FLYER Forums

Relevant dates are all Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays in May.

Following last April's successful RAF Centenary exhibition, JAM is organising this to mark the 90th Anniversary of Amy Johnson getting her PPL, and (in May) 89th of her UK-Australia solo Gypsy Moth flight from UK. Johnson settled in Gloucestershire until she left to join the ATA at the start of WW2. We are planning to have talks by or about former or current UK, especially local, aviatrices and other women involved in any aspect of aviation including groundcrew, ATCOs, engineers, factory workers, etc; and at least one BWPA fly-in.

First publicity was today on Radio Gloucestershire, in the chat intervals (between news, weather, traffic, music etc) during the first 40 minutes of the late afternoon programme, here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06vfv1l

As our organiser explains there, we are still looking for loans/gifts of relevant 'stuff', showing or legacies of women, Gloucestershire and wider UK, in aviation, past and present: photos, trophies, plaques, news cuttings, certificates, artefacts (eg tools or uniform items from the many local Gloucestershire aircraft assembly and component factories). We are limiting it to UK women or women's activities otherwise scope will be much too broad! If any Forumites think they might have something pertinent to offer, please PM me.

More details will be posted here as our plans firm up. Obviously, we may not be much of a diversion for some people planning to fly South to visit the microlight meet at Popham during the first weekend of May. Fly-ins welcome as ever, of course

Kanga old boy ...

May I respectfully suggest [ either to yourself or to the Moderators] that this thoroughly deserving thread is also put onto the GA section .

For the simple reason that it will probably gain more attention there , rather than here .

Thanks for the thought, but I would not presume to impose there until our plans are a bit more concrete... That first posting was meant only as a heads up for the dates.

Our speaker line-up is looking promising, and the displays and artefacts probably do not need detailed decisions just yet.

[update poster below ]

Mrs. Engineer is somebody senior in the Women's Engineering Society, who are celebrating their 100th birthday this year. They are doing their own round of celebrations around the country, quite a few of which involve women who did some remarkable things in aeronautics.

I'd strongly recommend talking to them about possible collaborations - if you don't have contacts already, drop me a line and I'll make sure you do.

G

Genghis the Engineer wrote:Mrs. Engineer is somebody senior in the Women's Engineering Society, ..

I'd strongly recommend talking to them about possible collaborations - if you don't have contacts already, drop me a line and I'll make sure you do.

G

PM sent

But not received - emails usually work better for me anyhow if you want to try that. boffin at engineer dot com will reach me.

G

Genghis the Engineer wrote:But not received - emails usually work better for me anyhow if you want to try that. boffin at engineer dot com will reach me.

G

Will do

Speaker list beginning to line up

Speaker list firming up nicely. Looking like a different one every morning and afternoon of open days during May, including a (very) few mere men

<bump>

Starts this weekend with special exhibits; events and talks:

Sat 4 May:

1115: Mayor of Tewkesbury, Ruth Hatton (Airport is in Tewkesbury Borough)
1400: Air Cdre Dawn McCafferty, Commandant, Air Cadets

Sun 5 May:

BWPA fly-in
1100: Sacha Dench 'Flying with Swans'
1200: Beth Parker, MBDA Missiles
1400: a female Air Cadet

Mon 6 May:

Usual BH extra opening. Exhibits but no talks

Fly-ins welcome as ever, even if flown by 'mere men'

Will Diana Barnato Walker get a mention for being the first woman* to break the sound barrier?


* (as P2 IIRC)

Colonel Panic wrote:Will Diana Barnato Walker get a mention for being the first woman* to break the sound barrier?


* (as P2 IIRC)

I'll let Forum know when all the graphics are up

Incidentally, we were delighted to welcome on Saturday ~60 visitors who had come principally to hear the lady balloonists' talks. Pity it was too breezy all day to launch.

Good numbers for this weekend's talks. Next:

Sat 11th:

1100: Kirsty Murphy (Red, Arrows, now Blades)
1400: Air Cdre (ret) Barbara Cooper, on WRAF

Sun 12th:

1100: Lyn Hartman on her mother Joy Lofthouse (ATA)
1400: Lyn Hilditch WRAF (ret), ATCO

Table displays with presenters on Fly2Help, RAFA, Winston's Wish

JAM open for BH tomorrow (Mon), as usual. Apron and Twy R newly mown

Appreciative audiences again at the weekend

Next weekend:

Sat 18th:

RAF Innsworth (Imjin Barracks) Military Wives' Choir performances: 1100, 1345

1200: 'Flying Nightingales' (nursing attendants aircrew)

1430: Safaya Salter, Schneider trophy winner 1989

Sun 19th, 'Engineering day'

Table displays by Ontic, Dowty, Moog

1400: 'Women in Engineering': Cath Wain ex-Rotol, Diane Cuttell of GE Aviation