Message from RAeS

OUR PRESIDENT

Howard Nye

Following publication of the UK’s first Space Defence Strategy¹ on 1 February, I was invited to attend an event organised by the MoD and BEIS held at the Institute of Civil Engineers in Westminster on 9 February. Following introductory messages on the next steps in implementing the Space Strategy, the rest of the evening was dedicated to informal networking.

The speakers were:

- Rebecca Evernden, BEIS Director for Space,
- George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Research, and Innovation,
- Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth, Director Space, MoD Space Directorate, and
- Nick Shave FRAeS, Chair of UK space and Coopted member of RAeS Council.

Interestingly, just a few days earlier, Dan Elwell FRAeS, the President of the Washington DC Branch had invited me to interview AVM Harv Smyth at an online event in the Branch’s ‘Leadership Series’, entitled ‘Promoting and Protecting UK and US Interests in Space’² which took place on 16 February.

AVM Smyth discussed how the UK is protecting and promoting its interests in space, while working with like-minded allies around the world, particularly the US and went on to outline what he considers as the ‘4C nature of space’, namely:

Critical for armed services and society
Contested by certain parties
Congested in terms of constellations and
Competitive.

The domains of interest include satellite communications, position, navigation and timing (PNT), as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), to ensure the UK and its allies have the capabilities, tools and trained personnel to understand and overcome the increasing risks in modern times, for example, the risk to space infrastructure from external parties, the intentional creation of space debris, or the recent use of manoeuvrable hypersonic military missiles. The excellent session ran on for longer than had been foreseen and we look forward to inviting AVM Smyth to other Society events in the future.

THE EXCELLENT SESSION RAN ON FOR LONGER THAN HAD BEEN FORESEEN AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO INVITING AVM SMYTH TO OTHER SOCIETY EVENTS IN THE FUTURE

Moving virtually across to the other side of the world, I was honoured to have been invited to provide a (pre-recorded) Keynote address at the 2022 Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering Conference³, broadcast on 16 February. As Asia’s largest aerospace and defence event, this conference focused on the innovative use of technology and concepts to meet the challenges of the post-Covid-19 aerospace industry, addressing:

Environmental sustainability of aviation through green technologies
Rethinking current aviation operations and maintenance
New technologies that will revolutionise aviation beyond 2040.

Entitled ‘Aviation – A Sustainable Recovery’, the message I passed was: ‘As we prepare for the recovery of the aerospace and aviation sector, we must ensure that our plans are compatible with the on-going obligation to reduce humanity’s impact on the Earth’s climate and to ensure that everything we do going forward is sustainable. Sustainability is our collective responsibility across all domains’. I particularly wish to thank Professor Lim Yeow Khee, President of the Singapore Institute of Aerospace Engineers (SIAE) for inviting me to speak at this prestigious conference and for SIAE’s constant and generous support as a Corporate Partner of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

On 28 February, I have been invited to attend an event entitled ‘Italy4Innovation – Space2Growth’ taking place at the Italian Embassy at 4 Grosvenor Square in London. Organised jointly with Telespazio, one of our committed Corporate Partners, and the Italian Trade Agency, the event aims to stimulate Italian and UK space collaboration as a catalyst for growth in both nations.

On 7 March, the day before International Women’s Day, the Society is holding a webinar⁴ entitled ‘What is the future for gender diversity in the pilot trainer role? Myth or reality?’, presented by Professor Susan Durbin, Stella Warren (University of the West of England) and Captain Marnie Munns FRAeS, and elected member of RAeS Council, and recommending a framework for managing diversity and inclusion in recruitment, selection and training.

On 10 March, I will attend the UK Space Energy Initiative, introduced by Mark Garnier MP, Chair, Space Energy Initiative Advisory Board, to learn of the ambitious vision for the UK, together with partners, to lead the development of space-based solar power and its transmission down to cities.

