It's great to hear such inspirational stories emerge from this sad saga even though their subjects often shun publicity rather than seeking the limelight. Even more impressive is that most have achieved their respect and standing by their own efforts, and have done more to further aviation than a formation of TCTs. Among my own stars must be Kath Burnham, instructor extraordinaire, and I hope she won't mind me relating this story as an inspiration to all youngsters.
While visiting Paull (Hull) for the Barnstormers display in June 1971 the club secretary Ken Charles asked me if I would take his young friend Kath for a flight in my Tiger Moth. “She's never away from the airfield,” he said. “She's mad about aviation, she'll do any job she can to help the club, and she really wants a flight in a Tiger”. Kath, then about 13 years, was brimming with enthusiasm and made a good fist of the TM even though she could hardly see over the side. She told me she would be a pilot one day; Ken reckoned she would go far in the airline world.
Fast forward another decade and the boot was on the other foot, for Kath had become a senior instructor at Kidlington when I trained for my instrument rating. In retirement many years later, I tuned in for a TV programme on the DC3 and there in the left seat was Kath, by now one of the country's most respected instructors with 2000 hours on the Dakota. Today she is head of flight training at Command Pilot Training in Coventry.