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After a posting that included a role in the command and control for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for Afghanistan, the then recently appointed Commander-in-Chief Air Command, Royal Air Force, draws on his experiences to explore the challenges faced by the RAF in the age of hybrid warfare, including the threats posed by Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency (COIN). Towards the end of the lecture Sir Christopher also singles out the Expeditionary Air Wing concept and the RAF’s Reaper armed UAVs as examples of where the service had been proactive in dealing with new challenges.

ACM Sir Christopher Moran FRAeS gave the 2009 Sir Sydney Camm Lecture on 1 July 2009. The lecture was introduced by the then President, Dr Mike Steeden FRAeS, and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The material and information contained in this lecture are UK Ministry of Defence © Crown copyright 2009 and the recording is the copyright of the Royal Aeronautical Society 2009.

Rewind: Challenges in the age of hybrid warfare by ACM Sir Christopher Moran FRAeS

Supermarine had a proud design record headed by the Spitfire and Schneider Trophy aircraft. A.N. Clifton, who started as Mitchell’s structures man and ended up, forty years later, as its Chief Designer, gives us the insiders view of the aircraft designed and developed by the company from just before the First World War to the loss of the Supermarine name in 1960. 

As well as discussing many of the aircraft types designed by the company, Clifton explores how Supermarine’s faced the challenges of the Second World War and the coming of the jet age. He also gives his first-hand assessment of those who played such a key role in the company’s development, most notably Chief Designers R.J. Mitchell and Joe Smith, and plays tribute to the work of the company’s test pilots.

A.N. Clifton FRAeS addressed a meeting organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 23 January 1967. The lecture was introduced by J. L. Nayler FRAeS FAIAA, the recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture: History of Supermarine by A.N. Clifton FRAeS

Spurred on by the desire to save lives, boost morale and preserve trained manpower, Air Sea Rescue was transformed during the Second World War. After a career in the service, the former high speed rescue launch captain explores how air sea rescue developed in the years before, during and just after the Second World War and reflects on how changes in people, technology, techniques, training and increases in manpower moved the service forward. He also gives us a flavour of what life was like using launches to rescue airmen who came down in the sea.

Gp. Capt. R. L. Flower addressed his lecture, Air Sea Rescue, to a meeting of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 27 September 1977. The recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Rewind: Evolution of Air Sea Rescue around the Second World War by Gp. Capt. R. L. Flower

Richard Berthon, UK Director of Combat Air, Herman Claesen, FCAS Managing Director, BAE Systems and Air Cdre Jonny Moreton, UK Programme Director, Future Combat Air Acquisition Programme, UK discuss the highlights from a recent Royal Aeronautical Society roundtable on the FCAS/Team Tempest future fighter project.

RAeS Team Tempest Roundtable Podcast

What were the future challenges facing the armed forces and the Joint Helicopter Command in particular? How could the defence industry help to create a more effective battlefield helicopter capability? In order to help answer these two questions, Rear-Adm Johnstone-Burt explores the strengths of rotorcraft and the Joint Service approach and the strategic challenges that the Joint Helicopter Command and the UK’s armed forces more broadly faced, including those brought about by the use of social media. 

At the end of his lecture Rear-Adm Johnstone-Burt invites his audience to tell him how industry can help the armed forces to use new technology to best face these new challenges. The post-lecture discussion takes up this challenge by exploring MOD procurement and the aircraft industry. There is also discussion over other challenges faced by those who managed rotorcraft operations in British armed forces. 

Rear-Adm Tony Johnstone-Burt FRAeS addressed a meeting of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Air Power Group on 18 June 2009. The material and information contained in this lecture are UK Ministry of Defence © Crown copyright 2009 and the recording is the copyright of the Royal Aeronautical Society 2009. The podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Rewind: Rotary Wing Aspects of Air Power in Land Operations by Rear-Adm Tony Johnstone-Burt FRAeS

Lindbergh undertook one of the most remarkable flights in history. John Grierson takes us through every step of the epic flight which led Lindbergh to become the first man to fly the Atlantic single-handed. Grierson, an old friend of Lindbergh’s, also paints a portrait of the man, both before and after his epic flight, exploring his reluctance for the USA to enter the war, his polar flights and his interest in wildlife conservation.

The recording includes a second tribute to Lindbergh, this time from Sir Peter Masefield, who argues that Lindbergh’s achievement was a turning point for aviation.  

