17/03/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Polly Vacher is one of those remarkable people that we can all be inspired by. Certainly, I have been inspired by her achievements, courage and passion for aviation and helping good causes.

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07/02/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Martin Lloyd - JAA Chief Flying Instructor - Head of Disabled Flight Training, Anglo American Training, USA

May 2007 was when I first contacted Martin in San Diego. I was looking for a flight training facility that could offer a commercial service for pilots with a disability. The reply I received was “I think that our School is just what you are looking for” - Indeed they were and I was 1 plane ticket away from going to San Diego. Other opportunities opened up for me and I trained for my pilots licence in the UK. I found Martin to be incredibly helpful and we kept in touch. Read the rest of this entry »

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03/12/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Question in the Air - Stanley Stewart, Retired BA 747 Captain and Aviation Author.

During the summer of 2007 in Geneva, my mother noticed an aviation charity displayed on a car and suggested to me that find out about them - and so i did. This investigation led me to speak with Stan. I knew very little of his backgroud in aviation but felt very connected with him and his Organization Aviation Without Borders. The primary purpose of Aviation Without Borders is to provide humanitarian services of an aviation nature to the needy, irrespective of politics, religion, race or nationality.A charity that i have become very fond of and am volunteering for. Stan has written many books on aviation - titles such as Emergency, i remember reading this during my pilot training days at the flying school club house.

Stanley Stewart is well known in the field of aircraft writing, and has written a number of books - all of which are to be recommended. The great thing about his books - and especially this one - is that he can take a subject, and make it into an interesting story which would be of interest to any reader, but he also comes at it from a technical background: he was a 747 captain for many years. You know you’re getting the facts from someone who knows what they’re talking about.

I never thought i would meet the author and Stan has given us a wonderful interview….

Who or what influenced you to become a pilot?
1. I was always interested in travelling and considered joining the Royal Navy. One day at school the career’s master said to me that since I was interested in travelling I should look at this. It was a brochure on the BEA/BOAC air training school at Hamble and from that moment I was hooked. I feel I have been very lucky to have been able to fulfil my ambition. Read the rest of this entry »

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10/09/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Dame Tanni Grey Thompson DBE

I have only spoken with Tanni once during a long phone call almost a year ago and i shall always remember it. I have learnt more about her career as an Athlete and all round brilliant person since then. We thank her very much for giving us an opportunity to interview her for Questions in the Air.

Tanni has competed at 5 Paralympic Games, Seoul bronze medal 1988; Barcelona 4 gold medals, 1992; Atlanta 1 gold medal, 3 silver medals, 1996; Sydney 4 gold medals, 2000; Athens 2 gold medals, 2004. Tanni won the London Marathon six times between 1992 and 2002.  Held British records in every distance from 100 metres up to 10,000 metres.  Current world record holder at 200 and 400 metres. Awarded DBE in 2005.  Member of the Laureus World Sports Academy; Patron The Youth Sports Trust; Patron The British Sports Trust; Vice-president Womens Sports Foundation; Vice-president Get Kids Going.  Tanni is also a motivational speaker. Council member of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust from January 2006.

1.    Who or what influenced you to become an athlete?
I grew up in quite a sporty atmosphere - both my parents loved sport, and I was a naturally competitive person.  I think sport was seen as a useful thing for me to do.  To start off with it was about being fit and healthy and then later on it was about competition
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11/07/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Barry Cardno, Pilot, Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand.
I met Barry in October 2006 by complete chance at Lasham. As soon as I heard his voice, I recognized where he is from and introduced myself as a fellow Kiwi and drove him back to Clapham, London. Well, I have a NZ birth certificate and had happy times whilst living in Auckland and later on managing The D4 who have played at the Wanaka Music Festival. Barry has regained his wings after a plane crash in 1995 where he broke his back. His dreams now are to share the freedom, joy and accomplishment of flying with intellectually or physically disabled children and young people, and inspire them by example to aim high and not give up on their own dreams. His story is below…

____________________________________________

As far back as I can remember I wanted to be a pilot.

The Southern Alps of New Zealand at Wanaka was where I began life in October 1973.

It was there where I was first bitten by the flying bug. Read the rest of this entry »

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21/06/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Marjorie Ellis Thompson, CEO C3i, Cause related Marketing and Brand Communications.
Marjorie Thompson has worked in all sectors: private, public, and voluntary or not-for-profit (NGOs) on both sides of the Atlantic.With her colleagues, from an extensive network built after nearly 25 years in Britain working for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Royal College of Nursing, the Commission for Racial Equality, Saatchi & Saatchi and numerous clients in her freelance career, she has a wealth of experience.

