stall. Then there were some ques-tions about GAPAN itself, but this information is all available from the GAPAN website. Finally, I was asked if I understood just how diffi cult (and fi nancially unrewarding!) an instructing job can be.

By now, I was absolutely exhausted, even though the interview had taken less than 45 minutes in total. The interviews took place on a Friday, and Ruth from the GAPAN offi ce called me at work on the Monday morning to ask me if I still fancied doing that FI rating. I tentatively asked if this meant I had been successful, and when she replied in the affi rmative, I was so excited that I ran round the offi ce squealing, much to the surprise of my colleagues. I got no more work done that day – it just felt like such an achievement. However, the next day, I had to remind myself that I still had to actually dothe course…

(Hopefully Helen will tell us all about the course at a later date…Editor)

14.

AVIATION DOCUMENTARIES AND RESEARCH

As a former Australian ATPL pilot, now living in the UK, I felt it was time to join the BWPA and also a good time to share a few of my activities that I trust will interest members. In fact I have quite a tale to tell, and therefore I have decided to share my interests with you over the following two newsletters.

I was medically retired from commercial fl ying in 1997, after fl ying within the Qantas regional network on the BAe 146. I then commenced re-searching how to resolve the acknowledged issue of the air in my aircraft becoming contaminated with heated engine oil, as clearly I wanted to go back to fl ying. Well 14 years later, my health had not returned to the extent that I could regain my medical certifi cate and return to fl ying. How-ever, my years of research culminated in the award of a PhD on the subject from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in November 2010. The PhD in Safety Science is titled: ‘Health and Flight Safety Implications From Exposure to Contaminated Air in Aircraft’. It’s a big issueon the global agenda, one that many have simply overlooked, and I am told that the research I have undertaken is ground breaking. I am also the Head of Research for the global association researching this issue, the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (www.gcaqe.org), which represents around 150,000 aircrew around the world. As such stay tuned for the next newsletter and I’ll provide a brief summary of my fi ndings.

My other role involves making documentaries, mostly connected to aviation. The West Sussex based award winning fi lm production company, ‘Fact Not Fiction Films’ (FNFF) has been busy in its four years of existence. The company is owned by two former UK airline pilots, and this has ensured that all our aviation related documentaries tell the stories that aviators want to hear and the public can understand and enjoy.

Two of our most recent documentaries cover the history of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). ‘Spitfi re Sisters’, recently screened by Discovery UK, covers the unsung female heroes of World War II who fl ew for the ATA. The women, now mostly in their 90s, tell the most wonderful stories that few will have ever heard. We have since made a further ATA documentary, ‘Air Transport Auxiliary’, focussing on the exploits of these extraordinary men and women from all over the globe, who kept the RAF supplied with aircraft during the Second World War.

We have also recently completed a series of documentaries on the contaminated air issue. CNN International recently won the business traveller journalism awards for 2010 based on their piece on toxic air which utilized content from our fi rst documentary ‘Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines’. The judges described the news piece as an “international scoop” and one that ought to be picked up by the wider media as an issue that should be brought to the public’s attention. Following on, we have recently completed ‘Angel Without Wings’ which is really my journey unravelling the 60 year old issue of synthetic jet oils leaking into the aircraft air supply. The feature length documentary was described by a leading Australian broadcaster as an “inconvenient truth about health hazards on modern jet aircraft… an absolute must see for anyone who fl ies”.’ The third in the series, ‘Broken Wings’ covers the history of the Bae 146, from project concept to the current day, as few will have ever known.

Just to ensure we never stop, we have also completed other titles – ‘Flying Sheilas’, which was screened onboard Qantas and ‘Little Victorian Secrets’. The latter tells the enchanting tale of 19th century Victorian England through the miniature world of the world’s largest dolls house. It’s a very sweet tale – and doesn’t even mention aircraft! Out team is currently out in Australia fi lming the Australian content for a 16 part documentary series on the Flying Doctors Service in four continents.

As fellow fl yers, FNFF is offering all BWPA members and friends a 30% discount on all our documentaries by utilizing the following code at the distributor’s checkout link: FNFF14101947. All our documentaries (completed and those in production) and trailers can be found on the following page: http://www.factnotfi ctionfi lms.com/doco.html. Each page will take you to the DVD purchase page at www.dftenterprises.com.

