Dan Air Staff Association

13/10/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk
Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 26th October 2026 – 1845 for 1930 hrs
Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE
“The Red Arrows and Air Show Operations”
Presented by Phil Holt
At the height of the “swinging sixties” the Royal Air Force
formed an aerobatic team that would win the hearts of a
nation. Phil Holt takes you through the events that led to
the creation of successive teams of pilots who have
established a worldwide reputation for skill and aerobatic
precision that is the envy of other military teams, and then
he will take you behind the scenes.
An Air Traffic Controller by profession, Phil has been
involved in the Air Show business from the operations side
for nearly 40 years, he has served as a Flying Display
Director, been a member of Flying Control Committees,
choreographed display programmes and served on Air
Traffic Control teams, and his talk will also cover the
requirements and regulation of the industry.
AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks,
given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.
VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18
0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating
For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344

11/09/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk
Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 28th September 2026 – 1845 for 1930 hrs
Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE
“The Old Dragon who Spread his Wings – Nevil Shute – Aviation
and Author Genius “
Presented by Stephen Robson
Stephen Robson, as well as being our speaker, is the Chairman of Charles Roles
Heritage Trust, a Director of the RAF Ibsley Airfield Heritage Trust.
His subject, Nevil Shute, had many aspects, a stretcher bearer, engineer, pilot,
author, co-founder of Airspeed, sailor, model engineer, and racing driver being all
in Shute’s life experience. In his
engineering life, including being Stress
Engineer on the R100 airship and founder
of the Airspeed aircraft company of York
and Portsmouth he was Nevil Norway, but
as Nevil Shute he is known to hundreds of
thousands of readers around the world.
As Lt Cdr Norway RN he visited Exbury the see the effect of special D-Day projects.
Several of his books entwine events of his life in the story. A flight in a small
aeroplane to Australia in a quest for book material led him to settle near Melbourne,
where he died at the early age of 61. The talk covers his early life, his introduction
to engineering and aviation, and why he chose a slightly different name as an author,
which became a full-time job.
AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given
by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.
VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating
For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344

21/08/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk
Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 24th August 2026 - 1845 for 1930 hrs
Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE
“Concorde – 20th Century Icon”
Presented by Captain John Hutchinson.

Concorde was, without doubt, a 20th
century icon and Capt John Hutchinson
will present a tribute to the remarkable
technological achievement that ranks
alongside the Apollo lunar landing
programme – a celebration of a golden age
in aviation.
John Hutchinson spent 8 years in the Royal Air Force before
transferring to civilian flying, joining BOAC (subsequently
British Airways) in 1966, initially as a co-pilot on the Boeing
707 and 747. He gained his command on the VC10 in 1976,
before being posted to the Concorde fleet in 1977. He flew
Concorde until he retired from BA in 1992 with 5800 hours
on Concorde, of which 3000 hours were supersonic flight.
Following retirement, John has worked as a consultant on the US High Speed
Research Programme and with a number of other aeronautical organisations. He
lectures all over the world and this talk should not be missed.
AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given
by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.
VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating
For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344

AirACES : Arun & Chichester [Air] Enthusiasts Society; Chichester, West Sussex

12/07/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk

Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 27th July 2026 - 1845 for 1930 hrs

Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE

Two Talks “My Journey to Becoming British Airways First Female Pilot” and “Tales from the Flight Deck”

Presented by Ms Lynn Barton

In her first talk Lynn Barton will relate, how, after flying at an early age in a light aircraft, she set out on an aviation career. Her Private Pilot Licence was gained as a 17-year-old schoolgirl. In 1978, while working at a flying school, Lynn became a flying instructor. In 1979 she was accepted for training at the College of Air Training, Hamble, BA’s training school. She was the only female in a course of 150 trainees.

At the course end, with no jobs available at BA, Lynn returned to instructing, and twin-engine charter flying, later joining Air UK and then Dan Air where she obtained jet experience. When BA started recruiting in 1987, Lynn was selected as their first female pilot, and due to her flying experience went straight onto long haul on the Boeing 747.

