Next week - Thursday 23rd November 2006





Of the 45 VSTOL aircraft (other than conventional helicopters) that have been built to fly over the last 45 years only three have entered service. John will cover these aircraft and the 15 different engineering solutions used by the various project teams, and offer his comments on several of the aircraft based on his 19+ year association with the Harrier.

Some might think John knows a thing or two about V/STOL -

As RAE project pilot on the P1127 prototype in 1964, he started what was to become 19 years of Harrier programme test flying, moving from the RAE to join Dunsfold from where he retired as Chief Pilot. His Harrier hours include 2 hours gliding in an AV-8B!

As most regulars in this forum will know, John is one of the UK's most distinguished and respected test pilots. He has flown over 80 types (fixed-wing and rotary) and in 1990 was the first Western test pilot to be invited by the Russians to fly the Mig-29.


Royal Aeronautical Society

No 4 Hamilton Place, London W1
(The RAeS is at the bottom of Park Lane, next to the InterContinental Hotel - a few minutes walk from Hyde Park Corner tube station)

Lecture 18:00
(Coffee and bickies from 17:30)

FAQ:

• You do not have to be a member of the Society (nor with a member) to attend the lecture.
• No registration required - you can just turn up.
• There is no admission charge.

Tudor Owen

Hoping to be there: and a quiet drink after anyone?

Treaders, if I can arrange to be in London that day I'm up for it - and a quiet drink thereafter!

SD

Dammit, I shall be in the dark depths of the sim.
I humbly request a re-appearance.

Wish I could get there as I have great regard for John having spoken to him many times on radar and also met him personally.
Wonder if he'll recount the story of the USMC Harrier I was told by a Boscombe TP. Apparently the USMC were having this problem with a Harrier on board one of their carriers; it kept doing uncontollable rolls always in the same direction after a VTO, breaking several wingtip outriggers, so John went out to investigate. The story goes that he did a VTO, and put it down again quickly. On climbing out, he asked the groundcrew if they were aware that there was no fuel in one wing, with full fuel in the other!

Not far from me, I shall be there, looking forward to hearing JF speak in the flesh.

I would love to be there...

Perhaps a few Pruners could twist his arm - gently - and find out how the memoirs are going...

N

Is there any chance of a DVD of Mr. Farley's lecture for those of us marooned on the wrong side of the pond? (Great source for current & future Brunel students, G). Proceeds to the charity of his choice of course. Failing that a copy of his lecture would be most welcome.

Gutted I cannot make it! Almost considering a sickie!

Likewise, a copy of the lecture with a donation from me to charity of JF's choice would be outstanding.

If you can't make the lecture but are still interested, the VSTOL Wheel is presented on the VSTOL website:

http://www.vstol.org/

JF - really nice chap i guarantee

Whatever stopped the Fairey Rotordyne (or equivalent) from being used by the armed forces ?

How about the truly deafening racket that it made? I'm sure the enemy would have heard it coming from miles away!

TOO

Rotodyne was examined in 1957/58 to support 38Gp./Rapid Deployment Force. So was DHC-4 Caribou. RAF went with Scottish(Twin/) Pioneer and Wessex HC2. I watched a Ceylon AF Pioneer on acceptance test at Prestwick, Sept.,1958 at 0 kt, then land in its own length - headwind >stalling speed.

Just bringing this up to the top - PPPop, you going?

I will be there...

John gave a great lecture, very interesting, pragmatic and entertaining. Also the RAes is a fantastic venue.

I was intrigued to know why you thought it was right for TSR2 to be cancelled. (From the sharp intake of breath around the room I think a few other people would be interested too)

Looking forward to the Bucanneer lecture next year.

A most enjoyable presentation. Although I was familiar with most (but certainly not all!) of the aircraft covered, I knew very little about any of them - with the exception of the Harrier of course!

Also a great demonstration of how to use PowerPoint - not a bullet point in sight!

Many thanks John!

PS, I'd be interested to know your views on TSR2 as well!

Pleased, but not in the least surprised, it was such a success.

Having posted details, and looking forward very much to listening to John, I was reminded (just in time) that I was giving a lecture at a Crew Management Conference in Brussels!

Could have been rather embarrassing.
I'm sure any pilot would have understood, but I'm not sure the organisers would have seen it that way.

I look forward to hearing John next time.

Tudor

JF freely and unostentatiously does more than anybody else I know for British aeronautical education - he sits on Brunel's advisory panel (and presumably other universities), the steering and ops&sim committees of the association of aerospace universities, organises an annual event promoting aerospace careers amongst school children, judges an annual inter-university flight simulation competition - as well as allowing aeronautical beginners like me to engage with him in some thoroughly enjoyable technical arguments at some of the meetings where we both find ourselves (which I invariably lose). And that's just what I happen to know about.

He gives damned interesting lectures too, although sadly I missed this one.

G

Shame you guys weren't there as I would have looked very forward to a drink and an aeronautical joust with you both...

Buccaneers are the next subject in mid-Feb courtesy of someone very well known but whose name escapes me right now... sorry one beer too many!