Until next time…..

(For those who can’t wait, Susan later sent me a summary of her PhD fi ndings, so I’ve included it here.….editor)

By Susan Michaelis

15.

Global Cabin Air Quality Executive(GCAQE)

A global coalition of health and safety advocates committed to raising awarenessand fi nding solutions to poor air quality in aircraft.

www.gcaqe.orgC/o Independent Pilots Association, The Priory, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK. RH16 3LB

T: +44 1444 441149 F: +44 1444 441192 E: offi ce@ipapilot.com

The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE) Head of Research, Susan Michaelis(www.susanmichaelis.com) was awarded her PhD in late 2010 by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. The title of this ground breaking piece of work is: “Health and Flight Safety Implications from Exposure to Contaminated Air in Aircraft”. (ISBN: 978-0-95-554377-7).

Susan was awarded the highest marks possible by the reviewers.

Summary: The 931 page thesis examines the use of aircraft bleed air, taken from jet engines to supply breathing air in commercial and military transport aircraft. The fi ndings cover the health consequences, frequency and implications of exposure to contaminated bleed air, the usefulness of air sampling in determining potential adverse effects and the extent of industry and Government actions over six decades.

Key fi ndings of her research included:

• Bleed air contaminated by synthetic jet engine oils and hydraulic fl uids, is a regular and normal occurrence and far more common than previously accepted and is a consequence of the current bleed air system design used in

aircraft;• There are signifi cant short and long-term health effects being reported as a direct result to documented exposure

events that validate claims of adverse health effects in exposed individuals;• Air monitoring studies undertaken cannot be used to suggest the air supplied in aircraft is safe and healthful;• There is extensive data showing that the aviation industry has been aware of exposure to aircraft contaminated air and hazardous effects since the 1950s. The aviation industry and governments globally have failed to deal appropriately with the problem, particularly as it was known in 1954 that inhalation exposure to highly heated synthetic jet oils was toxic and hazardous;• The 1950s and 1960s awareness that synthetic jet engine oils leak as a feature of using bleed air with the concerns

of increased toxicity hazards with temperatures in more modern engines rising in the future, was then ignored in favour of increased engine temperatures for economic and operational reasons;

• Crews and passengers breathing contaminated bleed air are exposed to serious in-fl ight safety hazards with potential adverse health affects.

The thesis argues that the precautionary principle, occupational health and safety guidelines and aviation regulationsare being ignored by the aviation industry, who continue to claim that cabin air is safe. The systemic misuse of available data is widespread, secondary to commercial objectives, and places passenger and crew health and fl ightsafety at serious risk. The thesis concludes that the use of bleed air on commercial aircraft with no form of contaminated air detection or fi ltration system present should be discontinued. The risk to health and fl ight safety is no longer acceptable.

Susan Michaelis who has now founded ‘Michaelis Aviation Consulting’ offering expertise in aviation health, fl ight safety and occupational health had this to say about being awarded her PhD:“I believe the PhD speaks for itself; there can be no further doubt that this serious aviation health and fl ight safety issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible by the aviation industry in a united pro-active manner.”

The Countess of Mar, a GCAQE patron stated:“Susan has worked indefatigably over many years in order to provide a sound scientifi c and historical base for her work. I have little doubt that she can now be named the Expert in this subject.”

Judith Murawski, Co-Chairman of the GCAQE stated:“Susan is now, without doubt, the most qualifi ed person in the world on matters relating to the overview and history of contaminated air in aircraft.”

The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE), established in 2006, is the leading organization representing air crew (pilots, cabin crew and engineers) and off shore oil workers, that deals specifi cally with contaminated air issues and cabin air quality. We represent over 20 organizations, and over 150,000 aviation workers around the world.

16.

THE 2010 CHAIRWOMAN’S CHALLENGE TROPHYBRITAINS NATURAL HABITATS

By Janet Chanides

What a theme and what a challenge! How on earth was I going to plan a fl ight of about two hours and do justice to the title? Where would I fl y, and would there be anything to photograph?

A quick look at Google showed that Britain has a wealth of natural habitats for both plant and animallife, but fi nding a suitable route that covered variedareas was a lot harder. Questions, questions, questions….

