Ian Pallister, FSMAE
Ian’s interest in model aircraft started in 1960 with catapult-launched plastic toys and quickly progressed to the all sheet rubber-powered scale models from Yeoman and KeilKraft. He built his first single channel R/C model at the age of 12 and progressed through galloping ghost to a self-built proportional radio set bought with his first RAF pay packet in 1970. After gaining a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Southampton University and 400 hours of pilot training he served for 26 years as an RAF Engineer Officer, leaving as a Wing Commander in 2004. He then embarked on a second career in the Civil Service as a training manager at the RAF College Cranwell where he was the RAF liaison Officer for model flying at Barkston Heath for several years before finally retiring in 2018.
Throughout 11 years as Chairman of the RAF Model Aircraft Association Ian sat on the BMFA Areas Council. During that time he competed in all disciplines flown by the RAFMAA as well as the BMFA Scale Indoor and Free Flight Nationals. He was National Champion in Scale CO2/Electric in 1988 and in Peanut in 1992.
Ian has judged R/C Scale flying since 1979 and, on retirement from the RAF, was co-opted onto the BMFA Scale Technical Committee to organize the Scale Indoor Nationals which he did for 5 years. Remaining on the Scale TC for 10 years he held the posts of Treasurer, Chairman and Council Delegate. He was elected Vice Chairman of the BMFA in November 2014 and took over as Chairman all too soon in October 2017 when his predecessor’s health deteriorated. Ian was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers in 2017.
An active member of two BMFA Clubs as well as the RAFMAA, Ian’s primary competitive involvement remains Scale (R/C and Free Flight) but he enjoys all forms of R/C flying including thermal and slope soaring as well as an ongoing dabble with helicopters, multi-rotors and FPV.
Ian lives in Lincolnshire and is married with two grown-up children and two grand-children