Future Social Evenings - Dates for the diary……
2024
Ideas for “Guest Speakers” at future events are always welcome. Please contact debbie@airportsol.com
25th March 2024 - Annual General Meeting (AGM) - this will be followed by a quiz to make the most of the evening
29th April 2024 - Bob Cooper - Retired Licensed Aircraft Engineer.
A warm welcome to the return of Bob who last presented to us in 2022. Bob enjoyed a career from 1963-2019 in the aircraft maintenance and engineering profession. His list of employers are numerous, ranging from Air Couriers, BUA, BCAL and Air Malawi to BMED, Air Europe and East African. Consultancy work has seen him work with XL Airways, Canada 300, Jet 2 and Virgin Blue to name but a few.
His adventures over the years are documented in his book ‘56 Years and Many Airlines Later’. It is from this book that Bob will continue to entertain us with his reminiscing as ‘Part 2’ to his previous visit to us.
Bob will also touch on the Boeing 737 MCAS incidents as well as the recent Alaska Airlines incident.
20th May 2024 - Chas Jutla - Jet2 Regional Base Type Rating Examiner - Training Captain - Airbus
We welcome this evening Chas Jutla who has a wealth of flying experience under his belt. He has been flying for 28 years, 23 years commercially.
Chas spent 19 years with Thomas Cook flying the Boeing 757-200/300 as well as the B767-300 for 10 years. He then spent a further nine years with the company on the A320/A321 and A330-200/300. Chas has spent the last four years flying the A321 for Jet2 and still holds a type rating for the A330.
24 June 2024 - James McBride - How to steal a jet
A welcome return to a TAS regular - James McBride. James has entertained us on many an occasion in the past. Many of you will of course recall his appearance on the Airline reality TV series featuring easyJet in 1999/2000.
James is also an accomplished author. 24 June will see the launch of his latest book ‘How to steal a jet’ at out very own TAS shop. Come along to find out what actually happens when you need to repossess a jet aircraft!
I’m fairly certain James will also delve into a potted history of his interesting career as well.
Bio……..James started his military flying career in 1983 with the Royal Naval Fleet Air Arm where he flew Hawk, Harrier, Gazelle and Seaking Helicopters. He flew Air Taxi flights out of Manchester International for Grosvenor Aviation from the Southside hangars (Hangar 522) from late 1987 through to the end of ’88. In early 1989 he joined Air 2000 based at Manchester as a First Officer on the B757. He spent the next 5 years as FO. He got his command on the B757 and flew as captain until he left the company in early ’96. After a brief spell as a B767 contract captain for Alitalia based in Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, he moved his family to southeast Asia to fly with RBA on the 767 fleet. In November ’97 he joined easyJet and was with them for 7 happy years. While with easyJet he appeared in the cast of the Airline TV series. Series 3 and 4 were first shown in 1999 and 2000. He was Base Captain Liverpool for easyJet from 2000 through to May 2005 when he left. He was asked to join Astraeus Airlines as a training captain on the B737 and B757 based in Manchester and Gatwick. In October 2006, he left them to fly as trainer/examiner for Globespan on the B767 based in Manchester. (And Heathrow, Ascension Island, Mumbai, Delhi etc) In December 2009 he moved abroad again with his young family to Athens in Greece to be CEO for GainJet the private jet airline. He flew VIP Boeing 737 and 757s carrying Heads of State, Royalty and Rock-Stars around the world. (His favourite celebrity passenger was Snoop Dogg). Three years later he was on the move again, this time to Malta as Director Flight Ops for Maleth Aero flying VIP B737s for a year. Then in early 2014 he was Chief Training Captain for SkyGreece on the B767, before joining Silkway Cargo based in Azerbaijan as a Trainer. When Silkway finished their 767 fleet, James returned to Athens to work for Ryanair on the B737. He flew the B737-800 for 5 years until Covid hit. In November 2020, he was invited to join Olympus Airways Cargo on the B757 as a Trainer in New Zealand. After operating the 757 freighters in Auckland for 7 months, he went to his last job which was with DHL Cargo based in Panama flying around Central and South America. His last landing was as captain of the DHL “Yellow 1002” flight on 6th November into Miami from Panama. Besides his airline flying, James flew historic aircraft in Air Displays for 7 years authorised for low level aerobatics to 50 feet AGL. While working part-time as a Flying Officer in the RAFVR, he was part of the Royal Air Force, Air Experience Flight for Air Cadets in the early 90s – simultaneously flying charter B757s as the ‘Day-Job’. His monthly column called “From the Flightdeck”, was published in Flight Training News in the UK from 2006 through to 2023. The author of five aviation books and one cookbook, he lives mostly in Florida, USA with his wife Rosemary. They travel extensively during the summer months
29th July 2024 - EDM Cabin Trainers - James Bird
Founded in 1971, EDM has expanded and become a leading global provider of training simulators to the civil aviation, rail and other industries for over 40 years. The company has provided products to over 30 different airlines, including American, Ethiopian, Singapore Airlines, Gulf Air, China Southern, Austrian, Ryanair, Garuda and Netjets to name but a few.
19th August 2024* - TAS trip to Palma
A review of the TAS Palma trip due to be taken in early June 2024
*NOTE due to the timing of the August Bank Holiday Monday, our August meet will be the second to last Monday in the month.
Confirmed 2024 dates - speakers TBC
30 Sep, 28 Oct, 25 Nov and 16 Dec
What are Social Evenings?
Social Evenings are where we invite a guest speaker from the “world of aviation” to come along to the Runway Visitor Park and deliver a presentation on a specific topic to our Members and Guests. The evenings are traditionally held each fortnight on a Monday night.
An average attendance would be between 70 – 100 people – all ages (all sexes) who simply have a common interest in Aviation. Throughout the year we will try and vary the topics to ensure we cover all aspects of Civil and Military aviation.
Recent Guest Speakers have included:- Red Arrows Team Manager, Concorde Chief Pilot, Former USAF U2 and SR71 Pilot, Director of Manchester Airport, Director of Thomas Cook Airlines, Virgin B747 Pilot, Professional Drone Pilot, Air Accident Investigator, Air Traffic Controller and the CEO of Loganair.
The evenings are conducted in a relaxed environment where like minded people are able to meet. Prior to the Guest Speaker commencing their presentation a selection of historical and current photos will be shown on the large screen.
Each evening will normally have a 15 / 20 minute break (half way through) where we usually hold a raffle with a prize associated with the evenings presentation or a gift voucher for the TAS Shop.
WHERE ARE THEY HELD?
All TAS Social Evenings are held in the RVP Cafe at Manchester Airports Runway Visitor Park (RVP). Postcode WA15 8XQ, Tel 0161 489 8300.
The venue has a bar and is located alongside the iconic Concorde G-BOAC. Entry to the Social Evenings is normally through the TAS Shop and the Concorde Hangar – (Yes, you walk under Concorde). We guarantee a fantastic evening, where everyone is made very welcome…and great views of the aircraft can be had regardless of the weather!
How much does it cost?
Admission (Pay on the door) to the Social Evenings is just £2.00 for TAS members with guests being admitted for £3.50.
What time and where do I park?
The gates to the Runway Visitor Park open at 19.00hrs for persons attending the meetings and the presentations commence at 20.00hrs and usually end at 22.00hrs.
Entrance and Car parking to the Runway Visitor Park is free after 19.00hrs to all persons attending TAS Social Evenings. If required the Car Park attendant located at the “gate house” will advise you with respect to the Car Parking arrangements for that evening. Drive through, park the car and make your way to the event in the Concorde Restaurant.