British Section Report of Events
by Aileen Egan

Connie Fricker was almost 60 years young when she learned to fly. She gained her PPL and went on to earn IMC, Night and Twin Ratings. She had only 30 hours PI when on July 5, 1969, she made her first long distance flight to participate in the Malta Rally. From then on, her consuming interest became foreign touring and competing in more air rallies. She has won 24 awards, some from such major rallies as the Isle of Man, the Shamrock and the Malta.		Constance "Connie" Fricker holding Special Personal Achievement Award she received from the British Women Pilots' Association in recognition of her many years of promoting women in aviation
Flight Lieutenant Julie Gibson (right) welcomes Nancy Bird-Walton from Australia. On the left are Lisa Cowland (who completed her Commercial License in Australia) and Aileen Egan.
The Air League Annual Reception One of the spectacular Royal residences of England recently played host to those who have made achievements within the aviation world at St. James Palace in London. The occasion was the annual reception of The Air League, an organization founded in 1909 which strives to promote the cause of British aviation and encourage the country's youth to have an interest in all things related to aviation. I was delighted to be one of those invited to this grand and exciting gathering to collect my award, the James Irwin trophy. The beautiful silver salver is presented annually, together with a flying bursary, to assist a young Air League member in career advancement. The bursary was to fund my Assistant Flying Instructor's (AFI) course, which I undertook during the summer at my local airfield in southern England (which I enjoyed immensely). Not only did I receive an award from royalty (wow!) but I also had the chance to meet and speak with people I had so far only read about. The awards were presented by the Air League's Patron, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, a pilot who only recently ceased flying with aircraft of The Queen's Flight. It was a fabulous evening and I was pleased to have join me in the celebrations both my mother and several members of the British Women Pilot's Association, one of whom was Tamara Fronks who received her flying badge and scholarship from Lord Tebbit that same evening. Amid all the gold and grandeur of the occasion, what struck me most was the unassuming nature exhibited by those attending. Whether old or young, whether starting or ending a career, whether we had made worldwide headlines or not, we were all there as pilots because each of us had achieved something we could be proud of.-Lisa Cowlard
British 99s visit Marshalls of Cambridge where Concorde's famous droop nose, visor and cockpit were designed and built. Members went on to visit the award-winning American Air Museum at Historic Duxford Airfield. Back row: Aileen Egan, Diana Britten and Claudine Bloom. Front row: Jillian Honisett, Lisa Cowlard, Polly Vacher and Eve Saunders.
Flight Lieutenant Julie Gibson, British Section, became the first female transport captain in the Royal Air Force when she converted to the left hand seat of the Hercules C 130 aircraft. She joined 24 Squadron at RAF Lyneham in May 1998. Julie has been flying the Hercules for four years. Before that, she was a co-pilot on Andover HS748 aircraft at RAF Northolt. Julie joined the RAF in 1984, originally as an Engineering officer, after graduating from The City University, London, with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. A change of policy allowed her to become the first active servicewoman to be awarded RAF Wings in June 1991 Julie grew up in Devon, and in her spare time, she enjoys riding motorcycles.