The Royal Aeronautical Society’s 2018 Honours, Medals and Awards have been announced, celebrating achievement, innovation and excellence in the global aerospace and aviation community.
A presentation ceremony was held at the Society’s London headquarters on Monday 26th November 2018. The evening began with the launch of the Sir Ralph Robins Medal & Scholarship, in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering. Air Commodore Bill Tyack FRAeS and members of the Medals & Awards Committee announced the winners of the Society Medals, Specialist Awards, Young Persons Awards & Written Paper Prizes. Sir Peter Norriss FRAeS announced the recipients of this year’s Centennial Scholarships. Winners were presented with their awards by Society President, Rear Admiral Simon Henley FRAeS.
The Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Peter Beck, Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, in recognition of his exceptional work in creating a novel, affordable launch capability for small satellites. Mr Beck has led the design and construction of the Electron Rocket and Rutherford engine, and oversaw the development of the world’s first and only private orbital launch range, located on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula. He played a crucial role in establishing international treaties and legislation to enable orbital launch capability from New Zealand. That capability was realised in January 2018 with Rocket Lab’s first orbital launch of the Electron rocket.
A Silver Medal was awarded to Mr Yohan Jayaratne FRAeS in recognition of his major contribution to the development of aviation in Sri Lanka over the last decade. Mr Jayaratne created a masterplan to restructure Sri Lankan airspace and modernise air navigation services. He also initiated and led the development, construction and commissioning of the international airport at Mattala, opened in 2017.
Bronze Medals were awarded to Wing Commander Mike Place RAF for his contribution to defence air safety by developing a radical new approach to air safety analysis, and Major Roderick Short RCAF for his work to improve understanding of the risks posed to aircraft from collision with remotely piloted aircraft (RPA, otherwise known as drones) and the ways that this can be mitigated.
The Team Gold Medal was awarded to the Rocket Lab Rutherford Engine Team, led by Mr Lachlan Matchett, for developing an oxygen/kerosene pump-fed engine that uses an entirely new propulsion cycle. Team Silver Medals were awarded to the RAF Youth and STEM Team for delivering an exceptional STEM engagement programme, and the Redstreak SAR System Team, a collaboration between Leonardo Helicopters and Smith Myers that developed an airborne Search and Rescue system that can locate mobile phones without network coverage. Team Bronze Medals were awarded to the Chinook Flight of the Joint Helicopter Command Operational Evaluation Unit, Electric Drive Tail Rotor Team and the Airbus Perlan Mission II Project Team.
The achievements of young aerospace professionals and students were also celebrated. Mr Paul Haig ARAeS of Leonardo Helicopters was awarded the Young Persons’ Achievement Award and the Herbert Le Sueur Award. N E Rowe Medals were awarded to Mr Myles Johnson and Mr Laurent Declerk for the best presentations given before a Branch of the Society by young members.
The Written Paper Prizes are awarded annually for the best papers published in The Aeronautical Journal, and this year’s Gold Award went to Professor Ed Galea, Dr Zhaozhi Wang and Dr Fuchen Jia for their paper titled ‘Numerical investigation of the fatal 1985 Manchester Airport B737 fire’. The first Journal of Aeronautical History Written Paper Prize was awarded to Dr Kit Mitchell FRAeS and Mr Brian Payne FRAeS for their paper titled ‘Vibration During Take-Off in the Cockpit of Concorde’.
This year’s Honours, the highest distinction awarded by the Society, were announced on Tuesday 4th December 2018 at the Wilbur and Orville Wright Lecture. Admitted to Honorary Fellowship: Major General Desmond Edward Barker in recognition of his role in establishing and developing a formal flight test capability in the South African Air Force and defence industry; Mr Marcus Bryson for his achievements in promoting the UK aerospace industry; Mr Francis Donaldson for his outstanding contribution to developing a safe operating environment for amateur-built and vintage aircraft, and to the development of affordable recreational aviation in the UK; and Colonel Joseph Kittinger Jr for his pioneering work on high-altitude balloon flights and parachute jumps that have led to significant advances in aerospace engineering and design, and the safety of pilots and astronauts. Ms Shaesta Waiz is admitted to Honorary Companionship for her achievements in inspiring young people to become the next generation of STEM and aviation professionals.
Bill Tyack, Chairman of the Medals and Awards Committee, commented “This year’s Medals and Awards Ceremony was a splendid occasion. The excellence and diversity of the achievements of our recipients, coming from 15 different countries, demonstrates the vitality of the aerospace community around the world. Moreover, it was a great privilege for us all to be able to listen to such a pre-eminent figure as Sir Ralph Robins talking about his career in aerospace engineering.
A full list of award winners and citations can be found in the Medals & Awards Brochure.