The Cambridge Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society was formed by Resolution of the Council of the Society dated 31st January 1957 and held its inaugural meeting on 11th March 1957 in the University Engineering Laboratories. To commemorate this historic event the RAeS Cambridge branch has organised a dinner following the lecture on Thursday 9th March 2017.

A lecture about gliding - “Soaring with Condors in the High Andes” - will be given by the Branch President, Air Marshal Philip Sturley CB MBE BSc FRAeS and held in Lecture Theatre ‘0’ of the Cambridge University Engineering Department in Trumpington Street at 6 pm.

The dinner will follow the lecture at 7.45 pm in the Royal Cambridge Hotel. RAeS has negotiated a price of £25.00 a head, including VAT and service, for three courses, tea/coffee and mints. This is outstanding value and includes a Branch subsidy. For this reason, you may invite 1 guest at £25 but further guests will be at £35/head.

The lecture will cover developments in modern gliders, and the challenges and thrills of flying and racing them in the high Andes using the playground of the Andean Condors.

Air Marshal Philip Sturley has achieved over 7000 hours flying on 110 types, but mainly on fast jets in the tactical recce and attack roles. He commanded No II (AC) Sqn, RAF Cottesmore and No 38 Group, and has filled a wide range of staff posts, including Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in London, and Chief of Staff NATO HQ AIRNORTH in Germany. He retired from active service in 2005 and has served as a Reserve Officer since then as a pilot on 5AEF. He is Lead Senior Military Mentor at the Higher Command and Staff Course at the UK Defence Academy, and Honorary Air Commodore of No 4624 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force. He regularly chairs military conferences worldwide, and in his spare time he is a gliding instructor and enjoys mountain flying in the Alps and Andes each year.

Date: Thursday 9 March 2017

Time: Talk starts at 6pm. Dinner follows lecture at 7.45pm.

Venue: Lecture Theatre 0, Cambridge University Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (directions).

Parking: There is limited parking available at the front of the site. There are further parking places at the rear.

There is no need to register for the lecture.

To book your place for the dinner – as soon as possible but absolutely no later than 20th February 2017 please - use the booking form and indicate your menu choice. A cash bar will be available for the duration of the dinner.

A poster for this event can be downloaded here.

This event is organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society Cambridge branch.