Eventually I chose a route that would encompass several different habitats, and hoped the fl ight would produce satisfactory evidence. I fl ew west from Turweston; then over the Cotswolds - knownfor its Jurrassic limestone grassland - towards Tewkesbury. From there I went towards the Forest of Dean and its ancient oak forest, before fl ying over the Severn Estuary with its habitat of salt water wetlands and mudfl ats. The latter was possibly the most rewarding part of the fl ight, with views of the Severn Bridges, the widening estuary,

and its meandering and winding course upstream. A beautiful photo opportunity despite the misty murkiness of the day.

Leaving the River Severn and turning eastwards towards Kemble, with the intention of stopping for lunch, the Cotswolds Water Park provided a glimpse of a freshwater habitat. However lunch was not to be as the airfi eld restaurant was closed for possibly the only day in itsentire history, and the stop was limited also by the imminent arrival of Prince Charles and an issued ‘no fl ying’ NOTAM for much of the afternoon. Not a good choice for a break!

Leaving Kemble and fl ying along the Thames Valley towards Oxford, the fi nal habitat was that of Otmoor, wreathed in history and now an RSPB bird sanctuary. Returning to Turweston, luck, in terms of refreshment, was not on my side, as the cafe at Turweston had also already closed for the day. No welcome cup of coffee there either then! The only thing to do in such circumstances was…guess what? Wash the plane! Never done that before but it did provide a fi tting end to a memorable and pleasurable fl ight.

If you have never tried the Challenge then I can only highly recommend that you do. If I can do it, then anyone can. It had been fun in the planning and in the doing, as well as making me much more knowledgeable about the areas over which I fl y.

17.

LETTERS PAGEFrom instructor Claire Hatton:

I’ve just been advising someone I am due to fl y with that it would probably be wise to get a JAR PPL issued on the strength of their National PPL in advance of April 2012, when EASA comes in, and it occurred to me that we could give the same advice to our BWPA members. It is quite diffi cult to give an accurate idea of what the procedure will be after April 2012 because nobody yet knows! It is likely that there won’t be additional training/written exams/fl ight tests involved for PPL holders, but it is accepted that there could be considerable delays in EASA licences being issued; people would no longer be allowed to fl y on their National PPL but could not fl y until their EASA PPL had come through, which could be a long time (probably months). It would therefore be prudent for National PPL holders toapply for a JAR PPL before April 2012 (simply complete theform and send the fee) in order to avoid potential inconvenience/complications later on. Certainly BALPA are advising commercial licence holders to do this. I’m no expert on the ins and outs of what EASA will bring with it, but due to the many uncertainties surrounding its arrival, it seems to make sense to advise PPL holders to do the same. Regular ‘Dawn to Dusk’ competitor Rosemary

Clemo has issued the following plea: I would like to fl y a special ‘Dawn to Dusk’ this year to celebrate 100 years since Hilda Hewlett gained her pilot’s licence. I would like to visit places associated with 100 women pilots – from any time, in any sort of fl ying machine. Please can you help me by:-

• Suggesting names of pilots to include and places most associated with them?

• Volunteering to fl y with me. I would like to have up to four women pilots in the plane. Under the rules of ‘Dawn to Dusk’, two may fl y and the other two navigate/take photos etc. The plane will probably be a Piper 180 from Coventry.

• I am going to include us, ie BWPA members; not just famous names. So which place or area of Britain would YOU choose to represent YOU. It could be an airfi eld, island, town, area of the country.

Many thanks, Rosemary Clemoroseclemo@yahoo.co.uk2 Nursery Road, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 1PN01827 704837 / 07796 845701

From microlight pilot and instructor Rosemary Simpson, fl ights-with-rosie.co.uk:

I was going to do a little write up about my gyro experiences (see page 6…editor). I went solo last week with Steve Boxall, and then went up to Rufforth to see the side by side ‘Magni 24’ . I couldn’t get over meeting so many women pilots in one place when it WASN’T at a BWPA event! (There were six of them; see photo on front cover…editor) The question is WHY? Are there more women in rotary fl ying, proportionately, do we think? One of the student pilots actually disliked fi xed-wing but fell for gyros. What do the members think? Perhaps they should try gyros…

