Heathrow Branch, Royal Aeronautical Society - 07936392799

Formed in 1956, the RAeS Heathrow Branch hosts lectures Sept thru June at British Airways Waterside HQ, as well as other events through the year.

The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) is the world's only professional body dedicated to the entire aerospace community. Established in 1866 to further the art, science and engineering of aeronautics, the Society has been at the forefront of aerospace ever since.
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The RAeS Heathrow branch was formed in 1956, following a circular letter sent by Norman Brown of the BOAC Design Office and discussions between Sir Bob Lickley, Technical Director Fairey Aviation and Beverley Shenstone, Chief Engineer BEA. Committee Members and support was also given by the local Air Traffic Control, Graviner, Sir George Godfrey and Martin Baker. Geoff Hall, MD Fairey Aviation was the first President. In 1968 Graviner presented the Branch with a Graviner-Wikinson Ceremonial Sword. Hand-crafted, the names of the branch presidents are engraved on the blade, with those of past chairmen on brass plaques on the sword's plinth. The design on the sword's hilt depicts the original 1946 layout of Heathrow's runways - all SIX of them!
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The Richard Fairey named lecture on development topics was first held in 1959 followed by the Sholto Douglas (Marshall of the RAF and Chairman of BEA) named lecture on transport in 1980 and later in 1995 the Charles Abell (Engineering Director BOAC and President RAeS) named lecture on maintenance
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In 1969 the Branch agreed to actively co-operate with the thriving London Airport Branch of the Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers, formed in 1950, (later SLAET) and in 1972 created a joint Branch with a combined Committee (anticipating by 15 years the merging of the two Societies)
In 1984 the Branch elected the first ever female Branch Chairman, Linda Jones, now Linda Fulton.
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Notable lectures to the Branch have been given by Sir Frank Whittle, Adolf Galland (Comander of the German Air Force during the Battle of Britain), Douglas Bader, Valentina Tereshkova (USSR, first woman in space), Helen Sharman (first British astronaut), Freddie Laker, Bob Crandall (Chairman & President, American Airlines) Richard Noble and Andy Green (World Land Speed Record holder).
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Branch Chairman: Graeme Catnach, FRAeS
Branch President: Willie Walsh, FRAeS

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