FTSA President, Mark Skidmore, with visiting American guests Sean Roberts (NTPS) and Greg Lewis (SETP) 

Another very successful Symposium was held at the Avalon Airshow 12/13 March.  Well attended and featuring a wide range of interesting presentations, members and guests enjoyed this annual opportunity to get together professionally and socially.  Special thanks to those who travelled long distances, and of course to their partners.

A wide range of presentations included updates (CASA, ARDU, SETP), PC21 description, ARH & Blackhawk testing, C130 trials, GA aircraft spin chutes, stall/departure taming on GA aircraft, and development of an international code of best practice for T&E. Many thanks to all those who took the time and trouble to develop and present. 

The inaugural presentation of the "Shorty Award" for best presentation went to Sean Roberts.  A fascinating look into the role of "eaglets" installations and their effects on stall/departure characterstics of mulit and single engine general aviation aircraft.

Sean Roberts receiving the inaugural award for Best Presentation, "The Shorty Award", from Steve Young 

The Annual Dinner was held at Pelican's Landing where a large number of new members were officially welcomed to the Society.

The Vic Walton tropy for Flight Tester of the Year was won by Keith Engelsman for his continuing contribution to flight test and education within the light and sporting aviation sector.

Keith Engelsman, winner of Flight Tester of the Year, with Greg Lewis

Unusually, we changed locations between the two days of the Symposium.  No problem for our organisers Randall McCutcheon, Bill Munt, and Jan Drobik, who did a great job of setting up and running a very smooth show.  And a very special thanks to the Airshow organisers for their support in allowing us to run the Symposium within the Avalon Airshow.  It must be a challenge to fit in a non profit society such as the FTSA and we look forward to coming together again in 2011.