From new member Melinda Benson: I am writing to let you know that I am a new member of the BWPA. I started learning to fl y in October at Humberside fl ying aPA28 warrior, trying to complete my PPL in the shortest time possible with

the POM fl ying club, although in the fi nancial climate it’s becoming diffi cult to put money aside for lessons. I have a great instructor called Ken Peach. I received a scholarship to attend the ‘Women In Aviation International’ event at Brooklands on 5th/6th November 2011. This is where my aviation journey started and great things have happened since then! I am the only lady fl yingout of Humberside and it was great to meet the likes of Kirsty Moore, Suzanne Darcey Hennerman and many otherswho have inspired me to consider aviation as a career change. I never thought that this would be possible, asI currently work as an Advisory Teacher of the Deaf. I then attended the BWPA Christmas lunch with my friend Linda who was already a member of the BWPA. The talk was great and a lovely dinner. We met at the Brooklandsconference, and have become really good friends. Could things get any better? Well actually YES! I applied for a scholarship to attend the WAI Confernece in Reno, and Kirsty Moore was on the interview panel. I was so nervous, as I had not had an interview for a few years. I got the scholarship and will be fl ying out to Reno with two other aspiring British female pilots on the 22nd February 2011. I would love to keep you posted and give you details about the Reno Conference. I attach some fl ying photos that you mightbe interested to look at...

18.

OBITUARY: CAPTAIN BARBARA HARMER 1953-2011

By Caroline Gough-Cooper

It is with great sadness that we report the death

of past BWPA member Barbara Harmer, Britain’s

only female Concorde pilot, at the age of just 57.

Barbara left school at 15 and trained and worked as

a hairdresser for several years, before deciding that

there was more to life and applying for a post as

a trainee air traffi c controller at Gatwick Airport.

She had no fl ying experience at that point, but she

started taking lessons and soon gained her PPL.

Studying for four ‘A’ levels in her spare time, her intention was to transfer to the accident

investigation branch, but the CAA was not encouraging. Her thoughts turned to becoming a

commercial pilot instead, and she set off down the self improver route. After qualifying as an

instructor, she worked at Goodwood Flying School while studying for her commercial

exams by correspondence course. Her CPL was issued in May 1982, and having applied for more

than 100 jobs she was eventually taken on by a commuter airline at Humberside. 15 months

later British Caledonian started recruiting, and she was taken on to fl y short haul BAC 111

jets and long haul DC10s. The merger of ‘BCal’ with British Airways in 1987 was a great

opportunity for her, and in 1992 she was selected for a position on the Concorde fl eet. At the

time there were just 60 women fl ying for BA, out of a pilot workforce of 3000. Barbara’s fi rst

commercial fl ight as a First Offi cer on this iconic aircraft came in March 1993, and she entered

the history books as the fi rst (and only) woman to pilot the supersonic airliner for commercial

operations. After BA grounded Concorde following the Paris accident in 2000, Barbara transferred

to the Boeing 777 fl eet and was awarded her Captaincy. She took voluntary redundancy from

BA in 2009.

Barbara’s life outside aviation was equally as adventurous. She was a fully qualifi ed commercial

offshore yacht master, and often commanded the Concorde crew in international yachting

events. She won several races and despite her illness was planning to compete in a transatlantic

event in 2013. Shortly before her death from cancer in February she married her partner of

25 years, Andrew Hewett, a former police detective inspector and counter terrorism offi cer.

Barbara was a huge inspiration to many women and was a highly sought-after public

speaker. The BWPA is immensely proud of her achievements and of her association with

the organisation. Our condolences have been sent to her husband Andrew and her family.

19.

NEW BWPA CLOTHING RANGEAs mentioned in the last newsletter, we now have a new stock of BWPA T-shirts and fleeces, either plain or with the Centenary poster on the back. An order form can be found on the

website www.bwpa.co.ukwww.bwpa.co.uk, or you can use the one below.

