Sir John Charnley CB MEng DEng(Hon) FRIN HonFRAeS FREng

Past-President Sir John Charnley has died at the age of 99.

He graduated in civil engineering from the University of Liverpool in 1942 to join the Scientific Civil Service at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), Farnborough, engaged in flight research on aircraft at transonic and supersonic speeds. By 1955 he had become Superintendent of the Blind Landing Experimental Unit, ultimately at RAE Bedford, developing all-weather operation of civil and military aircraft and leading to the automatic landing systems now in use world-wide.

In 1963 he joined RAE Farnborough as Head of Instruments & Electrical Engineering, overseeing automatic flight control, bombing and navigation systems and cockpit displays; and two years later became Head of Weapons Department, covering R&D on all air armaments, including nuclear weapons and their delivery. By 1968 he had become Head of Research Planning at the Ministry of Technology, covering R&D in all sectors of the manufacturing industry, and a year later became the MoD Controller of Guided Weapons & Electronics for all Services.

In 1975 he was appointed Chief Scientist, Royal Air Force, with responsibilities including threat appreciation, operational analysis and techniques for aircrew selection and training. He was also a Member of the Air Force Board.

His final appointment, from 1977 to 1982, was as MoD Controller of R&D Establishments & Research for all Defence Science and Technology. He was Chief Scientist of all three Service Boards and Procurement Executive Management Boards, managing 12 R&D Establishments employing 28,000 staff. This made him Professional Head of MoD Scientists as well as MoD Representative on Cabinet Office Science & Technology Committees and Senior UK representative on NATO and international technical bodies.

After retirement from Government service, Sir John took up numerous appointments as consultant or trustee, including Chairman of the CAA R&D Programme Board, Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science & Technology, Chairman of the Shuttleworth Collection and President of the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE). He finally retired in 1997.

He was active within the Institute from very early days, and by 1960 had received our Bronze Medal. He became President from 1987 to 1990, and in 2001 was awarded the Institute's Gold Medal, given in recognition of 'an outstanding contribution to navigation'. He also received awards from other bodies associated with the air, including the Royal Aeronautical Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and what was the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. He was appointed Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1973 and knighted in 1981.

We have lost a past-President who was not only a world leader in post-war air development, but wonderful company and a good friend to many of us. We pass our condolences to his family.

The funeral will take place on Friday 5 November at 11.30am at Easthampstead Park Crematorium, RG40 3DW.  Please email admin@rin.org.uk if you would like to attend. The service will be available to watch on the day and then from 2 days afterwards for a month.  Use Username joga4231 and Password 004595 at website https://watch.obitus.com

The family wish there to be no flowers but donations, if wished, may be made to Parkinson’s UK or Farnborough Air Sciences Trust through  Co-op Funeralcare, Farnborough

                        John Charnley          4 September 1922  -  28 September 2021