The pioneer of modern-day hot air ballooning takes us through how he and a group of friends came up with the idea of building western Europe’s first modern hot air balloon from his 1970s basement flat in Bristol, before transforming his hobby into Cameron Balloons which, for over 50 years has become one of the world’s largest and most innovative producers of hot air balloons.

Don regards the development of the Roziere balloon, a combination helium and hot air balloon, as one of his greatest achievements, used in record breaking flights such as the Breitling Orbiter 3 which completed the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by hot air balloon in 1999. Versions of Cameron Roziere balloons have also flown the first coast to coast flight across Australia and the first solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean. His company has also become world famous for producing an amazing variety of special shaped balloons.

Don also describes his own flights, including finally fulfilling his dream of crossing the Atlantic by balloon in 1992 and making the first balloon flight between the UK and the USSR in 1990 and his many fond memories of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, an event that he helped found and run since it was established in 1979.

Don, looking back on his career, also explains that you have to put everything into running a business and hard work was needed to grab the opportunities that were brought about by modern hot air ballooning.

Don Cameron was interviewed by Anne Hayward as part of the Royal Aeronautical Society/National Aerospace Library’s oral history project  ‘If I only didn’t do it that way…….” Capturing history from the horse’s mouth' to inspire today’s aeronautical professionals'. The recording was edited by edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The transcript of the recording can be accessed on the National Aerospace Library's catalogue

In this podcast series from the Royal Aeronautical Society's monthly AEROSPACE magazine, Editor in Chief Tim Robinson, Deputy Editor Stephen Bridgewater and Features Editor, Jack Richardson analyse recent aviation, aerospace and space news - and preview the latest (January 2025) edition of the magazine. In this episode, we also have Specialist Group Insight with Seth Moffat, Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group. (Get in contact with FOG via [email protected]) Find out more at www.aerosociety.com

In this podcast series from the Royal Aeronautical Society's monthly AEROSPACE magazine, Editor in Chief Tim Robinson, Deputy Editor Stephen Bridgewater and Features Editor, Jack Richardson analyse recent aviation, aerospace and space news - and preview the latest (December 2024) edition of the magazine. In this episode, we also have Specialist Group Insight with Seth Moffat, Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group in conversation with Captain Robert Scott and Prof Don Harris, Professor of Human Factors, Coventry University who discuss airliner single pilot operations. (Get in contact with FOG via [email protected]) Find out more at www.aerosociety.com

Former Engineering manager at BOAC and British Airways and Engineering Director at Cathay Pacific, Stewart takes us through the challenges of selecting and keeping aircraft in the air in both the Far East and in the UK. Though starting life as a BOAC apprentice, Stewart spent his early years on secondment to Kuwait Airways and Malaysia-Singapore Airline and he tells us about life living away from home often as the only engineer certified to maintain the airline’s types. Back in the UK, Stewart spent most of the 1970s at Heathrow dealing with the challenges posed by the unions, engineers and the fleet of Boeing 747s and 707s. Steward finished his time as a full-time employee in Hong Kong as Cathy Pacific’s Engineering Director, working with Boeing, Rolls-Royce and his engineers selecting and maintaining over 60 wide-bodied aircraft and Dragonair’s fleet of narrow bodied aircraft. Not ready for the allotment, Stewart returned to the UK to take up consultancies and board positions with many aviation companies including Rolls-Royce and Airbus. Always a Committee man, Steward also discusses his term as President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers and the International Federation of Airworthiness. During the interview, Stewart shares some amusing and fascinating tales of the people he met and the challenges he faced during his varied career. Stewart John FREng FRAeS talked with Keith Cameron in September 2024 for the Royal Aeronautical Society/National Aerospace Library’s oral history project ‘If I only didn’t do it that way…….” Capturing history from the horse’s mouth to inspire today’s aeronautical professionals. … . The podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS. The transcript of the recording can be accessed on the National Aerospace Library's catalogue: https://raes.soutron.net/Portal/Default/en-GB/RecordView/Index/1116153

In this podcast series from the Royal Aeronautical Society's monthly AEROSPACE magazine, Editor in Chief Tim Robinson, Deputy Editor Stephen Bridgewater and Features Editor, Jack Richardson analyse recent aviation, aerospace and space news - and preview the latest (November 2024) edition of the magazine. In this episode, we also have Specialist Group Insight with Seth Moffat, Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group in conversation with Captain Robert Scott who discuss the upcoming single pilot operations conference. (Get in contact with FOG via [email protected]) Find out more at www.aerosociety.com (Note: podcast recorded on 30 October)

In this special episode celebrating Black History Month 2024 at the Royal Aeronautical Society, we’re thrilled to welcome Jackson Smith, CEO of Fantasy Wings and a passionate advocate for diversity in aviation. We’ll explore his professional journey as a Black pilot, the challenges he has faced, his achievements, and the vital role of representation in the industry. Join us for an inspiring conversation about the impact of diversity in shaping the future of aviation!II

In this special episode celebrating Black History Month 2024 at the Royal Aeronautical Society, we’re excited to welcome Elvis Tinago, an aerospace engineer and advocate for diversity and inclusion. We’ll discuss his professional journey as a Black engineer, the challenges he has faced, his achievements, and the importance of representation in the industry. Join us for an engaging conversation about the impact of diverse voices in shaping the future of aerospace!

