30 June 2010
The CCAA’s General Aviation Safety Award for 2010 has been presented to Charles Strasser for his campaign to persuade aerodromes to drop landing fees for GA pilots making emergency landings. The CAA also honoured outgoing General Aviation Safety Council Chief Executive, John Thorpe, with a lifetime achievement award. A special commendation has also been presented to the joint NATS-Airbox project team for creating and launching the Aware GPS device.
All the winners were presented with their awards at last Friday’s AeroExpo event at Wycombe Air Park. The CAA’s GA Safety Awards are presented annually to an individual or group for displaying particular skills in safety critical incidents or for commitment to improving general aviation safety through a project or campaign. Winners are selected from nominations put forward by the GA community.
Chris Finningan, Head of GA Flight Operations at the CAA, and one of the judging panel, said: “Charles Strasser decided that he should take on the task of persuading aerodrome owners and operators to adopt a ‘no fee for emergency landing’ policy. He has been hugely successful with 201 aerodromes (166 civil and 35 military) now signed up. Charles’ immense determination and sheer persistence had to be brought to bear over a number of years to achieve this level of support and a significant number of pilots have benefited from it.
“For his tireless campaigning on behalf of GA pilots Charles Strasser receives the CAA Safety Award.”
Commenting on John Thorpe’s Award, Chris Finnigan said: “John Thorpe is well known to all who have an interest in General Aviation safety. Recently retired as GASCo Chief Executive, John has been a familiar face at GA events and shows around the UK where, at the GASCo stand, he has given many pilots the chance to test their pre-flight inspection ability by picking up defects on a real aircraft he has borrowed for the occasion.
“John was also the driving force behind the hugely successful series of GASCo seminars at which venues of great interest to GA pilots, such as the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Marshalls of Cambridge, were matched with expert speakers on a range of aviation topics. All these seminars were over-subscribed and some had to be re-run to accommodate demand. This programme of seminars continues today.” <a href=”http://www.caa.co.uk “>Click here for more</a>
