The Prestwick Branch presents an annual programme of 8 lectures covering a wide variety of aviation related topics. The programme runs from September through to the following April.
Except where explicitly stated otherwise, our lectures are held at:
The Aviator Suite Terminal Building Prestwick International Airport
A map showing the location of Prestwick Airport in PDF format is available by clicking here.
All of our lectures start at 7.30 p.m. apart from the November lecture which begins at 6.30 p.m.
Tryggve Gran - Polar Explorer and Pioneer Aviator Jim Hood
The flight by Louis Bleriot across the English Channel in 1909 is well remembered. But what about the much longer flight, in a Bleriot monoplane, across the North Sea to Norway from Cruden Bay some miles north of Aberdeen? This daring feat was overshadowed by the start of the first world war and is not well known as a result. But for Gran this was only a stage in an amazing life of adventure that included participation in Captain Scott’s ill fated expedition to Antarctica, service in the Royal Flying Corps and involvement in the 1919 race to fly the north Atlantic. Gran’s story just goes on and on, in the most surprising ways, including blotting his copybook when he made a wrong political decision during WW2.
Jim has carried out an extensive investigation of Gran’s exploits. It makes up, as they say, quite a story!
Our 2011/2012 lecture season is summarised below, but full details of our the programme can be obtained from the Branch Circular available by clicking here.
2011
12 September
The Development and Application of Turbofan Engines Peter Berry
10 October
The UK's Aircraft Carrier Project - delivering the nation's flagships David Downs, BAE Systems
14 November
In-Flight Engine Health Monitoring Nicholas Waters, Rolls-Royce
12 December
Air Crash Investigation Len Houston
2012
16 January
Flight Test and Engineering - tales of the unexpected John Bolton
13 February
Tryggve Gran - Polar Explorer and Pioneer Aviator Jim Hood
12 March
The D F McIntyre Memorial Lecture Future Military Strategy Graham Roe, BAE Systems
23 April
Branch AGM followed by: Scotland's First Airshow - Lanark 1910 Ed Archer
The flight by Louis Bleriot across the English Channel in 1909 is well remembered. But what about the much longer flight, in a Bleriot monoplane, across the North Sea to Norway from Cruden Bay some miles north of Aberdeen? This daring feat was overshadowed by the start of the first world war and is not well known as a result. But for Gran this was only a stage in an amazing life of adventure that included participation in Captain Scott’s ill fated expedition to Antarctica, service in the Royal Flying Corps and involvement in the 1919 race to fly the north Atlantic. Gran’s story just goes on and on, in the most surprising ways, including blotting his copybook when he made a wrong political decision during WW2. 