New session is launched

Royal Aeronautical

The first lecture in the Prestwick Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s 2015/ 2016 season takes place next week.

This month’s lecture is ‘ Schoolboy to Station Commander’. The speaker is Gp. Cpt. Jock Heron ( Rtd).

Jock’s talk will cover from the time he joined the RAF as an Officer Cadet at Cranwell until the present day. Following graduation and the award of his pilot’s wings he was commissioned in December 1957.

A f t e r o p e ra t i o n a l conversion and training on the Hunter at Chivenor he was posted to No43( F) Squadron at Leuchars as a day fighter ground attack pilot. What followed was a distinguished and varied career. He retired from the RAF in 1987 as a Group Captain.

He then joined RollsRoyce from which he retired in 1998. He is Vice- Chairman of the RAF Historical Society. At Filton, he is chairman of the Bristol Branch of the Rolls- Royce Heritage Trust and a trustee of the Bristol Aero Collection.

The meeting on Monday, September 14 will take place in the Aviator Suite, at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. The lecture starts at 7.30 p. m. Visitors are welcome, and an opportunity to meet over tea or coffee will be available in the Aviator Suite ( situated on the upper floor of the terminal building) during the evening.

Entry is free to students in full time education; otherwise there is an entry fee of £ 3 for visitors. The airport parking fee for visitors is £ 2.50, payable at the service desk near the escalator. Further lectures are: Monday, October 12. How Tiny Spacecraft are Revolutionising the Space Industry, lecture by Craig Clarke.

Monday, November 9. Cody to Concorde, lecture by Richard Gardiner

Monday, December 14. Going Bush, lecture by Paul Catanach.

Monday, January 18. Airbus A400M Engine Flying Test Bed, lecture by Martin Payne.

Monday, February 8. Hybrid Air Vehicles, lecture by David Stewart.

Monday, March 14. Gliding the B747, the story of BA9, lecture by Eric Moody.

Monday, April 11. Scottish Charity Air Ambulance, lecturer to be announced.

Visit the branch www. raesprestwick. org. uk