In her second talk Lynn will cover her career with BA. Starting as a co-pilot on the 747 and finishing as a Captain on the 747, including being a Captain on Boeing 757, 767 and 777 as well. It will include some stories of her trips around the world including Africa, South America, Australia and also Europe.

AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.

VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating

For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344

05/06/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk
Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 22nd June 2026 - 1845 for 1930 hrs
Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE

“Solo 2 Darwin – in the Footsteps of Amy Johnson”
Presented by Ms Amanda Harrison
Do you have a dream that you have been told you can never
do? Solo 2 Darwin is one woman’s dream that she never
gave up on, even through the dark days of cancer. Amanda
is the true spirit of adventure, proving ordinary people can
achieve something extraordinary. On 11th May 2019,
Amanda took off in her 1942 Tiger Moth biplane, to honour
the amazing Amy Johnson, who, in 1930, was the first
woman to fly solo from the UK to Darwin, Australia in 19
days. Most adventurers choose a modern aircraft to fly
around the world in. Amanda wanted an authentic adventure
in a vintage biplane with its cockpit open to all the elements, for her solo voyage.
The Solo 2 Darwin adventure saw Amanda flying through spectacular scenery,
extreme temperatures, two engine failures, mountains of bureaucracy and finally
having to end this attempt with the warning of the possibility of being shot down.
The talk will have you flying with Amanda, who, with trademark humour and
tenacity, will have you experiencing the drama, the dangers and the sheer
exhilaration of flying all by yourself in a tiny fragile aeroplane across the planet.
AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given
by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.
VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating
For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344

12/05/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk
Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 18th May 2026 - 1845 for 1930 hrs

Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE
“Testing Fast Jets -Aden to ADV”
Presented by Group Captain Ron Burrows AFC, FRAeS, JP, RAF (Ret’d)
Ron Burrows joined the RAF in 1962 and flew Hunter fighter/ground attack aircraft
on close support missions over the deserts and
mountains of what is now Southern Yemen. In 1970,
he graduated from the US Navy Test Pilots’ School
with a posting to the Aeroplane and Armament
Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down.
During his subsequent four test flying tours, he
tested all the RAF’s fast-jets and trainers of the time.
He was the first RAF pilot to fly the MRCA/Tornado prototype in 1975 and he later
became the CO of the Fighter Test Squadron at the Aeroplane and Armament
Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down. He conducted
Buccaneer hot-weather trials in Arizona, Jaguar cold-weather trials in Alberta,
Harrier GR3 ski-jump tests, and in-flight refuelling trials from a variety of tankers,
including the improvised Vulcan tanker. Following staff appointments in NATO
and the UK MoD, he was promoted to Group Captain in 1985 and became
A&AEE’s chief test pilot.
His talk spans his RAF career from 1962 to 1988, from Aden Emergency to testing
the Tornado, describing A&AEE’s test facilities and methods employed. He
entertains with stories of two ejections and other close shaves and explains what it
was like to fly and test the fast jets of the era.
AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks,
given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.
VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating
For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344

09/04/2026

Arun & Chichester (Air) Enthusiasts Society
AirACES
www.airaces.org.uk
Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Ret’d) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot
Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 27th April 2026 - 1845 for 1930 hrs
Boxgrove Village Hall, PO18 0EE
“More Stories About the RAF Heritage Group”
Presented by Sqn Ldr Rick Lipscomb
Sqn Ldr Rick Lipscomb is no stranger to AirACES having previously acquainted
us with the RAF Heritage Group and its work ensuring the preservation and sharing
of the history of the RAF.
This time his talk will cover the recent
diverse activities of the Group including
the replacement of the gate guardian
Tornado on the parade square at RAF
Halton with a Eurofighter Typhoon,
including the “how and why”.
He will also cover the replacement of the
gate guard at RAF Honington, the 3x Tucanos that have been placed in Museums,
the gifting of Sea King helicopters from HMS Sultan to various museums, a
Jaguar and Tornado donated to the Development at the former RAF Bruggen,
Germany, and the recent support to the Metropolitan Police Art and Antiques Unit.
AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks,
given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.
VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE
6.45 pm for 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE.
Doors open at 6.45 no pre-booking, no reserved seating
For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk
Email: [email protected] or call Air Aces on 07393 131344