Air Accident Investigation

Air Crash

Pilot Paul Thompson

PROBUS MEMBERS GET A GROUNDING IN AIR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

What's the starting point for investigations into aircraft disasters, particularly if no crew or passengers are immediately available to shed light on what happened?

Most of us might think of the flight recorder we know as "the black box", designed to survive any incident with every recorded flight detail and crew conversation still intact. But what other factors do investigators take into account? Audlem Probus Club members will find out next Thursday (May 8th), guided by a man with a fascinating and extensive background in aviation.

Capt. Paul Thomson, an Edinburgh-born Scot, emigrated to New Zealand when he was nine years old. He started flying gliders only three years later. By the time he got his New Zealand driver's licence at 15, he was regularly flying gliders, fixed-wing aircraft and even helicopters. The following year he took up skydiving. Anyone who knew Paul could hardly have been surprised when he became a professional aviator in 1975. Since then he's amassed more than 20,000 hours, flying to every continent on the planet except Antarctica.

It seems inevitable that his experiences should have led to what he added to his experiences more than 30 years ago, as he explains: "I joined the Accident Investigation team within the British Air Lines Pilots Association (BALPA). I was trained at Cranwell University where most of the world's government air accident investigators are also trained.

"My talk describes the accident investigation process and some 'tips of the trade'".

Guests and new members welcome: Audlem Public Hall, from 10am, May 8th.


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