Royal Aeronautical Society

[pilot8]

Anyone a member?
Thinking of going for Affiliate membership?
Is it worth it??

[john_tullamarine]

Lots of folks on PPRuNe are MRAeS or FRAeS. You get lots of useful contacts, presentations, etc. and, with the higher grades, there is the element of accreditation.


Go for it.

[DaveReidUK]

If you are already employed in, or connected with, the industry you would be better off going for Associate Member (AMRAeS), rather than Affiliate. The latter is aimed at "those with an interest in aerospace and/or aviation but do not work within these sectors".

Royal Aeronautical Society | Affiliate (http://aerosociety.com/Membership/whichmembership/affiliate)

Royal Aeronautical Society | Associate Member (http://aerosociety.com/Membership/whichmembership/assoc-member)

[Allan Lupton]

Lots of folks on PPRuNe are MRAeS or FRAeS. You get lots of useful contacts, presentations, etc. and, with the higher grades, there is the element of accreditation.

Yes, although formerly the element of accreditation was backed up by the RAeS having its own exam system for Associate Fellow (AFRAeS), it had gone by the time I was elected to that grade in 1972.
The harmonisation of grade nomenclature within the CEI resulted in Associate Fellow becoming Member (MRAeS) which had the same status but looked as if it were something you just paid a subscription for.
As said, it can be very useful and there are local Branches all over the world. As this is posted in the History section, I can say that the Library is a particularly useful resource if you are based in the London area, as you are.

[wonderboysteve]

Well worth it indeed. The higher grades require accredited qualifications and experience that provide a recognised status in the industry, which is useful.

If you have the time/support, then there are lots of opportunities to get involved at both branch and central level. As a twenty something post-doc, I found myself on a board with an Air Chief Marshal, a Concorde captain, an aerospace company Chairman and a Technical Director. Knowing and learning from these people has done me no harm at all.

WbS FRAeS

[Genghis the Engineer]

I joined at 19 as a student and was its youngest Fellow at 35, still in over a decade later.

Very very useful to me in terms of professional contacts, library facilities, free meeting rooms in London, access to the top people in our profession. I've addressed the House of Commons (well, one of the select committees) as a representative of the society on a subject that mattered a lot to me - that sort of influence is exceptionally valuable.

It is however as useful as you're prepared to put the effort into making it. If you just think you can pay the money and the benefits come - you would be wrong. You need to attend the occasional conference, engage with the odd committee, be prepared to roll your sleeves up and help organise things from time to time.

I agree totally with DaveReid - go for one of the earned membership grades, not just Affiliate which is (with all due respect to those brethren) basically the spotters grade. MRAes cuts the mustard, FRAeS even more so. AMRAeS is on the way and still worth pursuing.

The magazine is good too.

Sadly, it's also quite expensive - especially at the higher grades and/or with professional engineering accreditation. But I'd still not leave if I can possibly continue to afford the fees.

G

N.B. Allan - the main part of the Library moved to Farnborough several years ago.

[Heathrow Harry]

well if you're in the business you can deduct the membership fees from tax

very helpful Library

[Allan Lupton]

Sadly, it's also quite expensive - especially at the higher grades and/or with professional engineering accreditation. But I'd still not leave if I can possibly continue to afford the fees.

N.B. Allan - the main part of the Library moved to Farnborough several years ago.
Sorry I was out of date about the Library, but as you say it was quite expensive even at the Retired rate which was too much for the benefits I'd have had - the IMechE retired rate was much less so I kept that and CEI up to retain CEng status if I needed it.

[VictorGolf]

I say Genghis old chap, calling the Affiliates the "spotters" is a tad on the pompous side. I'm in the Cambridge branch and have the "Friends" membership, which at £15 for a Senior Citizen is jolly good value.

[Genghis the Engineer]

It's not a grade for those in the industry. Perhaps "enthusiasts " would have been kinder, I'll grant you.

G

[pilot8]

Genghis sadly being MoD(RAF)HQ deems me not to be worthy of Member or Fellow.
But I will doff my cap and enter through the tradesman's entrance as I am not worthy.
You Fellows to of course sometimes have a high opinion of your lofty status!

[Stanwell]

I think it was Groucho Marx who famously said...
"I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me."
I liked that one.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Pilot 8 - if you want to drop me a line with a quick summary of your professional background, I'd be glad to try and help. I am fairly familiar with the RAeS grading guide, and would certainly encourage you to apply for the highest level you can.

Whether I justify my status as a Fellow is a fair debate, but I will keep trying to.

G

[Allan Lupton]

Many years ago the RAeS amalgamated with the Technicians lot, so one would hope there were still various Technician grades. Not that I can see any on the RAeS website.

PS Stanwell, it was probably a character played by Marx that said that, rather than Marx himself - as is the case with most quotes attributed to Groucho Marx.

[pilot8]

Genghis, Thanks for the offer but pretty sure if I wanted to push for Member or Fellow the AVM @ HQ would be my first port of call.
I like the fact some see Affiliates as "Plane Spotters", but In some cases very qualified ones!!

[Genghis the Engineer]

In which case, they really should be shooting for Member. It was an honest offer to help - sorry if you don't see it that way.

If I may quote the RAeS website...

Affiliate membership is for those with an interest in aerospace and/or aviation but do not work within these sectors

= Enthusiasts from outside of the industry.


The grading guide allows for pretty much any *type* of aerospace professional qualifications. If you're serving in the RAF at a level that gives access to an AVM, I think that you almost certainly do - even if it doesn't fit into the standard "engineer or pilot" mould. We allow all sorts in, even lawyers!, so a serving senior RAF officer or SNCO certainly qualifies. Odds are that the service will pay your membership fees as well - certainly MoD used to cover mine.

This may help: http://www.aerosociety.com/Assets/Docs/Membership/MembershipHandbook.pdf

G