Council Members

Honorary Insurance Advisor & Minutes Secretary - Russell Mason

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With his family all working in various parts of British Airways, and going to school right next to Fairoaks airfield, aircraft were in Russell's blood from an early age! Failing in his quest to join the 'family firm' British Airways, Russell found his specialisation in the Aviation Insurance industry in the City, joining a small firm of specialist Aviation Insurance Brokers in 1979.

Rising through the ranks with experience on both the Broking and Underwriting side of the business, he is now an Aviation Underwriter for Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Underwriting at Lloyd's.

During his early years in the Broking side of the business, his then employer started specialising in insuring historic aircraft with Ted White and Elly Sallingboe of B-17 Preservation Ltd, being an early and especially influential customer. Elly kindly introduced his firm to the late John Watts and Russell acted as Insurance Broker for Plane Sailing Air Display's Catalina from the outset.

His dealings and friendship with John led Russell to join the initial group of enthusiasts volunteering to assist in the renovation of the Catalina upon its arrival in the UK at its early base of Barkston Heath near RAF Cranwell. For nearly 10 years Russell was a member of the team of groundcrew supporting the Catalina, Pilatus P2 and Grumman Tigercat flown by Plane Sailing around the European air display circuit, during which time Russell launched the aeroplane's supporters club - The Catalina Society.

Additionally, the owners' (John Watts, Paul Warren Wilson and Arthur Gibson) enthusiasm for all things flying inspired Russell (along with a number of the other original groundcrew members) to learn to fly and currently Russell flies a Piper Cherokee, Piper Caribbean and Piper Cub out of White Waltham in Berkshire. Plane Sailing initially also organised the Fighter Meet Airshow at North Weald in Essex, and Russell naturally became heavily involved in this event, ultimately being responsible for all the groundside operations of the air display until its unfortunate demise.

Russell's involvement with historic aircraft - through being Insurance Broker to many of the major heavy warbird operators in the UK and USA during the '80s as this sector of the industry grew and grew - brought him into contact with the embryonic HAA to which he was invited to become Honorary Insurance Advisor. In addition to this role, he now also represents the HAA and the aviation insurance industry on the Council of the UK's General Aviation Safety Committee (GASCo).

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