Ray Hanna
Mrs Eunice Hanna and Mrs Sarah Carr (
née Hanna) have donated a trophy to the Honourable Company of Air Pilots (formerly the Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators) in memory of Ray and Mark Hanna.
The
Hanna Trophy will be presented annually for an outstanding contribution to the art of display flying in fighter aircraft, either vintage or modern.
Judge Tudor Owen, Master of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, said:
“The name Hanna is synonymous with the art of display flying in fighter aircraft, both historic and modern. Ray Hanna’s leadership of the Red Arrows earned worldwide acclaim and inspired countless young people to become pilots. His legendary Spitfire displays inspired yet more.
Ray taught Mark to fly when he was 16, and Mark went on to become an equally outstandingly talented and highly respected display pilot.
Neither showed off their own exceptional flying skills – they used their exceptional skills to demonstrate the qualities of which ever aircraft they were displaying. They epitomised the art of the display pilot.”
The inaugural winner is John Romain.
Citation:
As Managing Director and Chief Pilot of the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford, John Romain has become renowned within the industry for his quiet, self-effacing, calm, professional and utterly dependable manner.
John gained his PPL in 1984 and started display flying in 1986 with an Auster. After conversion onto the Harvard, trained by Mark Hanna, he then went on to fly the F4 Corsair, P51 Mustang and the iconic Spitfire, upon which he has now logged over 500 hours. In total, John has amassed over 3,000 hours in 100 different types, including heavier machinery such as the B25 Mitchell, Bristol Blenheim and Catalina. Most recently, he has flown the world’s only remaining airworthy Me109E.
John Romain received the trophy at the annual Air Pilots' Trophies & Awards Banquet at the London Guildhall
Judge Tudor Owen, Master of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots and Duke of York, Grand Master
Honourable Company of Air Pilots
Astronaut Captain Jim Lovell received the Award of Honour.
Honourable Company of Air Pilots
Ray Hanna Tudor Owen Duke of York
HM The Queen granted a Royal Charter to the Honourable Company of Air Pilots in February 2014.