Collared T-shirtCentenary T-shirt Contrast FleeceCentenary T-shirt

V-neck T-Shirt Full Zip FleeceT-shirt

ITEM S M L XL XXL PRICE

FLEECE £25

CONTRAST FLEECE £30

V-NECK T-SHIRT PLAIN ON BACK £15V-NECK T-SHIRT PRINTED ON BACK £15

POLO T-SHIRT PLAIN ON BACK £15POLO T-SHIRT PRINTED ON BACK £15

POSTAGE POSTAGE £2.95 FOR 1, £5.50 FOR 2

TO BE SENT TO:

NAME ____________________________________________________

ADDRESS _______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

TEL ______________________________________________________

MOBILE _________________________________________________

EMAIL ___________________________________________________

DATE ORDERED

Please send completed form and cheque, made payable to BWPA , to:

Miss N. Rowan 28 Redbourne Avenue

Finchley London N3 2BS

Any queries, please email info@bwpa.co.uk

ORDER FORM

AMOUNT PAID

20.

NEWSCONGRATULATIONS TO….

BWPA Events Co-ordinator CHERYL SULLIVAN, who recently renewed her IMC rating.

ANN SMITH, who gained her PPL in January 2011, and has now upgraded to become a BWPA full member.

NEW MEMBERS

The following members have joined the BWPA since the last newsletter. We extend a warm welcome to:-

Kate Moran - Warrington, CheshireSheila Garrioch - WrexhamJanet Garrioch - Faversham, KentAlison Jackson - Crediton, DevonSusan Michaelis - Horsham, SussexAmanda Lyons - Tring, HertsColette Carroll - Uddingston, GlasgowRebecca Bryan - CambridgeMandy Wootton - Windsor, BerksFarida Munro - BristolLucy Youdell - Bridgnorth, ShropshireZita Morris - Falmouth, Cornwall

IN SYMPATHY

Former BWPA member BARBARA HARMER died on Sunday 20th February, at the age of 57. Barbara was well known as the only female Concorde pilot fl ying on regular commercial operations. We send ourcommiserations to all her relatives and friends. An obituary is on is on page 18. A Memorial Service for Barbara will take place at 14:00 hrs on Thursday 19 May 2011 at Chichester Cathedral. All are most welcome to attend. Please indicate (provisionally) if you intend to attend by email to Andy Hewett, Barbara’s husband, at hewett54@msn.com.

The death has been announced of MADELEINE JOANNOU-HAUSER, a Swiss pilot who was a regular face at FPE (Federation de Pilotes Européennes) for many years and later at FEWP gatherings. Madeleine died last November from throat cancer at the age of 74 and her funeral took place near her home in Aix-en-Provence.

REPORTS ON AVIATION EVENTS

The BWPA was invited to take part in the WrexhamSchools Science Festival week for the third year running. Chairman Caroline Gough-Cooper went, and she spoke to the children of Westwood Primary School in Flintshire. She used the centenary of British women pilots as her theme and had sessions with all the years, from Infants to Year 6.

Caroline also went and delivered an evening talk onthe history of British women in aviation to her oldsecondary school, which was very well received and a donation of £50 made to the BWPA.

UPCOMING EVENTS

BWPA Regional Fly-in – Sunday 8th May

BWPA member Veronica Stanley and her husband William will be hosting a Fly-in to their farm strip in Ebrington, Gloucestershire, on Sunday May 8th. Arrivals are from 12.00 with last departures at 17.00. Located 9nm SW of Wellesbourne (EGBW) and 19nm NE of Gloucester (EGBJ), the 03/21 grass strip is 540m x 35m, elevation 413ft (14mb). There will be a BBQ from 13.00 - 14.30 and cream teas from 15.00 - 16.30. A couple of quizzes, one aviation and one general, will be available, and there will be a competition for the best photo taken on the day. The suggested contribution per person for the day is £5, all proceeds going to the Midland Air Ambulance. Additional donations very welcome! To register your interest and to assist with traffi c movements please email willstanley@farmersweekly.net For more details on the location see the BWPA website.

LAA Devon Strut Fly-in and Hangar Dance – Saturday 14th May

Bad weather affected the Ladies in Aviation Fly-in to Bodmin last year, but the LAA Devon Strut is hoping for better things this time. The theme is ‘A Century of Lady Aviators’, and in the evening the Cornwall Flying Club is organising one of their famous hangar dances - theme and dress code ‘the 1940’s’. The evening event will begin with a fl y-past of vintage aircraft, followed by an aerobatic display. The dance will be accompanied by a suitable band and locally made food. For those wishingto fl y in for the night there is a Premier Inn hotel a stone’s throw from Bodmin airfi eld and a number of B&Bs locally.

