The Master’s Message
The current Master is Richie Piper ESQ BSc(Hons) FRAeS.
Flying has been a lifelong passion for Richie, having grown up near RAE Farnborough where his father was senior scientist. Sadly, the need to wear glasses meant his RAF flying career was stillborn, but a business career in IT funded the gaining of a commercial licence through the self-improver route. His flying includes displaying his own classic aircraft, and instructing, where he very much enjoys sharing his love of aviation. His enthusiasm for older aircraft has led to his involvement in the Historic Aircraft Association where he is on the management committee.
Richie takes an active part in three Air Pilots charities, serving as a Trustee of the Air Pilots Benevolent Fund and Chairman of Trustees of the Air Pilots Trust and the Air Safety Trust, and is keen to support their objectives, especially encouraging young aviators and school children to get their first taste of flying. With the AST and APT involved in the investment in the new company office Air Pilots House, Richie was appointed as director of Air Pilots Property Limited, who manages the building.
As Chairman of the Air Pilots Flying Club Richie is part of a team that organises social fly-ins and lunches and supports charities that encourage youngsters into aviation with pedal planes and GA simulators. The Club also provide a number of Gliding Scholarships.
As part of the Scholarship selection team Richie utilises social media to publicise these schemes as well as the work of the Air Pilots and activities of City Livery Companies.
His business career has included working in the City with finance, legal and insurance organizations providing consultancy and project management. This include a project with a major law firm due to go live on the Friday after Great Storm of 1987 where Richie was the only member of the team able to get on site and the go-live was only delayed by 12 hours. This provided him with an introduction to the history, traditions and ways of the City.
Richie has enjoyed rugby as player, coach and referee, and he and his wife Gill enjoy walking, sailing and skiing. They have two children who work in medicine and insurance.
The Master writes …
This is my first article as Master following the AGM and Installation meeting, preceded by the service in the Company church St Michael’s in Cornhill – although copy deadlines mean I am writing this before the Installation!
I well remember my first Installation meeting, where I was sworn in as a Court Assistant. It struck me as a very formal occasion, based on Livery traditions, and not a little pageantry. I observed the handover between the outgoing and incoming Masters, and afterwards asked the Learned Clerk and Master if we should consider a small change in proceedings to reflect the fact that we were pilots, where the installing Master would say to the new Master: “You have control” and would receive the response in turn: “I have control”. Imagine my surprise they not only agreed but would amend the procedure thereafter!
I am grateful to Capt Jonathan Legat, not only for giving up the left-hand seat to me but also for the year he has had as Master, aided by Dominique and Delphine. He has been a great ambassador for the Air Pilots and a dapper presence on the City Livery circuit in his Air Pilots bow tie.
The Company Journal
The Company produces a bi-monthly issue of its journal ‘Air Pilot’ edited by Allan Winn containing information on the aviation scene and Company activities.
You can download the current issue as well as past issues back to 2008 at this link.
Australian Region (HCAPA)
Chairman’s Newsletter