John Grierson gave the Inaugural Lindbergh Memorial Lecture on 21 May 1975. The recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Rewind - Charles A Lindbergh: a pioneer remembered by John Grierson

The RAF’s F-35 Lightning II Requirements Manager and former project test pilot, Wg Cdr Jim Schofield FRAeS, starts his lecture by exploring how the F-35 would meet some of the UK’s defence needs up to 2050 and discusses the aircraft’s capabilities and many of its systems. He then describes his 2009 to 2012 tour as the MOD’s flight test pilot in the United States, including taking us through some of his test flights, including those trials at sea and at night. He concludes by telling us about the lessons he learnt during this fascinating part of his career.

The audience were also shown four films illustrating actual and potential systems on the aircraft and aspects of the flight test programme. These can be viewed at https://www.aerosociety.com/news/audio-classic-lecture-f-35-flight-testing-by-wg-cdr-jim-schofield-fraes/. 

Wg Cdr Jim Schofield FRAeS addressed a meeting of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Flight Test Group on 17 March 2014. 

The material and information contained in this lecture are UK Ministry of Defence © Crown copyright 2014 and the recording is the copyright of the Royal Aeronautical Society 2014. The podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture - F-35 flight testing by Wg Cdr Jim Schofield FRAeS

Tim Robinson, Steven Bridgewater & Bella Richards review their highlights from their week at the 2022 Farnborough Air Show.

Farnborough Air Show 2022 AEROSPACE wrap-up podcast

Soon after the end of the First World War, Britain’s aircraft manufacturers’ minds were drawn back to a £10,000 prize for the first to fly an aeroplane across the Atlantic Ocean. Join Peter Elliott & David Broughton as they take us into the Vickers Vimy cockpits with pilot John Alcock and navigator Arthur Whitten Brown as they race to be the first to leave Newfoundland, fly and navigate across nearly two thousand miles of sea and finally set foot on European soil. 

Peter Elliott & David Broughton addressed a joint seminar of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group & the Royal Institute of Navigation on 6 July 2009. The podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture: Conquering the Atlantic : Alcock & Brown by Peter Elliott & David Broughton

The first man to successfully fly over the Greenland ice cap chronicles how he, together with other figures such as Charles Lindbergh and Edward Byrd, used balloons, airships and aeroplanes to fly over the world’s great wildernesses and, in so doing, lay the path for air service routes across the roof of the world.

John Grierson lectured to the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Prestwick Branch on 12 March 1964. The recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture – The history of polar aviation by John Grierson

In late 1945 the Royal Aircraft Establishment hosted displays of German and British aircraft and equipment. It was the first opportunity that many people had to see - in detail and up close - a wide range of aircraft that until recently had been either closely guarded, such as the Spiteful and Martin Baker MB 5, or cause for alarm, such as the Dornier Do 335 and Messerschmitt Me 262. German missiles as well as German and British jet engines were also shown, giving a fascinating glimpse of what might be to come.

Amongst the crowds was a young Mike Bowyer and, nearly seventy years later and after a career as an aviation historian and journalist, he conjurers up the two days he spent exploring the all corners of the exhibition and tells us about the amazing aircraft he encountered.

Michael J. F. Bowyer addressed a meeting of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 17 November 2014 and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture: Farnborough 1945 : Farewell to the Luftwaffe - pointers to the future

How was the USA’s quest to get the first man on the moon going halfway between JFK’s pledge and Neil Armstrong’s first giant step? Colonel John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth, reviews NASA’s achievements before giving us a stage-by-stage view of how NASA was planning to get an astronaut to the moon and back.

The lecture concludes with a fascinating question and answer session. A longer version of this recording, which includes Glenn talking through a range of images from the Space Programme, can be found on the RAeS website.

Colonel John Glenn addressed the Royal Aeronautical Society on 8 October 1965. The recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture: Getting the first man on the moon – a view from 1965 by Col. John Glenn

An American showman turned aviator, Samuel Franklin Cody used his imagination, endless courage and engineering virtuosity to become the first man in Britain to fly in an aircraft of his own making. But can he rightly take a place amongst the world’s heroes? 