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Top Nav: Saturday May 14th and 21st 2011

The 33rd TopNav general aviation competition, run annually by the Royal Institute of Navigation, has two locations; TopNav North at Retford(Gamston) on 14th May and TopNav South at White Waltham on 21st May. TopNav is open to crews of two or more, who are challenged to navigate a pre-planned route as accurately as possible, testing their skills in plotting the route, accurate fl ying, airmanship and log keeping. The competition is open to all GA aircraft, including motor gliders, microlights, helicopters etc, with the route appropriately adapted. Crews can expect up to two hours of exhilarating fl ying in pursuit of good training and prestigious trophies. The Royal Institute of Navigation(RIN) is very grateful for the cooperation of Gamston Aviation and the West London Aero Club, and the sponsors and prize givers including: AOPA, BALPA, Flyer, GAPAN, RAFFCA, Transair, Wansborough-White & Co and WLAC. For further details, and to download the application form and briefi ng material, please seethe Royal Institute of Navigation website:http://www.rin.org.uk/

RAeS

As part of the celebrations of the centenary of the fi rst British woman gaining her pilot’s certifi cate, the RAeS Women in Aviation and Aerospace group has organised a seminar on the work of the women ferry pilots of the ATA. The word ‘unique’ is often used inappropriately, but on this occasion it is a once only opportunity to meetthe few surviving Spitfi re Women and hear about theirexperiences.

The RAeS Women in Aviation and Aerospace group is also launching a new annual lecture in memory of Amy Johnson which will take place on WednesdayJuly 6th at RAeS HQ, 4 Hamilton Place, London W1. The fi rst person to give the Amy Johnson Lecture will be Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive of EasyJet.

Women in the Air Day, August 29th, Bank Holiday Monday

Sherburn Flying Club is planning to raise the profi le of women at Sherburn-in-Elmet for the Women in the Air Day on August Bank Holiday Monday. Their female instructors will be to the fore to take trial lessons, the airfi eld radio will be manned by women, and there will be female refuellers on hand at the fuel pumps.White Waltham will be offering free landings to allwomen pilots during the whole of August so do drop in and pay them a visit.

OTHER NEWS

Flying to Military Airfi elds

Here are the contact details for obtaining an MOD waiver if you wish to use military airfi elds: June Akehurst

Civil Air UseWider Markets Team 1A1Air CmdSecCS-ACT WM1A1Tel 01494 494350Mil 95221 4350Fax 01494 494300June.Akehurst241@mod.uk

Aviatrix Aerogram

The editor recently received the following information:Aviatrix Aerogram is a monthly ezine (an electronic magazine) distributed as a pdf fi le. It is a fun publicationgeared for women pilots. Readers range from newbie student pilots up to ATPLs, with everything in between. Some fl y for fun, some fl y professionally, and some are no longer fl ying yet still enjoy the opportunity to tell us how things were “back in our day” or to live vicariously through the adventures of other women pilots. Aviatrix Aerogram is a place to share stories and experiences. It is a place to celebrate achievements, such as passinga checkride. It is a place to learn the fascinating history of women pilots. Some examples of content:

► On Learning to Fly a Seaplane ► Scholarship Corner ► I Will Survive ► Blogs and Book Reviews ► Trike Flying ► Love Is In the Air

To subscribe: The distribution of Aviatrix Aerogram is done via email from Laura Smith. A woman pilot may subscribe by emailing laura.smith@att.net with “CWP OPT IN” in the subject line. This subscription alsoincludes the “Council of Women Pilots” email group. It is appreciated if you indicate in the email your pilot certifi cate type and the city/state/country where you live.

SITUATION VACANT

For personal reasons, your current editor will be giving up putting together the BWPA newsletter at the AGM or the end of 2011. Would YOU like to have a go? The job isn’t all that complicated, and it can be quite a lot of fun. If you would be interested in becom-ing the BWPA Newsletter Editor, or would just like an informal chat to fi nd out more about what it involves, please contact Helen Krasner at the email address at the front of this publication (or the email address below).

careers@bwpa.co.ukmembership@bwpa.co.ukawards@bwpa.co.ukregions@bwpa.co.uknewsletter@bwpa.co.ukpr.publicity@bwpa.co.uk

If you send emails to any of these addresses, they will be automatically forwarded directly to the appropriate person.