And last but not least, on 31 March, the Society will be hosting the French L’Académie de l’Air et de l’Espace⁵ (AAE) to hold their annual committee meeting at No.4 Hamilton Place: one small step towards further co-operation in the future.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE TEAM

Emma Bossom – Director of Knowledge & Networks

Continuing the introductions to members of the RAeS staff team, I’m pleased to introduce myself as Emma Bossom, Director of Knowledge & Networks, although hopefully many of you will recognise my name or face after many years working with and supporting RAeS members across a wide range of our events, activities and communities.

The Knowledge & Networks departments cover:

Community Engagement with the hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers who lead and participate in our Specialist Groups, regional Branch network and Young Persons Network.
Conferences, events and webinars to share and disseminate knowledge and information.
Production and management of publications, including the monthly AEROSPACE magazine, the AEROSPACE Insight blog and The Aeronautical Journal.
Management of the Society’s communications and content channels, including social media, the website and our e-newsletters and blogs to ensure members receive relevant content and information to support their continuing professional development.
External Affairs activities to promote important topics and themes, as well as raise the profile of the Society as an independent, authoritative and evidence-based influencer.
The National Aerospace Library in Farnborough, UK, where we house an amazing archive of aviation assets and technical papers, journals, books and a growing e-library.
Digital Projects, including enhancing the Society’s IT infrastructure, software and technology developments.
Management of No.4 Hamilton Place as home to the Society’s members and their activities as well as commercial exploitation of the venue.

As you can see from this list, it’s a varied portfolio which is supported by a small, dedicated staff team and hundreds of passionate volunteers who give their time generously to share their expertise and guidance to work towards achieving the Society’s aims and objectives.

An important aspect of being an effective Learned Society is ensuring we promote and share knowledge and information, which is why we have been growing the e-library collection within the National Aerospace Library to ensure professionals around the world can access technical and academic journals and books to support their innovation and problem-solving future solutions. Find out about the latest additions from the AIAA e-book collection on p 50.

The Learned Society Board, chaired by Dr Sophy Antrobus FRAeS, provides strategic oversight of the Society’s knowledge activities and at the end of last year approved a new events model to focus the Events Team on organising five large-scale conferences this year to grow the reach and impact of the Society’s ability to share knowledge on important international themes, including the 2022 CEAS/AIAA Aeroacoustics Conference.

Alongside these large conferences, the Specialist Groups are being offered more autonomy to organise seminars, lectures and webinars with support, guidance and training provided through the Specialist Groups Coordination Committee (SGCC), the Events Working Group and the staff in the Community Engagement and Events Teams. The Airworthiness & Maintenance Group have quickly embraced this and are hosting a series of online talks via Teams to the Community of Interest, so I encourage you to look out for these learning opportunities at www.aerosociety.com/events-calendar.

FOR AVID READERS OF THE SOCIETY’S NEWSLETTERS YOU WILL NOTICE A REFRESHED AND MORE VISUAL FORMAT OVER THE COMING WEEKS

It’s been a busy few months for the SGCC, chaired by Tony Henley MRAeS, as they continued to monitor the implementation of recommendations from the Specialist Groups review including the updated Specialist Group regulations which have now been published at https://www.aerosociety.com/about-us/governance/royal-charter/

For avid readers of the Society’s newsletters you will notice a refreshed and more visual format over the coming weeks with the newsletter on the 1st of each month focusing on ‘What’s on at the RAeS’ with the newsletter released a fortnight later summarising RAeS News and updates. If you haven’t done so recently, I encourage you to login to your online member accounts and review your preferences so you are receiving the most useful and valuable information and communications from our different activity teams. Visit www.aerosociety.com/login and click the preferences tab.

It is great to see members returning to visit and make the most of the headquarters at No.4 Hamilton Place, be it for business meetings, booking an area to work from, arranging team away days, or hosting corporate conferences and hospitality events. If you are looking to organise any meetings or events, reach out to our team at hello@4hp.org.uk so we can help meet your objectives.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my teams and all the volunteers who contribute to guiding and delivering these activities and achieving such success and impact, and I encourage other members to consider getting involved. I truly believe the value you get from being an RAeS member increases the more actively you contribute to your Society, so reach out if you want to know more and keep an eye on our communications channels for volunteering opportunities.