In this lecture, historian Peter Reese tells the story of how a man moved from performing a Wild West Show to becoming an aeronautical pioneer by building and flying some of the earliest man-carrying kites and aeroplane, before showing how, once the War Office declared against constructing aeroplanes in favour of airships, he raced his own aeroplanes and outflew his contemporaries.

Peter Reese addressed the National Aerospace Library’s volunteers on 29 November 2021 and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture: Cody – the hero? By Peter Reese AMRAeS

RAeS has joined with Apprentices From BAE Systems to let you know what to expect from an apprenticeship. This Podcast hears Hannah, Emily and Hannah talk about why they chose an apprenticeship, how they felt about the application process, what their days work looks like and so much more.

RAeS Podcast with Aerospace Business and Project Management Apprentices, from BAE Systems.

One of the first aircraft manufacturers in the UK, Martin & Handasyde, later to be known as Martinsyde Ltd, became Britain’s third biggest manufacturer during the First World War and designed aircraft for the race across the Atlantic and from the UK to Australia. J. M. Bruce explains the history of this short-lived company and untangles the ‘threads of development’ that linked each of Martinsyde’s aircraft types.

The recording concludes with a short question and answer session that includes reminiscences of George Handasyde’s deputy in the years after he left Martinsydes.

J. M. Bruce MRAeS addressed a meeting organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 26 February 1968. The lecture was introduced by J. L. Nayler FRAeS FAIAA, the recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Rewind:  A History of Martinsydes by J. M. Bruce MRAeS

RAeS has joined with Apprentices From BAE Systems to let you know what to expect from an apprenticeship. This Podcast hears Chris and Jay talk about why they chose an apprenticeship, how they felt about the application process, what their days work looks like and so much more.

Aerospace Engineering Apprentices from BAE Systems.

Kenneth Owen takes us through the twists and turns of the Anglo-French campaign to persuade the Americans to allow the supersonic aircraft to land in New York. He highlights how the French Aérospatiale and British BAC used different strategies to persuade American politicians and the judiciary to accept Concorde on the transatlantic route and shows the hoops that the manufacturers had to jump though in order to overcome environmental concerns held in both Washington DC and New York. 

Owen begins his story by examining British attempts to get an Anglo-American supersonic project off the ground and also explores how the British and French team persuaded the FAA to give the aircraft type certification that would enable US airlines to fly the supersonic airliner.

The recording includes a fascinating discussion with members of the audience, which included former politicians, civil servants and British Airways employees that were directly involved in the story.

Kenneth Owen FRAeS gave his lecture to a meeting organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 29 April 1997. The lecture is introduced by Frank Armstrong FRAeS, the recording was digitised thanks to a grant from the RAeS Foundation and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lecture: Concorde and the Americans by Kenneth Owen FRAeS

In the heat of World War II, John Charnley was sent from his red-brick university to the heart of aero research in the UK, the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough. In this archive recording, Sir John describes the transition into the RAE Aerodynamics Department’s Flight Test Division and his work on many of the problems associated with high-speed flight, starting with work on the Gloster E.28/39 which tested Whittle’s jet engine. 

After twelve years Sir John moved from the very fast to the very slow, when he was sent to head the RAE Blind Landing Experimental Unit. Charnley explains how he helped to move the Unit’s purely military work landing V-bombers in poor conditions, to include civil applications leading to the development of the AUTOLAND system. A fuller account of the work of the Blind Landing project can be found in Sir John’s Journal of Aeronautical History paper at https://www.aerosociety.com/JAHblindlanding. 

Sir John Charnley was interviewed as part of the DERA Oral History Project in 2000 and the recording was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

An interview with…Sir John Charnley on blind landing and life at the RAE’s Aero Flight

The ‘Warsaw Warrior’, George Tompkins Jnr, has probably defended more cases involving the Warsaw Convention than anyone else. In this fascinating lecture, Tompkins takes us into the courtrooms and corridors of power where he helped to shift the USA’s stance on the limitation of liabilities that passengers faced when litigating against airlines in the USA. He then takes us to the Montreal Treaty negotiations where, as legal aid to IATA at the conference, the rules were re-written, before making some observations on the post-Montreal world.

The recording includes a question-and-answer session and a vote of thanks by Harold Caplan FRAeS.

George Tompkins Jnr gave the RAeS Air Law Group’s 10th Beaumont Memorial Lecture on 16 June 2011. The session was introduced by Robert and the recording was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

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