LIST OF BWPA MEMBERS

A reminder that a list of names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses is available and can beemailed to you by contacting the editor - contact details on page 2. You can have the list ar-ranged alphabetically or by country or both

FINALLY…

Please let me know of ANY news items, about yourself, another BWPA member, the organisation, or of aviation interest in general. Photos are also extremely welcome. Email everything to helen@krasner.wanadoo.co.uk, or write to the address on page 2...Editor

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THE IDEAL GIFT

If you are looking for an unusual yet practical birthday gift for any women pilots or women student pilots who are not yet members of BWPA, then consider a BWPA Membership Gift Voucher. The recipient can exchange the Voucher for one year’s full or associate membership (usual qualifi cations apply), at the end of which they will be invited to renew at the current pro-rata rate. The vouchers cost £36.00 (the current membership subscription of £35.00 plus the card and postage) and can be obtained by downloading an order form from the website or by emailing carol.bwpa@hotmail.co.uk to have an order form sent to you. Note that the vouchers are not exchangeable for cash or anything other than membership of the BWPA.

BWPA CLOTHING

A new range of BWPA fl eeces and tops are nowavailable in a range of sizes (see page 19 for details and photos), as are centenary T-shirts. Photographs and an order form can also be found on the website, www.bwpa.co.uk

MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT FOR OLDER MEMBERS

Just a reminder that if you are over 80 years old, you are entitled to a reduced rate for your BWPA membership. However, this will not happen automatically; you will need to contact the Membership Secretary and let her know - membership@bwpa.co.uk

FROM THE EDITOR

Desperately needed! Action photos for the front and back covers of the newsletter. If you have any photos taken in an aircraft, please send them, with a short note explaining when and where the picture was taken.Email to helenkrasner2@gmail.com.

BWPA EMAIL ADDRESSES

As well as our offi cial email address, info@bwpa.co.uk, we have expanded the range of our email addresses to include the following:-

BWPA COMMITTEE DATES

Meetings are held on Saturdays at Cranfi eld, 10.00 for a 10.30 start. Lunch is provided for attendees and we aim to be fi nished by 15.00.

May 7th July 9thSeptember 24th October 9th AGM

BWPA members are very welcome to attend a committee meeting to see how the Association is run. If you are interested in coming along to one, contact the Chairman Caroline Gough-Cooper at info@bwpa.co.uk for more information.

OTHER AVIATION ORGANISATIONSThe BWPA is associated with or affi liated to a number of other aviation organisations.

Air League – www.airleague.co.ukThe Air League aims to ‘promote air-mindedness in the young by encouraging and assisting them to follow careers in aviation and the aerospace industry’. It does this by offering a signifi cant number of fl ying and engineering scholarships which are presented annually at St James’ Palace, and it administers the BWPA scholarship and bursary on the Association’s behalf.

Amy Johnson Memorial Trust (AJMT)A member of the BWPA committee sits on the board of Trustees of the AJMT, which raises funds for and awards a scholarship annuallyto assist British women to gain professional fl ying qualifi cations. For more information contact the Trust secretary Muriel Tuckerat murieltucker@supernet.com

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) – www.aopa.co.ukThe BWPA is a Corporate member of AOPA, a not-for-profi t organisation that ‘exists to serve the interests of its members as aircraft owners and pilots, promoting the economy, safety, utility, and popularity of fl ight in general aviation aircraft’. AOPA runs the Wings Scheme, which is actively promoted by the BWPA and available free to non-AOPA BWPA members up to Silver level through our Corporate membership.AOPA offers Student Pilots up to 2 years’ FREE membership - see their website for details

Federation of European Women Pilots (FEWP) – www.fewp.infoThe FEWP was founded in 1995 and is an umbrella organisation for women pilots across Europe. Past BWPA Chairman Aileen Egan was the Founding President, so the BWPA has had close ties with the FEWP right from the beginning. The current BWPA delegate to the FEWPis Tricia Nelmes. The AGM weekend is hosted by a different member country each year and is a very social occasion. In 2011 it will be inRome from June 3rd-5th.

