ON January 19, retired group captain Ron Powel, made a welcome return to the Dinas Powis Probus Club.

This time he came to give a talk about the middle portion of his 32 years in the RAF, entitled From Lincoln to Tokyo.

He reminded us of his three years as an engineering apprentice, during which he gained an ONC in engineering, his work on the Vulcan bomber before becoming an officer, completing flying training, gaining his wings and becoming a co-pilot on Hercules transport aircraft, a period during which he spent lots of time on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, regularly flying halfway to the Falklands to re-fuel the Hercules air-bridge which supplied the Islands.

This talk began in 1985 when he was selected to become a flying instructor. After training at the RAF Central Flying School, he joined the staff of the University of London Air Squadron, teaching undergraduates how to fly Bulldog training aircraft.

Along with colleagues, he would make about four flights a day, teaching the students how to stall, spin and do aerobatics. Some students couldn’t cope especially with spiralling towards the ground in a spin but others went on to become very good pilots and several now occupy high level posts in the RAF.

They also taught police officers and firemen to become air-observers, controlling convoys and locating water sources from the air.

In 1987, Mr Powel became an A category instructor and returned to the Central Flying School, this time to train new Bulldog instructors. His most important duty during this time was being responsible for moving the Queen Mother’s chair after a group photograph, with the firm instructions not to move the chair before she stood up.

During a later posting at HQ Support Command, he called in the fly past for the Queen Mother’s 90th Birthday party on Horseguards Parade. After this, in 1992, he assumed command of the University of Wales Air Squadron at RAF St Athan, again teaching undergraduates to fly the Bulldog, this time over the beautiful South Wales coast.

Following a further year at the RAF Staff College in 1994, he spent a year in the MOD, nine in London and nine overseas, including those in Belarus, Israel and Japan, which meant a visit to Tokyo.

Mr Powel finished his talk with a taster of his final talk which leads up to his final post as Officer Commanding Nr. 1 Elementary Flying School, running the first stage of flying training for the Navy, Army and RAF.

Mr Powel retired to Barry Island in 2005.

The vote of thanks was given by Bill Bevan.