Royal Aeronautical Society Podcast

Classic Lecture Series: The Miles M.52 project by Mike Hirst

Miles 1940s supersonic aircraft project could have been the first aircraft to break the sound barrier. Though the project was championed by Sir Frank Whittle, who worked with Miles to supply the engine, and was supported by the scientists at the RAE in Farnborough. However, the reasons surrounding the UK Government's secretive cancellation of the project has long been a mystery.
In this lecture to the Royal Aeronautical Society's Historical Group, Mike Hirst explores the technical and political sides of the project, from its inception in 1943 to its cancellation in 1948. His lecture is followed by a discussion by many of the people who were there at the time, including from Miles Aircraft, the Ministry, the RAE and the project's test pilot, Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown.
The lecture took place on 4 November 2004. The podcast was edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and it was digitised thanks to a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

Classic Lecture Series: Reminiscences of a Schneider Trophy Pilot by Group Capt. L.S. Snaith

Member of the victorious 1931 Schneider Trophy team, Group Capt. L.S. Snaith, gives a historical background to the Schneider Trophy contests before he gives insights into the last contest and the handling characteristics of the victorious Supermarine S6A & S6B.
The recording was produced by Martin Snaith and was edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

Classic Lectures: 50 Years of Engineering Learning - a lifetime with aero engines by F. R. Banks

One of the early aero engine pioneers, Air Cdre Rod Banks takes us thorough his early career working for Peter Hooker Ltd who held the British licences for Gnome and Le Rhone, the developments in fuel during these years and the part he played in concocting special fuel cocktails for the Schneider Trophy contests and the development of British and European military aero engines before and during the Second World War.
The lecture was delivered to the Royal Aeronautical Society's Historical Group Lecture on 6th November 1967. The podcast was edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and it was digitised thanks to a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

The Wright influence in Europe by Philip Jarrett

A year before their famous flight, the Wright Brothers’ seminal paper explaining their work with gliders awoke Europeans from the self-confessed torpor and set them experimenting; efforts which were reinvigorated by the Wrights’ flying demonstrations during their 1908 European tour. In this paper, Philip Jarrett takes his audience through the work of Europeans, most notably the French, during the first decade of the twentieth century.
The lecture concludes with a question and answer session.
The lecture was part of a seminar, “The beginnings of powered flight: The Wright Brothers contribution to aviation”, which was organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 10 May 2003. The podcasts were edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and they were digitised thanks to a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

The Wright Brothers : the United Kingdom connection by Gordon Bruce

In the concluding paper of The beginnings of powered flight conference, Gordon Bruce explores the relationship between the Wright Brothers and the land of their ancestors. Starting off by looking at how UK aeronautical figures shaped Orville and Wilbur’s thinking, Bruce tells the story of the UK Government’s reaction to their invention, how the Wrights worked with Shorts to manufacture the Short-Wright aircraft for the civil market, how a disagreement with the Smithsonian led to the 1903 Wright Flyer spending a quarter of a century in London’s Science Museum and how Orville’s life-long work on protecting their patents was interrupted by a “noble act” of not renewing their basic UK patents in the heat of the First World War.
The lecture concludes with a general question and answer session with speakers from across the day.
The lecture was part of a seminar, “The beginnings of powered flight: The Wright Brothers contribution to aviation”, which was organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 10 May 2003. The podcasts were edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and they were digitised thanks to a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

Scientific & technical aspects of the Wrights’ achievement by Prof. D. I. A. Poll

Though Wilbur and Orville were the first to build and fly a powered aircraft, what contribution did the Wright Brothers make to aeronautics? In this paper, Ian Poll takes us through the progress that had been made up 1903 in four key technical areas which had to be addressed if powered, controllable flight was to be achieved: structures, aerodynamics, stability and control & propulsion, before judging the contribution made by the Wrights in those four key areas.
The lecture concludes with a general question and answer session
The lecture was part of a seminar, “The beginnings of powered flight: The Wright Brothers contribution to aviation”, which was organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 10 May 2003. The podcasts were edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and they were digitised thanks to a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.

Alan Bristow Memorial Lecture 2019 with Mark Alber

The Alan Bristow Memorial Lecture is held annually to highlight the legacy of the man who founded the largest international helicopter group that continues to bear his name. Alan was a true pioneer, a great innovator and fully supported progressive ideas for developing all aspects of aviation, in particular, Rotorcraft. Bristow continues to operate in this spirit, leading the industry in innovations, many of which are now standard in today’s operating environment.

Natter - Historic Step To Human Spaceflight

This Historical Group lecture will be presented by Brett Gooden, M.D., Ph.D., F.B.I.S. who will consider the world’s first manned vertical take-off rocket and its significance in relation to human spaceflight to come. Brett will describe the historic but tragic manned flight of a prototype Natter on 1 March 1945 and the critical lessons learned from it for future human vertical rocket flights.
In the space of less than one year a team of engineers under the leadership of the talented engineer Erich Bachem evolved the basic principles used in human vertical rocket flight today. Bachem realised from the beginning of the project that the pilot could not perform the complex task of guiding the rocket precisely on course while being subjected to the multiple stresses imposed by the launch and boost phases of the flight. Consequently, the operational Natters were constructed to fly under the control of a three-axis autopilot which would be pre-programmed remotely from the ground control seconds before launch.

Air Law Summer Lecture

John Harrison, Airbus’ General Counsel, has offered his thinking on how Airbus is navigating the ever-changing nature of global trade and politics. As Airbus celebrates 50 years, Mr Harrison will outline Airbus’ response to a challenging global environment, whether it be protectionism in Europe, WTO disputes or Brexit.

Twelve seconds that changed the world: the Wrights’ achievement of flight, 1903 by Peter L. Jakab

Wilbur and Orville Wright placed their names firmly in the pantheon of great American inventors and their creation of the world’s first successful, powered, heavier-than-air flying machine and inaugurated the aerial age, one of the defining characteristics of the twentieth century.
In this paper, Peter Jakab takes us through the life and early career of Wilbur and Orville Wright, their approach to invention and how they developed their theories and their aircraft up to the momentous events of 17 December 1903.
The lecture was part of a seminar, "The beginnings of powered flight: The Wright Brothers contribution to aviation", which was organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Historical Group on 10 May 2003. The podcasts were edited by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and they were digitised thanks to a grant from the Royal Aeronautical Society Foundation.