AeroSociety Podcast

John ‘Cats-Eyes’ Cunningham HonFRAeS - de Havilland’s Chief Test Pilot - recounts highlights from his postwar career, including stories of flying the experimental DH.110 during a total electrical failure, the DH.108 following the death Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr and the DH.106 Comet 1. Edited for podcast by Mike Stanberry FRAeS, the digitisation of the recording was funded through the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire test pilot Jeffrey Quill FRAeS discusses his career in aviation, the highlight of which was making the first flights and masterminded the development and production test flying of all 52 variants of the Spitfire. Edited for podcast by Mike Stanberry FRAeS, the digitisation of the recording was funded through the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

Tony Wood FRAeS, Chief Operating Officer, Meggitt looks at the concepts of uncertainty and disruption and how history has much to teach us. He examines today’s global challenges: from emerging political ‘curve balls’ to economic, sociological and technological imperatives. Tony addresses the issues these challenges bring to bear on the Aerospace and Defence industry and how organisations, and Meggitt in particular, are setting up to win.

There is a review of the early NASA and Ryan aircraft company projects to make a flying jeep (the Fleep) using Francis Rogallo’s wing, the development of the Rogallo wing through hang gliding and the experiments to add power to them.

Helicopteres Guimbal was founded as an independent company in order to develop and manufacture the Cabri G2 as a modern, certified helicopter. The goal was to bring new technologies to the personal and training market. Bruno Guimbal, President, Guimbal Helicoptérès delivers the 2017 Cierva Named Lecture.

“The test pilots’ test pilot”, former CAA Chief Test Pilot D. P. Davies talks frankly about the civil aircraft that he put through his paces before being certified as safe in the UK. In the last of four podcasted interviews the author of commercial pilots bible “Handling the big jets”, recalls the time he was asked to fly the Avro Vulcan, the Vickers Valiant and the Handley Page Victor V-bombers. The interview was conducted by Rodney Giesler in 1992 and edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The D. P. Davies Interview on the Boeing 747, the Trident, VC10, One Eleven & the Boeing 727. “The test pilots’ test pilot”, former CAA Chief Test Pilot D. P. Davies talks frankly about the civil aircraft that he put through his paces before being certified as safe in the UK. In the third of four interviews, the author of commercial pilots bible “Handling the big jets”, talks in detail about the flight testing of the Boeing 747. The interview was conducted by Rodney Giesler in 1992 and edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The D. P. Davies Interview on testing the Comets, Boeing 707, Britannia & Brabazon. “The test pilots’ test pilot”, former CAA Chief Test Pilot D. P. Davies talks frankly about the civil aircraft that he put through his paces before being certified as safe in the UK. The interview was conducted by Rodney Giesler in 1992 and edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The D. P. Davies Interview on his service in the Fleet Air Arm and the Handling Squadron during the 1940s. “The test pilots’ test pilot”, former CAA Chief Test Pilot D. P. Davies talks about his early career first training and then serving in the wartime Fleet Air Arm, including reminiscences of the naval test pilots course, the Empire Central Flying School at Hullavington and the Handling Squadron. The interview was conducted by Rodney Giesler in 1992 and edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

In the second interview covering 1955 to 1982, Morton recalls how his career in the aircraft industry developed with Fairey and Westland, with emphasis on the tip-jet designs, Ultra light and Rotodyne. The ‘Rationalisation’ of the British aircraft industry in 1960 resulted in Fairey becoming part of Westland he moved to Yeovil in 1965 and was responsible Scout Wasp and Lynx until he retired to live in New Zealand in 1982. The Royal Aeronautical Society would like to thank Paul Harrison and Dave Gibbings for enabling us to release the interview with John Morton and to Mike Stanberry MRAeS for editing all podcasts.

John Morton talked to Paul Harrison in 2013 about his service in the Fleet Air Arm, at Boscombe Down and his time putting rotorcraft through their paces, most notably the Fairey Rotodyne. In his first interview, Morton covers his career from 1942 to 1955. Here he recalls wartime pilot training in the USA in some detail and the process by which a naval aviator was qualified.

Early Westlands chief test pilot and aviation historian Harald Penrose discusses some of the great figures he met during his career in the aircraft industry, including T. O. M. ‘Tommy’ Sopwith, Barnes Wallis and Sydney Camm. He also talks about Vickers test pilots E. R. C. ‘Tiny’ Scholefield and Joseph ‘Mutt’ Summers, together with their chief designer Rex Pierson, before going onto discuss working with test pilot Jeffrey Quill when Westlands built Supermarine Seafires and when he flew the prototype Supermarine Spitfire at Martlesham in 1936. Harald Penrose was interviewed by Rodney Giesler in 1983 and 1989 and the podcasts were edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Early Westlands chief test pilot and aviation historian Harald Penrose tells us his experiences of the very early days of test flying his career. He starts off talking about his early life and learning to fly, before telling us about test flying for Westlands between 1928 and 1953. Stories include accounts of high altitude flying in the Houston-Westland PV3 that was used to make the first flight over Mount Everest and his work on the tailless Westland Pterodactyl series designed by Captain G T. R. Hill. Penrose goes on to tell us the story of when he had to bail out of a Westland P7 after its wings came off, before moving onto discuss working with W. E. W. ‘Teddy’ Petter on the development of the Westland Whirlwind, as well as the Westland Welkin and Wyvern programmes and the English Electric Canberra. Harald Penrose was interviewed by Rodney Giesler in 1983 and 1989 and the podcasts were edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Rush-hour traffic is unbearable for many commuters today – and the problem is growing. By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities, which is 10% more than today. To address this rising concern, Airbus is harnessing its experience to make the dream of all commuters and travellers come true one day: to fly over traffic jams at the push of a button.

As the main external face of Airbus amongst UK stakeholders, Katherine Bennett OBE FRAeS speaks about her approach to the role of public affairs and to developing future talent in a global aerospace company.