Speaker: Steve Robson

Squadron Leader Stephen Robson RAF (Retired) will tell the story of Frank Whittle, an accomplished pilot in the Royal Air Force before building his jet engine with private funds. Despite disinterest and rejection, ultimately the Government paid for further and successful development. The talk covers the extraordinary story of ability, courage and determination shown by a man who believed in the unthinkable yet let his patent lapse because he could not afford £5 to renew it. His patriotism led to his role and involvement being minimised but enabled Britain to lead the world in the new technology. After completing an engineering apprenticeship Stephen Robson served in the RAF from 1969 until 1988. He then worked for British Aerospace, followed by over five years in a construction consultancy. He returned to aviation to monitor jet engines for the BAe146 / Avro RJ regional jets and other business jets. Now ‘retired’, he is active in aviation related organisations and is Chairman of the Charles Rolls Heritage Trust, which educates people on the role of Charles Rolls and Britain’s first International Aviation Meeting.