Flying Scholarships for the Disabled (FSD) – www.toreachforthesky.org.ukThe BWPA’s charity of choice, FSD is dedicated to helping disabled people to discover their true potential through the mental and physical stimulation of learning to fl y a light aircraft. The Association has raised money for a number of full and mini scholarships todate and several FSD scholars are members of the Association.

Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) – www.gapan.orgGAPAN is committed to ensuring the highest standards of training at all levels of aviation and at professional level in particular. The Guild offers a number of fl ying scholarships annually and provides a comprehensive careers guide that the BWPA uses as part of its careers advice service. A number of BWPA members belong to GAPAN and there is currently BWPA representation on the Guild’s Education & Training, Scholarships, and Trophies & Awards Committees, and the Instructors Sub-Committee. Member Dorothy Pooley is a Warden of the Guild and due to become the fi rst female Master in 2014.

General Aviation Safety Council (GASCo) – www.gasco.org.ukThe BWPA has been a member of GASCo for many years, most visibly supporting the organisation by helping run the Spot the Defects challenge at various annual events including AeroExpo. Past BWPA Chairman Tricia Nelmes is currently a Board Member.The 2011 AeroExpo will be at Sywell from June 17th-19th.

Light Aircraft Association (LAA) – www.lightaircraftassociation.co.ukThe LAA is the UK’s principal representative body for amateur-built and vintage light aircraft. The BWPA actively supports the LAA’s Youth and Education Support Group and the Boeing Build-a-Plane project. The BWPA’s stand is a fi xture at the annual LAA Rally.This year the LAA Rally will be at Sywell from September 2nd-4th.

Royal Aero Club (RAeC) – www.royalaeroclub.orgThe BWPA is an Associate member of the RAeC, the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom. As such, one of the BWPA’s annual awards is often selected to be re-presented to the winner at the annual RAeC awards.

Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) – www.raes.org.ukThe RAeS is the world’s only professional body dedicated to the entire aerospace community. Past BWPA Chairman Clare Walker chairs the RAeS Women in Aviation and Aerospace (WAA) Committee and BWPA member Lara Small is a committee member. The BWPA has exhibited at the annual WAA Conference since its inception four years ago. The 2011 WAA Conference ‘From Pioneers to Presidents: Celebrating a Century of Flight’, will be held on Friday 14th October.

Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) – www.rin.org.ukThe BWPA is an Affi liate Member of RIN and as such works with RIN to spread the message of safe, effective, fun navigation to the wider world. BWPA members are encouraged to enter TopNav, a RIN competition held annually, and the BWPA worked with theRIN GA Navigation Group to host a GPS Training Day in 2009.

Women in Aviation International (WAI) – www.wai.orgWAI is an American-based not-for-profi t organisation dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of women in all aviation career fi elds and interests. The Southern England Chapter has hosted the European Women in Aviation Regional Conference for the last three years to which a number of BWPA members have gone. President of the Chapter Jane Middleton is a past member of the BWPA.

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BWPA EVENTS 201BWPA EVENTS 20111

BWPA member and balloon pilot Allie Dunnington takes to the skies in a microlight

May 8th BWPA Regional Fly-in to Home Farm GloucestershireMay 14th LAA Devon Strut ‘A Century of Lady Bodmin Aviators’ Fly-in & Hangar Dance May 20th RAeS Spitfi re Women lecture LondonJune 3rd-5th FEWP AGM weekend RomeJune 17th-19th AeroExpo SywellJuly 6th RAeS Amy Johnson Memorial lecture LondonAugust 18th-29th Hilda Hewlett centenary celebrations NationwideAugust 20th-21st Education weekend BrooklandsAugust 29th Women in the Air Day NationwideSeptember 2nd-4th LAA Rally SywellSeptember 25th Fly-In to Old Warden (to be confi rmed) Old WardenOctober 9th BWPA AGM DuxfordOctober 14th RAeS WAA Annual Conference LondonNovember Training Day to be confi rmedDecember 4th BWPA Christmas Lunch & Awards Brooklands

REMEMBER, THE DEADLINE FOR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE SUMMER NEWSLETTER IS 30th JUNE …but please send contributions earlier if possible.