National Mentoring Day is celebrated on 27 October and has put a spotlight on the benefits of mentoring for everyone, no matter who they are or where they are in their career, for the past 10 years. This year, to celebrate, the Royal Aeronautical Society recorded this podcast in which we discuss mentoring with esteemed mentors, Wg Cdr Daniela Nowalski and Judith Milne FRAeS. The Society also welcomed some of the women that Daniela and Judith are currently mentoring to hear all about their experiences and how mentoring has benefited them.

Air Vice Marshal Graham Skinner has had a long, varied and distinguished career in the Royal Air Force, specialising in engineering. Passionate about aviation as a young boy, he joined the RAF straight from school. However, his exceptional abilities were soon recognised, resulting in his being sent to Bristol University to undertake a BSc in aeronautical engineering. Despite qualifying as a pilot with the University Air Squadron, Graham opted to continue his career in the Air Force specialising as an engineer. This led to a highly-varied series of roles and challenges, ranging from keeping helicopters flying in the desert to maintaining supersonic fighters in a state of readiness; roles which subsequently encompassed logistics as well as engineering, and concluding with his appointment as C-in-C Logistics Command. His problem-solving contributions were recognised with the award of a CBE. Graham Skinner’s interview reflects not just a history of dealing with changing technology but also the excitement and challenge of a career in engineering. AVM Graham Skinner CBE was interviewed by Sir George Cox CRAeS as part of the Royal Aeronautical Society/National Aerospace Library’s oral history project ‘If I only didn’t do it that way…….” Capturing history from the horse’s mouth to inspire today’s aeronautical professionals. The recording was edited by edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS. The transcript of the recording can be accessed on the National Aerospace Library's catalogue: https://raes.soutron.net/Portal/Default/en-GB/RecordView/Index/1116013

In this podcast series from the Royal Aeronautical Society's monthly AEROSPACE magazine, Editor in Chief Tim Robinson, Deputy Editor Stephen Bridgewater and Features Editor, Jack Richardson analyse recent aviation, aerospace and space news - and preview the latest (October 2024) edition of the magazine. In this episode, we also have Specialist Group Insight with Seth Moffat, Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group in conversation with Captain Alex Fisher who discuss Loss of Control Incidents (LOC-I). (Get in contact with FOG via [email protected]) Find out more at www.aerosociety.com

Katrina talks about her university education and early employment before describing how she got into aeronautical engineering. Katrina provides a fascinating insight into what it was like to work as an engineer in the 1970s whilst working in the Spares Department of the British Aircraft Corporation in Preston working on the MRCA (Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) which became the Panavia Tornado. Katrina was able to put to advantage her language and communication skills whilst employed on the spare parts catalogue. Katrina reflects on being involved in aviation and a woman working in engineering, and tells some fun stories from her life and work such as hammering her car at some traffic lights in front of Germans to get it working it again before the lights changed, discussing aircraft parts with German colleagues and persuading them not to label a hole with a part number and the instance of an engineer storming out of a work canteen for engineers saying the canteen was not for ladies who come with friends…she never saw him again. Katrina feels she did not face problems with being a lady engineer because colleagues valued her skills and she was too busy working and living to feel really proud of her work and excited about being involved in aviation. Katrina also talks about stopping work to look after her family, becoming a teacher and helping and caring for her mother and father. Most recently, Katrina has enjoyed volunteering for the National Aerospace Library (NAL) by helping to conserve historic material in the NAL’s archives. Her advice for anyone starting out in their career is to research their interests (read a lot but be careful what you read, especially statistics), don’t be put off doing something that is unusual for you to do, and take advice but follow your dream! This is an abridged version of an interview with Katrina Sudell by Anne Hayward as part of the Royal Aeronautical Society/National Aerospace Library’s oral history project ‘If I only didn’t do it that way…….” Capturing history from the horse’s mouth to inspire today’s aeronautical professionals. The recording was edited by edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS. The transcript of the recording can be accessed on the National Aerospace Library's catalogue along with links to the full recording: https://raes.soutron.net/Portal/Default/en-GB/RecordView/Index/183269