Membership Secretary

Rowland Carson - memsec@europaclub.org.uk

The Membership Secretary's job is primarily that of looking after membership records - keeping track of who's paid their subs, changes of address and of aircraft ownership, etc. I have built a database system, using FileMaker Pro, to help me do this conveniently and reliably. The next person to do the membership secretary job may not have the pleasure of using a Mac, but as FileMaker is cross-platform, the system could be run on a Windows machine if desired. I try to encourage growth of the membership in various ways, as I feel that we are enabled to do much more for everyone with the largest possible number of builders and operators in membership.

Flying experience

I started my PPL training in 1979 on Cessna 150s at Ipswich, and got my licence in 1980. I added a night rating in 1981. I did start working towards an IMC rating, but never completed it. I now have about 160 hours P1 and about 250 hours total. In addition to the C150, I've been cleared solo in C172, PA28, PA38, and FA200. I've had some dual or supervised time in a Beech F33, a Kitfox, a C172 on floats, and of course in various Europas! I recognise that I will need to learn a lot when I come to fly my Europa monowheel. My flight medical is currently suspended because of a visual problem, but I hope that will be satisfactorily resolved soon.

Special skills/experience

I am a retired electronic engineer, having spent 32 years with the organisation which, when I joined, was called the GPO Research Station and by the time I left had become BT Labs. Most of my work was at audio frequencies, although early on I spent some time on the development of colour television transmission methods for UK use. Using computers as tools since the late 1960s, I have by necessity acquired some IT skills, but not any formal qualifications in that field. Writing concise and accurate reports on my work has always been important. My last job before early retirement involved the design and analysis of subjective experiments on telephony transmission performance, so I picked up some psychological and statistical skills.

Apart from aviation my hobbies include photography, cycling, DIY woodwork and model engineering.

Locality

Gloucestershire (Staverton) is about 15 minutes drive from my home and Kemble is about 45 minutes away. While building I've been keeping my licence valid at those fields with intermittent use of hired C150, C172 and PA28 aircraft. Gloucestershire Airport is of course the home of the PFA Gloster Strut, which provides friendship, education and encouragement to all types of aeroplane enthusiasts in the area.

Aircraft, and current status

I am building Europa #435, G-ROWI. The relatively small premium charged by the CAA for a personal registration tempted me to choose one with fragments of my own and Wilma's name, rather like our e-mail address. I didn't engage brain quickly enough to spot that G-BYRC ("by Rowland Carson") was coming up as an in-sequence mark around the same time - ah well. At March 2005, I have about 750 hours building done, with rudder, tailplane, flaps and ailerons skinned, and the starboard wing ready for closing. Recently I've started filling and painting the control surfaces, rather that leaving that all to the end. Before even starting on the aircraft build, I spent a long time on getting the workshop sorted out and finishing off a covered trailer. You can read more at my building log. I have ordered a Wilksch CITEC (diesel) engine and hope that I can build the airframe light enough for this exciting but relatively heavy engine.

General comments

My artist wife Wilma and I are Quakers, and I work on several committees in our local Friends Meeting. I also serve as an RNIB Talking Book service volunteer.

Last updated 2005 03 12