Civil Jet Operations

Abstract

The 882nd Lecture to be given before the Royal Aeronautical Society was held under the auspices of the Glasgow Branch on 23rd April 1953. Professor W. J. Duncan, F.R.S., F.R.Ae.S., President of the Glasgow Branch, welcomed the visitors. He expressed regret that the President of the Society, Mr. G. H. Dowty, F.R.Ae.S., was unable to be present and welcomed Mr. N. E. Rowe, C.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., Chairman of the Branches Committee, and the Secretary of the Society, Dr. A. M. Ballantyne, T.D., A.F.R.Ae.S.

Mr. Rowe, taking the Chair for the rest of the meeting, said how much the President regretted not being present; as they knew, he had shown the liveliest interest in the Branches and had made many visits to them during his year of office. This was the twelfth Main Society Lecture to be given at a Branch meeting; the holding of Main Lectures at the Branches had proved a great success and he was sure that the present meeting would be a success also, because their lecturer had been doing pioneering work for the past three years on the development of the Comet. After graduating from Cambridge in 1940 Captain Majendie joined the R.A.F. and served as an instructor for several years; he served with Coastal Command in 1943 and was mentioned in despatches, then served on ferry duties, and in 1946 joined British Overseas Airways. He held a Pilot's “B” Licence, a Navigator's Licence and a Wireless Operator's Licence. Before being appointed to work on the Comet he had been engaged in helping Mr. E. S. Calvert at the Royal Aircraft Establishment to develop the high intensity lighting system. Captain Majendie was one of those rare people who combined a scientific and a really practical ability.