1. Why is Changing the World so important for you?

A variety of influences—coming from a medical family where both grandfathers, my dad and all my uncles’ careers had an element of helping people rather than purely making an income. Watching the Sound of Music as a child and then reading a lot of history to try to understand how the Nazis had come to power. The belief that (like the Schlitz beer commercial ‘You only go around once in life’ so that rather than ‘grabbing all the gusto you can’ you try to make a difference. This probably stems from being brought up as a Presbyterian and going to Sunday School for 17 years.

2. What can we all do to help make the world a fairer and more equal world for all that live in it?

Short of actually working in the field of human rights, we can support those who do, try in our own behaviour to ensure that we do not discriminate, persuade the organizations we work for to adopt equality policies and speak out—uncomfortable as it sometimes is—when we see injustice occurring.
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18/06/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Nigel Thorpe - Flight Lieutenant - RAF Odiham - Chinook Pilot.

I recently met Nigel at RAF Odiham during a BDFA field trip. I was intrigued by the presentation given to us by the base commander about the work of RAF Odiham and their Chinooks in international conflict duties. After the presentation we had coffee with various RAF Odiham crew and I found myself chatting with Nigel. I found out very quickly that he is a Chinook pilot and was naturally star struck by what he does. after coffee we were given a guided tour of a Chinook by Nigel and his colleague Stu and I can’t begin to describe how brillant it felt being shown around the aircraft flown by the pilots. I was even allowed to sit in the cockpit of the Chinook. It was important for me that Freedom in the Air and its readers get an insight into what I believe is truly a wonderful institution - THE RAF - to reach for the Sky.

1.Who or what influenced you to become a pilot – was being a helicopter pilot your dream or did you find yourself somehow in the cockpit?

When I was young, my father took me to many air shows, and I suppose my ambition started then. Initially I wanted (like most young boys, I suppose) to fly fast jets, but on seeing a SAR Sea King display, decided that it was helicopters that I really wanted to fly (much to the chagrin of my father – something I have never forgotten).As far as my RAF career is concerned, I have kind of ended up in the cockpit by accident as much as design. Although I applied to be a pilot, I joined the RAF initially as a helicopter crewman (the guy down the back who does things like look after passengers, loading and air to ground gunnery) and, after a stint instructing, became a navigator. Although I had the chance to sit in the back seat of fast jets, I made the choice to return to the rotary domain, whereupon I was packed off to fly the Puma. Shortly after my nav training, I was lucky enough to be selected for pilot training.My career path has been highly unusual and I have certainly taken the hard route to the front seat, but a combination of right time, right place and a mantra of “don’t ask, don’t get” has brought me to where I am today.

2.What is your current work and role in the RAF?

I am currently a student pilot learning to fly the Chinook. I have completed my formal flying training and been awarded my “Wings” at RAF Shawbury but am now being taught the intricacies of flying and operating a complex type. Despite having 2700 hours airborne under my belt, I am given exactly the same training as the ab-initio pilots on my course. Read the rest of this entry »

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06/06/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Rusty Bradshaw – Musician and Self-employed:

Rusty Bradshaw is a great friend of mine who I first met at Bedales School during our sixth form. He is almost like a brother. We have had many adventures in particular whilst traveling around the world. One unforgettable experience we had together was a motorbike accident in Goa, India. All ended well. Rusty is a very talented musician and plays Keyboard for Razorlight as well as playing in his own band The Doctors of Love.

1. Why is music so important to you?

Music is my passion. It’s another language, which expresses life itself. It
Is a therapy and brings much joy to everyone, anywhere.

2. What is the best memory from our school days at Bedales?

Stealing a sofa, running off to the local woods with it, building a shelter and getting high!

3. What is your current work and are you enjoying it?

I am both a painter and decorator and a musician. The work as a musician
Fluctuates in frequency and I therefore find that I have to work as a decorator whenever I can. I do not really enjoy this - i work on my own to maximize my profit - so it can get a little lonely and mundane. I do like working as a session musician though and have worked for the likes of Razorlight and Duke Spirit amongst others.
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17/05/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Dr Patricia M Lewis PhD Nuclear Physics:
My mother is amazing. We met when I was 3 years old living in the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage in Kolkata, India. What would we do without our mother’s eh? Without my mum, my world and life would be far less stable and happy. My little sister and mum live in Switzerland which means that I get to see them very little.

1. Who or what influenced you to become a Nuclear Physicist? Read the rest of this entry »

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24/04/2007 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Questions in Air :-
Jonny Vale is a music and band manager. He currently manages The Charlatans & Mogwai for Creation Management. He was the person who first introduced me to the Music Industry by getting me a learnership with Jack Stevens for Hijack Records. I have known Jonny since we were 13 years old as we went to the same boarding. I shall always remember a great week I had with him when he lived in Madrid..

1. Who or what influenced you to have a career with music?

It was just a love of music. Its always been one of the most important things in my life. From my early teens I wore headphones constantly and would go to independent record shops every weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

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