I was at the Society today and picked up a spare copy of the awards brochure.
Please don't shoot the messenger...
Women in aviation and aerospace specialist group award
Ms Tracey Curtis-Taylor
Director, Bird in a Biplane Ltd
Ms Curtis-Taylor is recognised for her contribution in aviation and the inspiration she provides to young people, and to young people in particular, to recognise and strive to reach their full potential and, where appropriate, to gain a greater understanding of our industry and to consider it as a possible career.
Raised in Canada, Travey developed a passion for flight and had her first flying lesson aged 16. She worked in London and South Africa before emigrating to New Zealand and began flying in earnest. She gained her private pilots licence, commercial licence and an instructor rating and, unusual for a woman, was trained by military pilots to fly WW2 aeroplanes with the New Zealand Warbird Association. In 2015/16 Tracey took on the challenge of taking her Boeing Stearman biplane, the Spirit of Artemis from the UK to Sydney, Australia, following the route of Amy Johnson, the first pioneering female pilot to complete the 13,000 mile route.
It is probably the most junior award going, and probably the text is factually correct, but it is undeniably an award. The committee who will have recommended it are here:
https://www.aerosociety.com/get-invo...ation-network/
I'll mention two other GA people who also got awards, and perhaps earned them a little more.
(1) John Edgley, Silver Medal - for doing a whole bunch of stuff over about 40 years. (chairing the GA group for a decade, designing three aeroplanes, leading the achievement of the UK experimental conditions...)
(2) Miss Hania Mohiauddin, NE Rowe Certificate of Merit...
Miss Mohuiddin graduated with a BEng(Hons) in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 2013 and an MSc in Autonomous Vehicle Dynamics and Control from Cranfield University in 2016. Upon completion of her degree, she joined Martin-Baker as a Test Engineer conducting investigative trials of components from aircraft such as the F-18, F-35 and the A-1M. She is a STEM embassador. She participates in committees of various aerospace societies including the RAeS Manchester Branch. In addition she co-led a team to design and manufacture a Human Powered Aircraft for which she is the pilot. Her academic research included developing a Hybrid Electric Power Management System for UAVs, and Aircraft Electrical Braking Systems.
Well, one of the two impressed me as deserving the award she got. What on earth the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Committee of the RAeS were thinking, I cannot readily explain. The award panel for the NE Rowe certificate, I have no issues myself - and in fact have met the young lady and think she's quite an inspiring embassador for women, and young people, in aviation.
Tim Peake got an Honorary Fellowship, and the Geoffrey Pardoe Space Award. Four other honorary fellowships went to various captains of industry.
Three other women got awards, all arguably higher awards than TCTs - a Bronze Award went to a Jessica Jones from the University of Michigan - a PhD student for work on modelling highly flexwiblg aircraft, and another to an Irene Huertas at the European Space Agency for work on future space technologies. An honorary companionship went to Professor Elizabeth Hughes at Health Education England - formerly Lead Dean for Aviation and Space Medicine.
G